Student Internship Opportunities

My name is Soniya Manju and I am a second-year MPH student at University of California (UC) Berkeley in the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Program. I completed my undergraduate degree in Public Health at UC Irvine with a minor in Medical Anthropology. With a passion for reducing health disparities among communities of color, I am exploring my many interests within the MCH field, including childhood development, child mental health, maternal mortality, and reproductive health.

I was a HRSA MCHB intern in 2023, and I worked on a diverse number of projects and programs for the Division of Workforce Development (DMCHWD). I have enjoyed the opportunity to apply my experience and passion for public health to a professional setting that focuses on MCH. My projects were centered around MCHB''s Strategic Plan, which includes access, equity, capacity, and impact. My work included supporting trainee engagement activities through the Trainee Ambassador Group, conducting a scan of the Bureau’s MCH Timeline and writing new entries for COVID-19 and the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program (PMHCA), analyzing and consolidating performance measure data for PMHCA programs, attending a site visit at University of California San Francisco for the Pediatric Pulmonary Centers program, working on a project with the Health Equity team that addresses infant and maternal health disparities, conducting interviews on the impact of MCH training programs on former trainees’ careers in MCH governmental public health, disaggregating PMHCA evaluation data, and reviewing PMHCA expansion proposals by analyzing awardee work plans. During my internship, I was able to explore my interests and it allowed me to gain insight on future career opportunities within MCH. When I begin applying for new roles post graduate school, I am confident that I will be able to discuss how my internship has equipped me to apply concepts and skills I have been learning in academia to practice.

Throughout my internship, I was able to develop crucial knowledge and skills relevant to the MCH field. I specifically grew in my ability to synthesize findings/data, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, professional communication, critical thinking, problem solving, self-reflection and knowledge, networking and interpersonal connections with team members, research, and in my confidence in applying knowledge. I was also given transformative opportunities to learn and grow professionally and personally as a leader in MCH. The Division also motivated me to excel and maximized my capabilities, while also stimulating my personal interests within MCH. My internship with MCHB has been a great stepping stone in my personal career trajectory, as it allowed me to apply what I had been learning in academia into practice in a professional setting. My passion for advancing community health, advocating for underrepresented populations, reducing MCH inequities, and diversifying the MCH workforce also aligns well with MCHB''s mission. This internship program provides an excellent opportunity for continuous growth as an MCH professional.

As the MCHB Student Intern for Winter and Spring 2022, I supported the Division of Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development (DMCHWD), the Office of the Associate Administrator (OAA), and the Office of Policy and Planning (OPP) with various projects. For DMCHWD, my work mainly involved conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses of grantee progress reports and final reports to inform internal and external technical assistance efforts for the division’s programs and initiatives including, the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, the Pediatric Mental Healthcare Access Program, the American Academy of Physicians telehealth grant project, and CARES Act Funding. I have also spent my internship actively participating in the Building the WE in MCHB workgroup to engage with fellow MCHB staff to create and sustain a diverse and inclusive work environment. Other projects I worked on for the division included drafting tweets for Black Maternal Health Week and presenting a Lunch and Learn session to the division on my Master’s thesis topic.

While working on projects for the division, I worked directly with OAA and MCHB’s Senior Advisor for Equity in leading cross-cutting efforts on workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and bureau-wide health equity initiatives. Projects that I worked on for OAA included completing an environmental scan of social and structural determinants of health (SSDOH) conceptual models, participating in a collaboration between MCHB and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation to develop a SSDOH tool, and developing a DEIA and health equity training resource guide for MCHB staff. My work for OPP involved conducting policy research to create legislative authority briefing documents for three new authorities delegated to MCHB. Each of my work products assisted project officers and senior leadership in successfully implementing and evaluating MCHB’s programs and responding to grantee and awardee technical assistance inquiries to strengthen the MCH workforce’s capacity to serve MCH populations.

This internship experience has been extremely transformative to my professional growth and development as an emerging MCH leader. It has also allowed me to understand how a federal public health agency operates, and how state and local governments implement public health programs. It has also allowed me to challenge myself by taking on multiple projects with several offices within MCHB, collaborating with members of my team, and adapting to the ongoing changes of the COVID-19 pandemic, while simultaneously completing my Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the George Washington University.

Implementing the academic knowledge and skills from my MPH studies to my internship and visa versus has helped me reach my full potential. Over the past 7 months, I have become more confident in my ability to communicate both written and orally, ask clarifying questions, and lean on my team for support when needed, which are skills that will be particularly invaluable to my career in the field of public health. Through this internship, I have reaffirmed my passion for MCH and health equity while discovering new-found interests that have shaped my aspiration to become a public servant. Working alongside passionate, supportive, and self-aware leaders in MCHB has made this internship experience more meaningful.

I encourage all future interns to consistently schedule informational interviews with members of MCHB staff, participate in workgroups, communicate specific interests to supervisors, ask for help when needed, work on projects for multiple offices and divisions, and have confidence in the impact they are making. The biggest lesson that I have learned from one of my mentors during my internship, is that the impact of equity centered work may not be immediately visible but laying the foundation for good work to be done in the future is half the battle. This internship program is a fantastic opportunity to grow as an equity minded MCH leader and improve the health and well-being of birthing people, children, and families.

As the HRSA MCHB intern for both fall 2020 and spring 2021, I worked on varying projects for both the Division of Workforce Development (DMCHWD) and the Office of Policy and Planning (OPP). My work in the DMCHWD focused mostly on creating overview documents on grantee needs assessments and progress reports from the division's various initiatives and programs. Examples of the programs that I worked with included the Pediatric Mental Healthcare Access Program, CARES Act funding, MCH Centers of Excellence and Public Health Catalyst programs, and the State Title V block grant initiatives. Projects that I worked on for OPP included an issue brief on the most current information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and pregnant women, developing and maintaining an MCH COVID-19 data tracker, writing a feature in the MCHB staff newsletter, and developing a brief on key MCH disparities.

My work products were used by project officers and senior division staff, to synthesize the current needs and findings from each program or topic area, so that they could make appropriate decisions moving forward. Each of these assignments provided me with a valuable learning opportunity to understand how federal MCH programs are developed, funded, and maintained, which I have been able to apply to my understanding of initiatives at the state and community levels. Working with the DMCHWD and OPP teams gave me experience working in a high-caliber, professional setting with individuals who are highly competent and equally passionate about MCH topics. One of the most valuable and relevant skills that I learned throughout this internship was the development of needs assessment and progress report summaries, which required scanning extensive documents and synthesizing my findings in a clear and useful fashion to convey a bigger picture overview for each program. This will be particularly useful in my future career endeavors and has been instrumental in securing a full-time employment offer following my graduation in May.

As an MPH student concentrating in Maternal and Child Health, this internship has been invaluable to my academic and future professional success. The MCHB team challenged me and pushed me to reach my full potential. This internship allowed me to apply my MPH studies to real-life work and gave me the opportunity to use my knowledge of program design and evaluation, to better prepare me for future employment. Through this internship, I learned what areas of MCH work I exceled at and enjoyed, which helped me to narrow my job search and define what type of position I was looking for. When interviewing for post-graduation employment positions, I was able to discuss my internship experience and demonstrate that I have the ability to apply what I have learned in the classroom to a professional setting.

My advice to future interns would be to take advantage of all of the learning opportunities provided through this position; go to as many team meetings, informational sessions or webinars as possible, even when not required, and have as many conversations and interactions with fellow staff members as possible. This is an awesome internship program that offers endless opportunities to grow as an MCH public health professional.

Post-script:

Isabella has since graduated with her Master of Public Health degree from The George Washington University, and accepted a position as Maternal and Infant Child Health Collaborative Program Coordinator in Nassau County, New York.

• Visit the MCH Workforce Website
• Join the MCH Workforce Email Lists for additional announcements and opportunities.

• Graduate students must be enrolled at least half-time in a graduate program as verified by the student's institution of higher learning. Masters level students are given preference due to the typical responsibilities assigned to interns. 
• Post-graduate students and undergraduate seniors are considered on a case-by-case basis. NOTE: Undergraduate seniors must be enrolled at least half-time in an undergraduate program as verified by the student's institution of higher learning. Current juniors/"rising" seniors may apply for a summer internship, assuming they will enter their fourth year in the fall. 
• An applicant must be a United States citizen or foreign national having in his/her possession a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States. 

Applicants who are able to commit to a 200-hour (6- to 8-week) minimum are strongly preferred. We expect interns to commit to completing their hours during regular business hours, and ask that interns maintain a consistent schedule. Flexibility in the internship work schedule will be accorded to accommodate concurrent academic coursework and responsibilities.

• Trainee engagement: Develop and sustain activities that encourage networking and engagement of current and former MCH trainees.
• Emerging issues: Report and track emerging issues in Zika, newborn hearing screening, transition, and autism.
• Communications: Contribute to the continued implementation of DMCHWD's communications plan.
• MCH workgroups and committees: Participate in cross-cutting DMCHWD and Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) efforts, including topics around workforce development, autism, and children and youth with special health needs.

DMCHWD is unable to offer any type of financial compensation for this internship experience. Students are responsible for all costs associated with the internship, including room/board, transport, and other living expenses.

The internship is located at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857. We will also be offering a virtual option. Candidates for the virtual option will need to confirm that, if selected, they are able to travel to HRSA headquarters or a HRSA regional office 1-2 times at their own expense to complete the onboarding process.

It is Metro accessible on the Red Line. The Twinbrook station is a 10-15 minute walk from the building. There is street parking and garage parking available for a fee.

Applications are accepted on a "rolling" basis. Students may apply for a winter/spring, fall, and/or summer internship at any time throughout the year. Students should apply by 11:59 P.M. on January 25 (for Summer), April 25 (for Fall), and September 25 (for Winter/Spring).

Although interested students may apply at any time, our application due dates for each seasonal internship are set to allow enough time for the federal onboarding process. The DMCHWD internship selection process allows time for application reviews and internship interviews, and the onboarding process includes time for HR review, security clearance, and other internship logistics. Additionally, we have adjusted our timelines to accommodate feedback from universities that students need to confirm their internships far in advance.

Yes. When you submit your application, you can state availability for a summer and/or fall and/or winter/spring internship. If we are unable to offer you an internship for summer, we may have availability for the fall or winter/spring. However, placement in a different season is not guaranteed and is contingent on the needs of the DMCHWD and each candidate's application.

Yes. On your Statement of Availability, please note that your university does not have a time commitment, but include the amount of time you would be able to commit. NOTE: An official university representative will be required to validate your status as a student and sign the HRSA Student Volunteer Agreement even if you are not using the internship toward your program's 

HRSA offers opportunities for Public Health Interns to complete a one-semester rotation within one of HRSA's Bureaus or Offices, including the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Public health internships at HRSA are unpaid practicum experiences for graduate and undergraduate students in good standing at schools of public health and public health programs in the United States. For more information, visit the HRSA Public Health Student Intern Program webpage.

If you still have other questions, email Laurel Huffman.