Internship Eligibility

Applicants MUST be enrolled in school.  
Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for unpaid APHA internships. The internships at APHA are extremely beneficial to those seeking to acquire practical work experience. Candidates should be working toward a bachelor's, graduate or postgraduate degree, and all majors are welcome.

Availability

Opportunities for internships are available for the fall, spring and summer. The internships are performed in-person (Washington, D.C.). This is a U.S.-based internship and candidates must be able to work in the U.S. during the internship. To assure that the intern maximizes his/her experience, we prefer to have students commit a minimum of 20 hours a week for a minimum of 8 weeks, and for those students visiting for a semester, full-time, if possible.

Internship Key Dates

*Applicants must submit a separate application for each internship position.

Compensation

APHA INTERNSHIPS ARE UNPAID AND LOCATED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application Process

Upon receipt, applications will be screened to determine which applicant best meets the needs of the application’s desired area of interest. APHA staff will then interview selected applicants for internship positions. Visit the online Internship Center if you are interested in applying for an internship. All candidates must submit their application online for consideration. 

Benefits of APHA Internship

1. Academic credit (if appropriate).
2. One year free APHA membership, including: The Nation’s Health and American Journal of Public Health (only applies to students who are enrolled in a college or university during the internship period).
3. Capitol Hill visits (if appropriate), briefings or hearings.
4. Learning and development opportunities such as attendance at meetings and conferences sponsored by the National Library of Medicine, federal agencies or other leaders in the field of public health.

Attendance at National Press Club briefings (Communications interns)

Unpaid Internship Guidelines

According to U.S. Department of Labor fact sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act, interns of public sector and non-profit employers may be unpaid as long as the intern volunteers without expectation of compensation. A copy of the DOL's new fact sheet is available at https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm.

1. APHA internships are unpaid.
2. This educational experience is a benefit for the intern.
3. Interns do not displace regular staff and work under close supervision.
4. Interns are not entitled to employment at the conclusion of the educational learning experience period and are free to accept employment elsewhere in the same or other fields.
5. Service as an intern is not creditable to receive benefits or leave accrual.
6. Interns may earn academic credits, as permitted by their college/university and APHA.

APHA Office Procedures

APHA Internship/Fellowship Orientation

One of the basic objectives of APHA's orientation is to make new interns/fellows feel welcome and at ease in their new work environment. We will provide information on a number of important topics, such as job duties and responsibilities, the organization's history, work rules, benefit offerings and nondiscrimination policies.

APHA Hours of Operation

General workdays are between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

APHA Holidays

The Association observes the following holidays each year:

*These holidays will vary according to the Annual Meeting schedule.

If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed. When the holiday is on a Saturday, the office is closed on the preceding Friday. APHA observes the federal three-day holiday weekend schedules where they apply.

APHA Inclement Weather Guidelines

The policy of APHA concerning absence due to hazardous weather conditions is the same as that of the federal government. Off-duty notification advising federal employees not to report to work is passed through commercial media such as radio, television and newspapers. APHA complies with the instructions as given to federal employees.

Application Timeline