Health Policy & Planning Internships

Internship Overview

The Health Equity, Policy & Planning Internship Program is designed to provide work opportunities and practical learning experiences in public health, policy, planning, and research, with an emphasis on health equity and place-based primary prevention. 

HPP’s Mission

To advance health equity, we engage, educate, and empower multi-sector partners and communities to collectively facilitate policy, systems, and environmental transformation.

Focus of Internship Project

San Mateo County Health is seeking an undergraduate or graduate-level (master’s degree) student intern to join the Health Equity, Policy & Planning team, a program within the Public Health, Policy and Planning Division. 

Communications Intern

The focus of the Communications Intern will be to assist County Health staff in researching and developing strategies to improve and enhance communication of health to further advance health equity in San Mateo County. Specifically, the intern will analyze communications insights, synthesize best practices, and propose solutions to improve communications reach and engagement. 

More specifically, the intern will work on any or all of the following tasks:  

• Track and examine communications analytics and make recommendations based on results and best practices   
• Using health equity lens, support the development of engaging social media content  
• Copy, edit, and schedule content on various communications channels (social media, monthly newsletters, website)   
• Identify creative methods to improve the quality of existing communications and for increasing engagement and audience across all communication channels  
• Source stock photography and create motion graphics or short videos  

Health Education Intern

The focus of the Health Education Intern will be to assist County Health staff in implementing a process for the creation of strategic and culturally relevant communications materials to further advance health equity in San Mateo County. Specifically, the intern will collaborate with divisions across departments as well as engage various community groups to develop a process for health education information dissemination and develop health education materials, as needed, to improve health equity and community engagement.  More specifically, the intern will work on any or all of the following tasks:  

• Using a health equity lens, support the development of engaging and culturally relevant social media and newsletter content  
• Collaborate with interdepartmental stakeholders to implement a process for health education information development and dissemination 
• Assist in the development of materials in response to community and internal requests and needs   
• Participate in any relevant community and internal meetings  

Important Internship Program Dates

Summer 2024

• Recruitment: February 16 – March 15
• Application Deadline: March 15, before 12:00 p.m.
• Interviews: April 1-5
• Summer Internship: June 3 through August 30 (flexible start and end dates)

Internship Eligibility

Communications Intern: Current undergraduate level (bachelor’s program) or graduate level (in a master’s program) students and recent graduates from either program focusing on communications, journalism, digital media, marketing, with experience in public health preferred – up to one year after graduation date – are eligible to apply.

• You may not be a current San Mateo County employee.
• Successful applicants will possess a deep passion for addressing health inequities and experience working to change them. Relevant experience may include:
  • Personal or family experience dealing with inequitable economic, social, health and educational systems and environments. For instance: being the first in your family to attend higher education, growing up in a low-income neighborhood, experiencing housing/financial instability, or facing racial/ethnic or other types of discrimination.
  • Professional experience in programs that promote equity (this can be through a multitude of intervention types and variety of locations or organizations).

Health Education Intern: Current graduate level (in a master’s program) students and recent graduates from a master’s program focusing on Public Health: Health Education, Health Promotion and Education, Community Health Sciences, or similar Health Education focus- up to one year after graduation date – are eligible to apply.

• You may not be a current San Mateo County employee.
• Successful applicants will possess a deep passion for addressing health inequities and experience working to change them. Relevant experience may include:
  • Personal or family experience dealing with inequitable economic, social, health and educational systems and environments. For instance: being the first in your family to attend higher education, growing up in a low-income neighborhood, experiencing housing/financial instability, or facing racial/ethnic or other types of discrimination.
  • Professional experience in programs that promote equity (this can be through a multitude of intervention types and variety of locations or organizations).

Internship Term & Pay

This Health Equity, Policy & Planning Internship program runs year-round. The summer Internship cycle runs from June 3 until August 30, 2024 (flexible). The intern must commit to working between 32-40 hours per week. Reasonable timeframe adjustments can be negotiated. The pay range is between $20.27 and $35.67 per hour depending on education and experience.  

How to Apply

Application Deadline has passed.

We are no longer accepting applications for the summer cycle. Check back February 2025 for future recruitments.