The Application Process

Students must complete and submit the on-line application by the designated deadline. All parts of the application and supporting documents (including letters of recommendation and official transcript) must be received by the deadline in order to be reviewed. Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Privacy Notification Statement

The primary use for any information provided by applicants will be used solely for selecting DHPE/CDC interns and will be disclosed only to members of the Selection Committee and representatives of DHPE and CDC with responsibilities for administering the Internship Program. Some data may be used in its aggregate in management reports designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Internship Program. There will be no attribution of data specific to any individual application for these reports.

The Review Process

A Selection Committee will convene to review applications and select Internship Candidates. All applications meeting the eligibility criteria received by the deadline will be reviewed competitively. Approvals will be based upon:\

• Completeness of the application (15pts.)
• Topic of interest for professional experience (25pts.)
• Academic performance (20pts.)
• Personal Statement (30pts.)
• Professional Recommendations (10pts.)

Points will be assigned by reviewers to each of these categories and computed based upon the weighting and importance of each category. Those applications within a certain defined approval rating level will be considered for funding. Final decisions will be based upon available resources, placement requests and availability, and placement site needs. Occasionally, the Selection Committee may wish to interview internship applicants. If so, the expenses associated with an interview (phone charges, travel costs, etc.) will be covered by the Internship Program. Candidates will receive notification of acceptance into the internship program at least one month prior to the placement. Final announcements and awards will be rendered in accordance with the Program Timeline.

Program Timeline and Important Dates

The internship program will adjust beginning and ending dates to accommodate students who attend institutions that operate on a quarter calendar system. Additionally, the internship will alter to match academic institutions semester schedules. However, application deadlines remain constant.

Period of Performance

Generally, internships are undertaken within a period of one semester (approximately 12 weeks in duration).

The Placement Process

The DHPE/CDC Internship Program aims to place students of minority-serving institutions in public health settings (federal, national, state and local health agencies, community-based health organizations, voluntary health agencies, etc.) for practical experience in the field of public health education. Applicants may select and prioritize three preferred placement opportunities on their application. While every attempt will be made to place students in one of their three preferred placement sites, such can not be guaranteed.

Once the applicant accepts a placement offer, he or she will be responsible for working with their academic advisor, DHPE's staff and the placement preceptor to transition into their position. The academic advisor and the placement preceptor will be responsible for the supervision and evaluation of the intern's performance. The intern will also evaluate the preceptor and internship experience. Further information regarding the actual internship will be provided during the placement process.

Stipends

The academic level of the intern, at the time the completed application is submitted determines the salary for federal interns. Interns will be paid a stipend at a level allowable for federally funded training programs. The Internship Program will not provide health care coverage. Interns should maintain the health care coverage available to them as a matriculating student of their academic institution. The stipend is intended to cover living expenses including housing and transportation during the internship period. The scale below is based on forty hours per week.

Housing

Students must make their own transportation and identify available housing for the internship program. However, as a service to our interns, DHPE may help identify housing arrangements.

BENEFITS
The Internship Program and its placement process provide a channel for the development of partnerships between public health agencies and minority-serving institutions. The Internship Program is an ideal component of such a partnership in that it provides benefits to each of the three parties involved, the student, the academic program, and the public health agency.

STUDENT SECTION

• Experience firsthand the role of a public health educator
• Expand his/her knowledge of the field and its professionals
• Observe and practice applications of theory to specific situations
• Evaluate the effectiveness of their training in an actual work setting
• Begin to transition from student to professional

Responsibilities
As a participant in the internship program, the student has responsibilities to DHPE, their academic institution and health agency to ensure successful completion of the program. The expected conduct of the student and his/hers responsibilities to the health agency in relation to the internship are:

• To become familiar with and conform to the health agency's regulations
• To plan thoroughly for all assignments
• To prepare for and participate constructively in periodic Preceptor conferences by being open to performance feedback, ready to ask questions and present constructive ideas with respect to the internship
• Notify the preceptor prior to an absence from work
• Consult professionally with the Preceptor and Faculty Advisor when confronted with problems the intern cannot satisfactorily resolve
• To remind the preceptor to complete mid and final evaluation forms and other required forms

The student's responsibilities to the academic institution and health program, prior to and during the internship period include:

• Prepare and review with the faculty advisor providing the recommendation, a personal resume that outlines the student's background, training and interests, prior to the placement
• Represent the academic institution well by performing in an exemplary manner
• Carry necessary correspondences to and from the academic institution and the health agency
• Complete the activity logs in order to keep the faculty informed of experiences and work carried out for the health agency throughout the internship period
• Accurately complete and submit in a timely manner, timesheets, reports and assignments to the preceptor and faculty advisor