Student Experiences
Applications are currently closed.
Find Additional Funding Opportunities:
This Internship Funding Opportunities spreadsheet is designed to help students identify funding opportunities for internships focused on health equity and public health. It provides a starting point for exploring various funding sources across Region V states and nationally. The Region V Public Health Training Center (RVPHTC) has compiled this resource for informational purposes only. RVPHTC is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the organizations listed in this spreadsheet (except where RVPHTC is explicitly named as the funding source). Students are responsible for verifying all information, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and application procedures directly with each funding organization. Funding opportunities, award amounts, deadlines, and eligibility criteria are subject to change. Always check the official website of each opportunity for the most current and accurate information before applying. Note: The opportunities within this resource were last updated in February 2026.
The RVPHTC Student Stipend:
The 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. Applications are typically open in early spring each year.
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.
Public Health Training Center Network
Field Placement Program by the Numbers
Building the Capacity of the Future Public Health Workforce
July 2018 – June 2025
1,716 STUDENTS PLACED contributing 355,479 CONTACT HOURS
1,250 (73%)
in Medically Underserved Areas
431 (25%)
at Rural
sites
371 (22%)
in Primary Care Settings
At the end of the field placement*
96%
of students say the information learned is
Relevant to their future career
96%
of students identified actions to
Apply information learned
95%
of students believed they met identified
Learning Objectives
96%
of preceptors agreed their student(s) met
Learning objectives
*Based on 1,627 student and 1,032 preceptor responses to the Public Health Training Center Common Metrics Evaluations for field placements completed July 2018 to June 2025 across the 10 Regional Public Health Training Centers
- Overall, the learning objectives were met by the placement/project.
- I have identified actions I will take to apply information I learned from this placement/project.
- The information I learned during the placement/project is relevant to my future health career plans.
Copyright ©2025 This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Public Health Training Centers. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of. nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA. HHS or the U.S. Government
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.