Minority Health Opportunities
If you are a minority student or are interested protecting the health of underrepresented populations or promoting health equity and eliminating health disparities, we have a variety of opportunities that provide hands-on training and a unique experience in many public health fields. These opportunities are highlighted here, but are also organized within the short-term internships and long-term fellowships at cdc.gov/fellowships.
CDC Partnership Institutions
CDC’s Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (CUPS) program prepares a diverse body of students to consider public health as a career to ensure a future where the American public benefits from a more diverse and better trained public health workforce. During their internships, students work in a variety of public health settings including community organizations, health departments, university-based programs, and federal agencies. CUPS offers several opportunities that are open undergraduates entering their junior or senior year and recent baccalaureate degree students. CDC partnership institutions include:
- Columbia University Medical Center – Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)external icon
- Kennedy Krieger Institute – Maternal Child Health Careers / Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement-Undergraduate Program (MCHC/RISE-UP)external icon
- Morehouse College – Project IMHOTEPexternal icon
- Morehouse College – Public Health Leader Fellowship Program (MC PHLFP) Programexternal icon
- University of Michigan School of Public Health – Future Public Health Leaders Program (FPHLP)external icon
- UCLA – Public Health Scholars Training Programexternal icon
- Kennedy Krieger Institute – Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program (Ferguson Fellows)external icon
| Topic | Description | Open To | Length/Salary | Application Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics | CDC-Tuskegee University Public Health Ethics Student Internship. Interns work with mentors from across the agency to develop projects applying public health ethics principles. They also gain opportunities to become familiar with the CDC workplace and observe the principles of public health ethics in practice on a daily basis. | Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Tuskegee University. | N/A | Eligible students are selected by the Tuskegee Center for Bioethics |
| Health Education/ Communication |
*Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) Health Equity Internshipexternal icon Offers a unique internship opportunity to prepare students of federally designated minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to apply academic skills and problem-solving to real-life work experiences while the public health programs they serve gain vitality and fresh perspectives from future leaders. |
Undergraduate and graduate students from minority-serving institutions | 12 Weeks, paid | Various months For more information, contact Karen Probert at internship@asphn.org. |
| General Interest | Future Public Health Leaders Program (FPHLP)external icon Participants in this program are assigned to Community-based organizations (CBOs) /non-profits, health systems, or government agencies and health departments to consider careers in public health. |
Undergraduates in their sophomore, junior and senior year and recent baccalaureate degree students | 10 Weeks residential summer program, paid | January to February |
| General Interest | *Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Internship Program (HNIP)external icon Provides a rewarding and challenging internship by matching majors and career goals. Interns enhance their professional skills through a diverse array of careers in the federal and corporate sectors. |
Enrollment in a degree-seeking program (BA/BS, Masters, JD, MD, or PhD) and recent graduates | 10-15 Weeks, paid | Spring: September to November; Summer: September to March; Fall: January to June |
| Infectious Diseases | James A Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowshipexternal icon Fellows are assigned to CDC, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine, Nursing, or Public Health, or the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Opportunities where they focus on infectious disease and epidemiology projects. Apply to host a Ferguson fellow. |
Students in doctoral programs in pharmacy, veterinary medicine, dentistry, medicine, and Master of Public Health (target students of underrepresented populations) | 9 Weeks summer, paid | Late January to Early February |
| Management and Leadership | *Maternal Child Health Careers/Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement – Undergraduate Program (MCHC/RISE-UP)external icon Fellows are assigned to Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI), Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health, University of Southern California, California State University-LA, and University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine Center for Disabilities to address health disparities. |
Rising juniors, seniors, and recent graduates | 10 Weeks summer, paid | December to January |
| Minority Health/ Health Equity |
*CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (CUPS) Program CDC’s Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (CUPS) program prepares a diverse body of students to consider public health as a career to ensure a future where the American public benefits from a more diverse and better trained public health workforce. A core area of study and practice during the internship is related to the health needs of U.S. minority and other populations who often are underserved and underrepresented in the field. During their internships, students work in a variety of public health settings including community organizations, health departments, university-based programs, and federal agencies. |
Rising juniors, seniors, and recent graduates | Varies per opportunity | Varies per opportunity |
| Public Health Science | *Morehouse College Project IMHOTEP Programexternal icon IMHOTEP interns undergo training and research in biostatistics, epidemiology, and occupational safety and health at programs and offices at CDC, state and local health departments, and non-profit organizations. |
Undergraduate juniors, seniors, and recent graduates | 11 Weeks summer, paid | January to February |
| Research | Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in HIV Prevention for Communities of Color Fellows are assigned to branches in CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) where they conduct domestic HIV and AIDS prevention research in communities of color. |
Doctoral-level researchers, i.e., PhD, ScD, DrPH in behavioral sciences, social sciences, epidemiology, public health, or MD/MPH | 2 Years, paid | September 1, every two years (pending funding availability) to October 30, every two years |
| General Interest | *Public Health Leadership and Learning Undergraduate Student Success (PLLUSS)external icon Fellows are assigned to Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI); Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Johns Hopkins University undergraduate program in Public Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and School of Nursing in Baltimore, MD; California State University – Los Angeles (CSU–LA, a diverse Hispanic-serving. |
Undergraduate sophomore and junior students minoring or majoring in public health | 10 Weeks, paid | TBD |
| Public Health Science | *The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)external icon Fellows are assigned to state and local health departments; non-profit organizations and various Columbia University Colleges and undergo a rigorous program which includes Public Health course work at Columbia University; hands-on field experience and immersion in a diverse, economically disadvantaged urban environment; seminars and lectures with public health leaders; and mentoring by faculty members. |
Rising juniors, seniors, and recent graduates | 10 Weeks summer, paid | Late January to Early February |
| General Interest | Thurgood Marshall College Fund Student Ambassador Programexternal icon Offers strategic relationships in education and research. Currently under reorganization. More details for relaunch are forthcoming. |
Rising junior and senior undergraduate students; graduate students | 10 Weeks | TBD |
| Public Health Law | Tribal Public Health Law Internships and Externships Students explore the critical role of public health lawyers and analysts who work to advance the use of laws as a public health tool. |
Current and rising third-year law students | 9-14 Weeks, unpaid | Summer: January 31 Fall: April 30 Spring: October 1 |
*Denotes fellowships offered in partnership with CDC
Page last reviewed: September 3, 2021