Student Experiences
Applications are now open. Learn more and apply by 11:59 pm ET on Sun., March 30, 2025.
Please note: you must have secured a placement site prior to applying to this program. You will need to upload a letter from your site preceptor confirming your placement confirming the placement is unpaid or underpaid ($15/hour or less or a stipend of $3500 or less) as part of the application process. A preview of application questions can be viewed in the linked document, but you must submit your application using the Qualtrics link.
The Region V Public Health Training Center (RVPHTC) seeks to advance the skills of the current and future public health workforce to improve population health outcomes. We support students in two types of field experiences taking place across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin:
- Field Placements
- Individual students
- Projects done with a public health organization located in or serving a medically underserved community
- Builds organizational capacity to address social determinants of health
- Collaborative Projects
- Projects are similar in type and setting as field placement projects
- Involve individual or groups of students
- Include faculty involvement
The scope of both field placements and collaborative projects should be substantial enough to take several months to complete. For MPH students at CEPH-accredited institutions, it is possible that these activities could help fulfill their Applied Practice Experience requirement. Either type of experience might also fulfill an internship requirement per their institution’s guidelines.
A $3,500 stipend is included upon acceptance into the program and will be paid in a single lump-sum payment.
For students interested in learning more, please check out the FAQs document and view the recorded Information Session.
Sample Projects
- Health Education
- Community Health Assessments
- Impact of Policy on Health
- COVID-19 Epidemiology
- Program Evaluation
- Client Support; Support Groups
- Health Communications
- Grant Writing
- Needs Assessments
- Research Projects: Policies, Client Relationships, etc.
My field placement experience was incredibly beneficial, providing me with the tools to make a difference and a platform to enact change for the health of my community. It equipped me with invaluable skills, knowledge, and mentorship, further affirming my passion and dedication for the field of public health. Additionally, the placement opened doors for my career, making the job search process easy and helping me acquire my dream career so soon following my graduation. I couldn’t have achieved this without RVPHTC’s financial assistance and training that allowed me to excel in my chosen internship.
My field placement…provided me insight on what it is like to collaborate on professional teams and how to critique and adapt evaluation methods with a place-based approach to fit vulnerable populations’ needs. It challenged me to reflect on my leadership style and how to communicate my thoughts effectively in public health settings. As I received mentoring and supervision from public health professionals it reaffirmed what strengths I have as a public health professional student and led me to assess areas of future development. The Region V Public Health Training Center provided meaningful content and information that not only helped me prepare for my applied practice, but connect with other students and understand what experiences we all are navigating as upcoming public health professionals.
My field placement with the Indiana Public Health Association was monumental in shaping my professional skills and guiding the future of my public health career. During my internship, I developed strategy, produced valuable deliverables, collaborated with intersectoral partners, and so much more.