Public Health Internships

Public Health Development International has offices located in the Washington, D.C. area (Maryland) and in the New York City area (New Jersey) however; interested students may work regionally and be trained for regional (off-site) positions.

Description:        

The objective of this public health internship is to develop planning, workforce training, expansion of surveillance systems, health policy development and changes in disease prevention programs essential to public health program activities. Interns will develop public health focused programs and analyze plans for integrating current programs for development of local, state and national public health initiatives and health policy development. Public Health Development International focuses on cancer educational and prevention programs, STD prevention and intervention programs, health promotion and disease prevention strategies for chronic diseases and infectious diseases and epidemiology.

The Intern is expected to work independently as well as collaboratively with health professionals, including epidemiologists, public health specialists, and communication specialists throughout the organization and in national health / public health organizations.   Activities may include:

• Needs assessment, planning, development and evaluation of existing and potential projects.   
• Providing technical assistance to health professional development programs, and collaboratively with state and community health
• Collaborating with national public health organizations and professional organizations in the planning, coordination and development of national public health strategies associated with health education and disease prevention.
• Participating in developing and disseminating reports and guidelines about the impact of healthcare workforce development, patient care media, public health policy and practice.
• Assist with the development and delivery of training and educational activities for future healthcare professionals.

Required and/or Desired Skills and Knowledge:

·         Successful applicants must have at least a bachelors degree (or are in the process of completing a bachelors degree).   

·         Successful applicants must be able to type and have computer skills.

·         Successful applicants must be willing to work a minimum of 15 hours per week.

·         Successful applicants should have access to a personal computer.

·         Successful applicants must have a working telephone.

Expected Benefits:

This career development opportunity will offer a broad experience in public health practice. Specifically, the Intern will learn strategies for and practical skills in integrating specific public health policies and programs associated with disease prevention, health promotion, and healthcare workforce development. Benefits include leadership opportunities for the selected person(s) in which academic knowledge may be combined with practical public health experiences. The Intern will work closely with hospitals, clinics, patients, physicians, healthcare providers, schools and national, state and community health agencies to assess and develop the role of public health activities including planning, surveillance and data systems, managing acute public health response, and policy and program development. The Intern will gain insight and expertise through close working relationships with health professionals as well as development and delivery of workshops and case studies.  The Intern will serve as liaison to national organizations, and will gain skills in planning and development of plans, recommendations, and reports.

Period of Assignment:

The initial project period is 3 months, which may be extended to one year.  The start date is March.

Possible Internships:

National Healthcare Professional Development Project  Public Health Intern

There has been a considerable decrease in the number of students entering medical (and other health professional) schools even though there has been a major increase in chronic diseases and infectious diseases with an increasing aging population requiring additional medical and healthcare services.  PHD International Inc. has taken upon itself, a significant project and company initiative, which is to dramatically increase the number of health professionals by 2020. PHD International Inc. plans to do this through its National Premed 101 Project, which features four programs, including the Premed 101, Premedical Apprenticeship Program, Premedical Clinical Internship and Premed Public Health Summer, which comprise the Introduction to Professional Education Preparation Program.  The program is designed to recruit all health care specialists and professions. The program goal is to reach 50,000 students, in all 50 states including Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Guam, by 2008. 

Clinical Site Coordinators  the incumbent would be responsible for identifying medical professionals (physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, and allied health professionals) to participate in our Medical Mentors program. The candidate(s) would also be responsible for initiating contracts for student (pre-med students - - high school and college) internships site and conducting site evaluation and site initiation.

Project Coordinators  the incumbent would be responsible for coordinating national pre-health professions programs at colleges and universities across the United States (all 50 states) and U.S. Territories (including Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam). Training provided.

(No experience necessary. Applicants must have access to a computer and telephone. Personal fax, preferable)

PREVENT Campaign - Public Health Theater for Prevention of STDs, HIV/AIDS, Pregnancy, and Cancers Associated with Sexual Activity in Adolescents and Young Adults

Public Health Development International (PHD International), Inc.  is a public health company that identifies health issues and develops programs to address major health and medical priorities which include the implementation of fundamental public health strategies particularly health promotion and disease prevention in youths and young adults.  Research data has indicated that prevention and intervention activities in teenage and young adult populations (particularly in college students) can decrease sexual behavior and/or decrease the continuation of risky sexual behavior. Studies have shown that adolescents and young adults are strongly impacted by visual stimuli and entertainment (including music and television). Therefore, we are interested in developing a platform that incorporates the fundamental concepts related to media and entertainment to act as a tool for implementation of the public health intervention model in this community. The focus groups for this program are high school students (13-19 years of age) addressing primary and secondary prevention and college students (17-25 years of age) addressing secondary and tertiary prevention strategies. The purpose of Public Health Theater is to increase abstinence in teens, decrease sexual activity in young adults and reduce the risk of STDs, pregnancy, AIDS, and cancer due to risky sexual behavior.

Public Health Theater Coordinators  the incumbent would be responsible for coordinating public health theater programs across the United States (all 50 states) and U.S. Territories (including Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam), Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Public Health Actors - the incumbent must be interested in acting and using acting and media to convey public health issues.

Theater Production Coordinators  the incumbent would be responsible for coordinating all theater production activities including script, set design, lighting, staging, audiovisuals, and media for public health theater productions.

Medical Researchers - the incumbent would be responsible for conducting the public health and medical research required for the public health theater scripts, proposals, and health literature. Medical Researchers will work in multiple areas and will develop surveys and data collection instruments.  Medical Researchers will conduct public health research through community health outreach and other mechanisms.

Premed Public Health Summer (Summer Camp)

PHD International will host a summer camp (June), entitled "Premed Public Health Summer". Premed Public Health Summer (11-day summer residential camp) will focus on addressing current public health and medical issues such as, newly emerging diseases- SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Smallpox and Anthrax (issues of bioterrorism), West Nile Virus (public safety), epidemiology, infectious disease, health policy, laboratory research, forensic public health and medical emergency response. 

Public Health Student Advisors - the incumbent will be responsible for counseling high school students on career and educational interests in public health and the health sciences. Student Advisors will be responsible for assisting with the on-site residential program at local universities where the program is hosted.

Public Health Teachers - the incumbent will be responsible for teaching fundamental concepts of public health and health sciences. Public Health Teachers must have a Masters degree, professional degree or doctorate in public health, health policy, or health sciences (or is at the final stage of completing one of these graduate degree programs).

Clinical Research Public Health

Public Health Development International, Inc. (PHD International, Inc.) is a public health provider of instructional and professional development services and consultative services for academic institutions, healthcare products companies, students, scholars, and national and international agencies. PHD International provides a clinical research, public health focused, training program entitled, Clinical Research, GCP and HIPAA Training. Clinical Research, GCP and HIPAA Training is a one to two day (8 hour seminar) that introduces health professionals to the principles and practices of clinical research, including the guidelines for clinical trials (Good Clinical Practice, GCP). We have developed this program because of the need for trained and qualified clinical research professionals. New federal regulations have impacted the conduct of research and we wanted to provide health professionals with the most up-to-date information on these new trends and establish fundamental understanding of the requirements and expectations of research with a focus on patient safety and medical data privacy practices.

Clinical Trials Trainers the incumbent would be responsible for educating medical staff on clinical research concepts, regulations, and principles. The candidate(s) must have a B.S. in Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Nursing, or have completed a pre-health professions program (pre-med, pre-dentistry, etc.). Extensive training provided.

**Special Requirement: All public health interns will be required to write and submit one paper to a public health, health science, education, or similar journal or one proposal (or white paper) to a state, federal (including, U.S. Congress/ U.S. Senate), or international agency.

Grant/Stipend: $1,000

(Students will receive a $1,000 grant upon completion of the internship. The grant may be provided directly to the applicants university or may be provided to the student as a stipend. Students must complete the entire internship (3 months) and fulfill the minimum required hours requirement, in order to receive the grant/stipend.)