1. How long are the summer health internships and when do they start?
Internships are ten (10) week full-time placements that run from early-June through early-September. The actual start date may vary by intern because of school schedules, intern circumstances, and host organization preferences. However, all interns must attend initial orientation and complete the full ten weeks continuously. You may start a week or so before orientation if that allows you to complete ten continuous weeks. Otherwise, you can start the week of, or right after, orientation.
Internships in New England, New York/New Jersey, Northern California, and the Central California Valley typically start in the first two weeks of June. Orientation is usually within the first 10 days of June.
Southern California and Coachella Valley internships typically start the second or third week of June with orientation usually between June 10 and June 20.
The actual start and orientation dates will be communicated to you once you are accepted into the program.
Important Note: For students applying to a region other than where you attend school, we will work with your academic year schedule as much as possible. For example, West Coast schools tend to end later than East Coast schools. If you go to college on the West Coast and want to intern in the East Coast, you may still be in school when the New England or New York/New Jersey program starts. If you are selected for the program, we will work with you and your site placement to decide upon a mutually-convenient and feasible start date. Do not let this stop you from applying but do let us know early on if there may be an issue.
2. What do interns do during the summer health internship?
Interns are placed in health or public health organizations under the guidance of a preceptor. The preceptor is an executive, manager, or professional who provides mentorship and practical exposure to the intern with opportunities to learn about the organization, attend meetings, network with colleagues, and work on projects. The focus of the internship is to provide an educational experience for the intern and also to have contributions that benefit the organization and community. The preceptor and other members of the organization will serve as role models and mentors. Interns will obtain practical exposure to the mission, structure, functions and decision-making processes of the organization. Interns also complete meaningful projects that enhance their learning and contribute to the organization.
The primary focus of HCC’s summer health internship program is to provide students with exposure and hands on work experience in health care administration or public health, although there are often opportunities for practical exposure to opportunities in more clinically-oriented projects (such as nursing administration). However, opportunities to solely shadow a clinician and/or perform clinical duties are not available through HCC (though it may be a small component of a more comprehensive summer health internship experience).
Interns will work on one or more projects that are assigned by their preceptor and contribute to the organization. Projects vary by organization. Students gain practical exposure to administrative functions including operations, finance, human resources, information systems, marketing, public relations, billing and compliance. Some summer health internship placements are in specific clinical or administrative departments. Attempts are made to place students in organizations and on projects that suit the intern’s goals and interests; however final summer health internship placement and project work is the decision of HCC and the host organization. Projects help students gain new knowledge and skills through learning by doing. They also provide accomplishments for students to be proud of and to utilize on their resumes and graduate school applications.
In addition to the internship orientation, students are also attend a number of HCC workshops which are intended to familiarize the intern with concepts of importance to public health practice (cultural competency, leadership, advocacy) as well as provide practical skills for further professional development (applying to graduate school, maximizing opportunities for career planning). Students are also expected to attend site visits at their fellow interns’ organizations to gain exposure to areas of health other than their own internship.
3. Which geographic regions does HCC provide summer internship in?
HCC offers internships in six (6) major regions:
- Northern California (Sacramento and Greater San Francisco Bay Area)
- Central California Valley (Fresno, Modesto, and Bakersfield)
- Coachella Valley California (Coachella, Cathedral City, Mecca, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Indio)
- Southern California (Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, Inland Empire, and San Diego)
- New England (Greater Boston, Rhode Island and Connecticut)
- New York & New Jersey (NY City Burroughs, Northern New Jersey, Princeton NJ)
4. How do the application, selection and placement process work?
HCC receives a large number of applications from students throughout the country. HCC seeks candidates who are good fits with HCC’s mission and goals and who are aligned with the internship opportunities available from host organizations each year. On the application, it is important that applicants are very specific about their geographic preferences and constraints. Selected applicants for each region are offered interviews with HCC. From this pool, HCC conducts in person interviews in each region and in some cases phone interviews. HCC selects finalists to interview with one or more organizations and preceptors. Based on feedback from candidates and preceptors, HCC makes final placement decisions.
Applications are usually available in November or December and are due in early February. The interview and selection process will take place between early March and mid-May. Efforts are made to finalize placements as soon as possible.
5. Who is eligible to apply?
HCC’s summer health internships are designed for undergraduate students and recent graduates wishing to gain work experience in public health, health care, health administration, community health, nursing administration, and public health aspects of clinical practice, as well as other health-related disciplines. Students from all majors can apply. Most HCC interns are college juniors, seniors or recent graduates. However, we also consider sophomores and freshman that demonstrate a commitment to community and diversity and professed interest in public health and/or health care, with demonstrable academic achievement, maturity and prior work experience.
HCC also acknowledges a need to support graduate students and career changers to successfully discover and pursue healthcare career interests. However, HCC has prioritized its focus on undergraduates because they often lack the organized practical exposure, work experience, and support to make informed health career directions. Therefore, we typically do not place graduate students in our internships. You can find sources of opportunities on HCC’s RESOURCES page.
Given HCC’s commitment to increasing diversity in the health professions, it strongly encourages students of color to apply.
International students are also able to apply; however, HCC and its sponsoring organizations cannot provide any documentation or support for immigration-related purposes (such as sponsorship or for work-visas). It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain appropriate permissions and fulfill any governmental requirements.
6. What are the criteria for intern selection?
HCC's founders and staff have been placing interns for many years. Based on their experience, HCC uses a combination of factors to select interns. HCC considers all aspects of the applicant some weaknesses on some areas are offset by strengths in others. Some of the key factors considered are:
- Demonstrated interest and commitment to a health care and/or public health career, with priority given for students interested in health management, policy, public health, community health, health disparities and health education
- Strong interest in addressing the health needs of underserved communities.
- Personal statement content and quality, which follows the guidelines listed in the prompt
- Articulated reason and rationale for interest in health care and/or public health and level of motivation
- Health or public health related course work
- Overall grade point average (GPA) and GPA in health-related coursework
- Ability to work full time during the internship for 10 consecutive weeks
- Personal background (such as racial/ethnic identity, first to attend college, financial barriers etc.)
- Language skills and cultural and community knowledge relevant to potential internship options
- Prior academic and/or professional experiences relevant to the applicant’s understanding and motivation to pursue a career in the health professions
- Writing, quantitative, computer and other skills that can be applied to internship projects
- Feasibility of prompt placement in selected geography and transportation-related factors
- Potential fit with expectations of internship placement organizations and HCC
- Professionalism and maturity sufficient to be successful in the internship
Host organization feedback after candidate interviews is a major factor. We strive for a diverse group of participants in terms of majors, schools, interests, race/ethnicity, gender, experience, and ambitions.
7. How does being bi or multilingual help an applicant? Is speaking another language a requirement to be offered an internship?
This really depends on the organization hosting the intern but, as a general rule, language proficiency, other than English, is not required. However, many of our host organizations work in communities and have projects where knowing a specific language is important in being able to work with their target populations and other stakeholders. In these cases, they request or may give preference to students who can communicate in a language aligned with their needs. Common languages request by host organizations include: Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog, Russian, Cambodian, Hmong and Vietnamese. If you can speak and/or write in these or other languages and dialects you should mention this in your application.
8. How much do interns get paid?
Interns are paid an average of stipend of $3,000 - $4,000 for completing the ten (10) week, full-time continuous summer health internship. HCC constantly tries to raise funds to maintain or increase those levels. However, the stipend in a given year may be vary based on the level that specific health organizations can pay, HCC ability to raise grant funds for stipends, HCC’s overall financial position and the economy. In some cases, HCC organizations hire students directly and pay a greater or lesser stipend amount. HCC strives to provide funding that is comparable or better to other summer undergraduate student educational opportunities. We know that the cost of living in HCC’s regions are high and that the college tuition and fees are increasing. We don’t want students to have financial barriers to being able to have the type of educational and career development experience they seek.
HCC intern stipends are meant to provide support for students to be able to complete an educational internship experience. They are meant to help cover costs of tuition and fees, books, housing and transportation expenses.
In addition, we encourage students to pursue work-study funds, if available, from their academic institution. Please see question #7 for details, as instructions for pursuing work-study are identical to those for academic credit.
9. Can I get academic credit for my summer health internship?
HCC encourages students to pursue academic credit for their summer health internship (independent study, summer course units, etc.) However, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain all necessary information regarding prerequisites and conditions for receiving academic credit. In addition, the student must provide all appropriate documents to HCC prior to the internship so necessary adjustments can be made to the internship experience (if possible) in order to meet all requirements of credit-granting institution. This also allows HCC staff to review all documentation with advance notice to ensure that receipt of academic credit is appropriate and possible.
10. Does HCC provide housing or transportation?
HCC does not provide housing or transportation for you to move to the site/city that you are placed at. The stipend that interns are paid is to help defray this cost for this educational and training experience. Many interns have family or friends in the area where they intern or nearby. Others find affordable housing for the summer through sublets, college campuses or rooming with other HCC interns.
11. How do we go about finding housing?
HCC highly recommends Craigslist for these purposes. If you have not used CraigsList before, the way you do that is to first select the city from the home page. You then go to the "housing" section. Here you will find information on apartments, shared rooms, and temporary sublets.
It is also a good idea to work with your preceptor and/or the HR contact at your host site. Many companies have internal postings that they can connect you with. They can also tell you of specific neighborhoods that are good places to look at.
Another good option is to approach student organizations at universities in the local area. You can email them and see if someone would be willing to help you. You may even find housing through them.
If you can make a visit to your host organization city once you are placed, it is ideal to explore these options at that time.
12. In what types of public health and/or healthcare organizations are interns placed?
HCC places interns in leading and highly reputable:
- Hospitals and Health Systems
- Academic Medical Centers
- Community Health Centers
- Public Health Departments
- Community-based organizations
- Medical groups/physician practices
- Foundations
- Management services organizations
- Health plans and HMOs
- Policy organizations
- Health Professional or trade associations or organizational consortia
- Advocacy organizations
- Consulting Firms
- Health Pipeline Programs
- Companies that provide services or products to healthcare organizations
- Health care associations or foundations
Many of the top health organizations in the country host HCC interns, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, New York City Health and Hospital Corporation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco General Hospital, Eisenhower Medical Center, Montefiore Medical Center, John Muir Medical Center.
One of HCC’s primary goals is having interns work on projects or in organizations that are committed to and provide services to underserved and ethnically-diverse communities. Examples of these organizations include: La Maestra Clinics, BellevVenice Family Clinic, Glide Health Clinic, Operation Access, Alta Medical Healthcare Services, Asian Health Services, Northeast Valley Clinics, The Insured the Uninsured Project, Community Outreach for Prevention and Education, and Ethnic Health Institute.
13. Do interns get jobs at the end of the summer health internship?
Many HCC interns are hired on a full-time, part-time, or volunteer basis upon completion of their summer health internship and/or their education. However, there is no guarantee of a job. The decision is the sole discretion of the placement organization. Many may not have the resources or need. Interns who work hard, demonstrate talent and positive attitudes, and contribute actively to projects, and participate in all opportunities offered are more likely to be offered some form of continued affiliation or be connected to others in the organizations professional network. It is a wonderful chance to shine and launch your health career.
14. What organizations have HCC interns been placed at in Northern California?
The following is a sample list of organizations and their locations:
- Alta Bates Summit Medical Center – Berkeley and Oakland
- Alameda Alliance for Health - Alameda
- Alameda County Public Health Department - Oakland
- Alameda Health Consortium (community clinics) – San Leandro
- Asian Health Services - Oakland
- California Department of Mental Health - Sacramento
- California Health Care Safety Net Institute - Oakland
- California Medical Association Foundation - Sacramento
- California Primary Care Association - Sacramento
- Camino Medical Group – Mountain View
- City of Berkeley Public Health Department - Berkeley
- Collective Roots – East Palo Alto
- Community Health Partnerships, Inc. – Santa Clara
- Ethnic Health Institute - Oakland
- Glide Health Clinic - San Francisco
- Health Plan of San Mateo – South San Francisco
- Integrated Healthcare Association of California - Oakland
- Kaiser Permanente- multiple hospitals and medical groups throughout Northern California, including Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, San Jose, Hayward, Fremont, Antioch, Vallejo, and Sacramento
- John Muir Community Health Alliance – Concord
- La Clinica de la Raza - Oakland
- Life Long Medical Clinic - Berkeley
- Lyon-Martin Health Services - San Francisco
- Operation Access - San Francisco
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation - Palo Alto
- Ravenswood Family Health Center – East Palo Alto
- San Francisco General Hospital – San Francisco
- Sonoma County Department of Public Health - Santa Rosa
- Sutter Health - multiple hospitals in the Bay Area and Sacramento
- Triage Consulting Group - San Francisco
- Tri-City Health Centers - Fremont
- Veteran Affairs Palo Alto - Palo Alto
- UCSF Medical Center - San Francisco
15. What organizations have HCC interns been placed at in Southern California?
The following is a sample list of organizations and their locations:
- Alta Med Health Services - Los Angeles
- COPE Health Solutions - Los Angeles and Orange County
- El Proyecto del Barrio - Winnetka and Arleta
- Insure the Uninsured - Santa Monica
- Harbor UCLA Medical Center
- Kaiser Permanente - multiple locations including East, West, and South Central Los Angeles, Inglewood, Pasadena, Anaheim, Fontana, and San Diego
- Los Angeles Free Clinic - Los Angeles
- La Maestra Family Clinic - San Diego
- Latino Health Access - Santa Ana
- Latino Health Collaborative - Inland Empire/San Bernardino
- Medical Specialties Managers - Orange
- Molina Healthcare of California – Long Beach
- Northeast Valley Health Corporation - San Fernando
- PADRES Contra El Cancer - Los Angeles
- Reach Out West End - Upland
- Riverside Community Hospital – Inland Empire/Riverside
- South Central Family Health Center - East Los Angeles
- White Memorial Medical Center
16. What organizations have HCC interns been placed at in Central California Valley?
- California Health Professions Consortium Doctor's Academy - Fresno
- Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program - Fresno
- Central Valley Health Policy Institute
- Clinica Sierra Vista - Fresno
- Community Regional Medical Center - Fresno
- Fresno County Department of Health
- Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries/Hmong Health Collaborative
- Golden Valley
- HCAP - Healthy Communities Access Project
- Madera County Health Department
- Saint Agnes Medical Center
- San Joaquin County Public Health Services Stockton Chronic Disease Obesity
17. What organizations have HCC interns been placed at in Central California Valley?
Organizations that have hosted HCC Coachella Valley Interns include:
- Angel View
- Borrego Community Health Center
- City of Coachella Planning Department
- Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, Pathways Program, Health Council
- Eisenhower Medical Center
- Riverside County Health Department, Palm Springs
- UC Riverside School of Medicine
HCC will work with its partners to expand Coachella Valley sites and opportunities.
18. What organizations have HCC interns been placed at in New England?
The following is a sample list of organizations and their locations:
- African Community Health Initiative - Boston
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts – Quincy and Boston
- Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan – Boston
- Boston Public Health Commission – Boston
- Brigham and Women's Hospital - Boston
- Brookside Community Health Center - Jamaica Plain
- Connecticut Health Foundation – New Britain, CT
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute - Boston
- Faulkner Hospital – Jamaica Plain
- Fenway Community Health Center - Boston
- Fishing Partnership Health Plan – Newton
- Greater Boston Interfaith Organization – Boston
- Harvard School of Public Health - Boston
- Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates – Quincy and Boston
- Jamaica Plain Community Health Center- Jamaica Plain
- Joslin Diabetes Center – Boston
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Massachusetts Dept of Health and Human Services
- Newtown Wellesley Hospital
- Network Health Plan
- Rhode Island Hospital
19. What organizations have HCC interns been placed at in New York & New Jersey?
- Bellevue Hospital - Manhattan
- Bronx RHIO - Bronx
- Gouverneur Healthcare Services – New York
- Global Business Council for Aids, Malaria and TB, New York
- Kings County Hospital Center- Brooklyn
- Mentoring in Medicine- Bronx
- Montefiore Medical Center - Bronx
- Montefiore- Care Management Company – Yonkers
- New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
- New York Breast Cancer Screening Partnership – New York
- PHI – Bronx
- Ralph Lauren Cancer Center- Harlem
- Rusk Rehabilitation Institute, NYU, NY
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Princeton, New Jersey
- Saint Barnabas Hospital – Livingston, New Jersey
- Woodhull Mental Health and Medical Center, Brooklyn
20. I am an international student studying in the United States. Can I apply?
You must be able to legally work in the United States to be eligible for the internship. If your Visa allows you to receive a stipend, you would qualify. You should check with your school's student services or financial aid office. Let them know that the internship is an educational and training experience (as opposed to a salary for work performed) and the stipend is for that purpose, which can make a difference.
21. I am studying abroad during the interview process. Does this mean I cannot apply?
While HCC tries to accommodate students studying abroad as much as possible, you not being available for an in-person interview does make it more difficult. HCC has a strong preference for a face-to-face interview as do most sites. On occasions where a student's qualifications and interests are a good fit with an organization, HCC may make an exception and do a phone interview. This is rare. This would happen if the site is willing to also do a phone interview, which really depends on the specific site and preceptor. You should go ahead and apply knowing that these conditions exist. You should mention in your application (essay section) that you will be studying abroad.
If we do a phone interview while you are studying abroad, you will need to call the HCC representative assigned to interview you, as well as that of the potential site placement, and incur any related charges.
Also, please see question 4 above.
22. Can I study for the MCAT during the internship? Can I take summer school classes during the internship?
Taking summer school classes, studying for standardized tests (such as MCAT or GRE), or assuming any other paid or voluntary positions are during the internship period are not allowed without exceptional HCC approval. We have found over many years experience that attempting to do these and an internship does not enable interns to take full advantage of the HCC Program, makes it more difficult to meet organizational expectations and also is detrimental to the well being of interns. Therefore we do not allow students participate in the internship if they plan to undertake these additional obligations. Please inform us if you have needs or plans to do this in your application and in the initial interview if you are selected.
|
|
