Internship Program
PURPOSE
Alameda County Public Health Department’s Internship Program introduces students and interested volunteers to public health activities, programs and careers in Alameda County. Students of educational institutions, including high schools, undergraduate and graduate colleges and universities are welcome to participate in ACPHD’s Pipeline Program. See www.acphd.org for ACPHD’s scope of services and programs:
HISTORY
Over the years, ACPHD has provided numerous work-based activities across many public health programs and services. ACPHD continues to offer opportunities, such as brief informational sessions with students to project-based internships, paid and unpaid—over a few weeks, semester or for a full school year period.
There has been a diverse set of students from various high schools throughout Alameda County, primarily from Oakland and North County areas. For college and graduate level students, ACPHD has provided internship opportunities in public health (such as epidemiology, health education, health administration and health policy), nursing, physical therapy and research.
Formal MOUs and learning agreements between Alameda County and several colleges and universities across the greater Bay Area foster an ongoing relationship between ACPHD and educational institutions to partner on behalf of student learning. These colleges and universities that students have attended include California State University campuses of Chico, East Bay, San Francisco, Sonoma; University of California campuses of Berkeley, Davis, San Diego, San Francisco; Notre Dame University, Phoenix University Samuel Merritt University, Stanford University, Touro University, Walden University and University of San Francisco.
Within ACPHD, numerous divisions and programs have shared expertise with interns and currently host students. ACPHD staff, as preceptors or staff mentors, have volunteered to work with students, due to their own passion and interest in involving students in their programs and projects. Trainings are provided to staff on how to be preceptors and mentors specific to their roles, responsibilities and skill-sets.
ACPHD LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
VOLUNTARY/UNPAID:
- Work-based learning
- Project based learning
- Unpaid internships for college credit (undergraduate and graduate coursework) and required clinical training for licensed professions (RN, PT)
PAID:
- Funded projects by programs
- Funded by external partners, such as Oakland Unified School District/Irving Foundation, Health Careers Connection, work-study college programs
WHO CAN BE AN INTERN?
- high school students
- undergraduate students
- graduate students
- interested volunteers who want to contribute time and gain expertise in public health
WHEN ACPHD HOSTS INTERNS
Year-round when there is a preceptor available to work with interns and volunteers.
We can host interns year-round as requested by students and volunteers based on preceptor and intern’s mutual agreement to work together on a project.
WHAT THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM HOPES TO ACCOMPLISH
As part of ACPHD’s comprehensive, effective and responsive workforce development strategies, this internship pipeline program contributes to Alameda County’s potential pool of workers who provide a diverse setoff services to the county’s residents. Moreover, with a dedicated and skilled workforce, our residents benefit by receiving the highest quality of public health services and programs, resulting in a healthier Alameda County population.
ACPHD is aiming for these results:
- A sustainable public health workforce that is skilled in public health core functions and essential services.
- A public health workforce with knowledge and skills to address social determinants of health and
- A public health workforce with cultural competency skills responsive to very diverse Alameda County population.