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
The CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (CUPS) Program and Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship (Ferguson Fellowship) 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/fellowships, students work in a variety of public health settings including community organizations, health departments, university-based programs, and federal agencies. The CUPS Program and Ferguson Fellowship offer several opportunities that are open to undergraduates entering their junior or senior year, recent baccalaureate degree students, and graduate 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
- University of Michigan School of Public Health – Future Public Health Leaders Program (FPHLP)external icon
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – Public Health Scholars Training Programexternal icon
- Kennedy Krieger Institute – Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship (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 |
| General Interest | *The Indigenous Public Health Leadership Programexternal icon is a leadership training institute for emerging public health leaders working within a tribal department of health (DOH) or in Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban (I/T/U) healthcare facilities serving American Indian and Alaskan Native Communities. | Emerging tribal public health leaders are staff/personnel, or early career professionals (i.e., master level) from across programs and services that have worked directly or in collaboration with the tribal DOH or IHS (I/T/U). | 6 Months, paid | January – February Contact: Joanne Odenkirchen mrz6@cdc.gov |
| 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 |
| General Interest | *The Pacific Public Health Fellowship Programexternal icon a program that provides promising career-minded individuals with robust and practical hands-on learning experiences and training for a variety of public health career pathways. | Bachelor’s degree in a field that is applicable to public health such as [but not limited to] public health, community health, nursing, allied health, microbiology, environmental science, entomology, or public policy. | 2 Years, paid | April to June |
| 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 |
| Entomology/ Health Equity | *Public Health Entomology for all (PHEFA) Internshipexternal icon program in partnership with the Entomological Society of America encourages students and recent graduates who are interested in social justice and health equity to pursue entomology as a career and work toward a future in which all communities benefit from creative, inclusive, and equitable scientific processes and solutions. CDC will host interns in its field offices in Atlanta, GA; Fort Collins, CO; and San Juan, PR.Interns will work alongside experienced entomologists at CDC who are creating solutions to public health challenges, like dengue, Zika virus, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. |
Undergraduate students from minority-serving institutions who have completed at least 75% of their coursework | 10 weeks over the summer; paid | January (recruitment completed for summer of 2022) |
| Entomology/Health Equity | *Public Health Entomology for all (PHEFA) Fellowshipexternal icon program in partnership with the Entomological Society of AmericaCDC will host PHEFA Fellows in its field office in Fort Collins, Colorado.Fellows will conduct research alongside experienced entomologists in CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases who are creating solutions to public health challenges, like dengue, Zika virus, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Fellows will learn about public health entomology as a profession and learn applied entomological strategies to prevent and control vector-borne diseases. |
Recent bachelor’s and master’s graduates from minority-serving institutions | One year; paid | January/February (closing February 25 for 2022-2023 year) |
| 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: May 17, 2022