Key points
- Students interested in public health law can gain experience by participating in CDC's unpaid semester-long, remote internships, and externships.
- Selected students are paired with CDC host sites that support public health law and policy fields.
Overview
The Public Health Law internships and externships program offers students unpaid training experiences to prepare them for careers in public health law or policy. The program strengthens the public health law workforce by increasing diversity within the field. It also aims to prepare the next generation of public health law professionals to respond to critical issues.
Internships are not tied to academic credit while externships offer academic credits when authorized by the student's school.
Candidates are selected based on ability to meet qualifications, application requirements, and by completing the required application.
Please email questions to PHLFellowship@cdc.gov.
Qualifications
CDC's OPHLS internship and externship are designed for current graduate students (e.g., MPH, DrPH, MPA, PhD) or law students (JD). This includes recent graduates of these programs (within the past five years), interested in careers in public health law or policy.
Ideal candidates will have a strong commitment to:
- Understanding the role of law in public health
- Improving health equity through law and policy
- Strengthening emergency response capacity
Ideal candidates will bring:
- Experience with diverse perspectives
- Creativity
- Cultural awareness and inclusivity
- An innovative approach to problem solving
How to apply
Internship and externship applications for the 2025 cohort will be open from September 16 to September 30, 2024. Deadlines regarding future cohorts will be released when available.
Please be on the lookout for updates and email PHLFellowship@cdc.gov to be added to the fellowship mailing list.
Appointment Start Date
The start date is January 21, 2025.
Appointment Length
April 25, 2025.
Level of Participation
The appointment is part-time (20 hours per week).
Citizenship Requirements
This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals
Application Requirements
Your application must include the online application, transcripts, and resume. If your application does not include all three documents, it will be incomplete, and OPHLS will not consider you for this opportunity.
Email PHLFellowship@cdc.gov for more information on the full application periods for future cohorts and to be added to the mailing list.