education

National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP)

NEPHIP Program

The National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP) is a 400-hour paid internship opportunity that links environmental health undergraduate and graduate students from environmental health academic programs accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC), with funded internship placements at qualified state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) environmental public health agencies.

This workforce initiative supports the establishment of qualified applicant pipelines to help meet current and future environmental health professional workforce needs across the nation and encourages environmental health students to consider careers in governmental environmental public health following graduation.

Applications for Spring 2023 Students: Open 

Students interested in Spring 2023 internships should complete the application. The student application deadline is November 14, 2022 and matching is anticipated to be completed by early December for the Spring 2023 session.  

Students interested in Summer 2023 internships can complete our interest form and we will contact you when the application opens.  

Applications for Spring and Summer 2023 State, Territorial, Local, Tribal Environmental  Health Departments: Open 

Health department applications will be accepted on a rolling basis if positions are open and available. Health departments interested in hosting an intern for Spring 2023 are encouraged to submit as soon as possible. The student application deadline is November 14, 2022 and matching is anticipated to be completed by early December for the Spring 2023 session. Complete the application online. 

Updates to the Program

The 2022 program is newly revised and expanded. The expanded program offers the following additional benefits and opportunities for professional and career development:

  • Multiple internship cohorts each year with opportunities to enroll in fall, spring, or summer
  • Increased number of interns to up to 50 eligible students
  • Strengthened promotion and recruitment to support increased diversity and inclusion among interns
  • Participation in a series of valuable professional career mentorship sessions with current EH professionals working in STLT health agencies
  • Participation in several professional development learning sessions provided by NEHA staff
  • Opportunity to attend NEPHIP’s first-ever virtual career fair
  • NEHA staff support for developing presentations/publication of successful internship project outcomes
  • Enhanced internship coordination and evaluation support to strengthen experiential learning outcomes
  • Opportunity to consider how climate change can impact both, directly and indirectly, various environmental health hazards and community health outcomes, along with environmental public health program sustainability
  • Identify environmental justice and health equity concerns associated with internship projects and the disproportionate health effects among various population groups
  • Small support packages are available to participating host sites to help with internship project-related costs, support project outcomes, and encourage health agencies to participate as host sites
  • A one-year NEHA student membership for interns

Benefits

For the past seven years, NEPHIP has successfully helped environmental health student interns gain valuable work experience, develop meaningful professional relationships, and ultimately introduce them to the many diverse and rewarding career opportunities that exist in STLT environmental public health departments following graduation. 

  • Students are exposed to exciting career opportunities, as well as the benefits and challenges of working with environmental public health agencies throughout the nation. 
  • Interns learn firsthand about the needs, benefits, and opportunities of working in governmental environmental public health as they experience the important work EH professionals engage in every day.
  • STLT health agencies are matched with qualified interns trained by National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC) accredited programs, who are eager to contribute their support to EH programs and services delivery.

Check out the Successes from Past Internship Experiences webinar to learn more about the experience.

2022 NEPHIP Guidelines

The traditional program has been further modified to enhance the benefits of the program and by providing the new mentorship and professional development opportunities mentioned above in addition to the continued support by the NEPHIP online community of practice.

NEPHIP and Diversity

The expanded program aims to highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion within the EH workforce. NEHA measures diversity across many variables including being a first-generation college student, age, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, gender, neurodiversity, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation, geographical area, etc.

It is imperative that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) be embraced in the environmental health profession. Enhancing diversity will help us to identify gaps and opportunities for our most vulnerable community members, enrich the lives of future professionals, and mitigate health disparities.

Contact

NEPHIP@neha.org

NEPHIP is supported by CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health through cooperative agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802.

 

         

 

  • "Environmental Health is such a fun and rewarding field; every day is different. Being a NEPHIP intern allowed me the freedom to work with a variety of different bureaus and projects at my chosen health department. What's more is that I can walk away from this internship with endless experiences to talk about in an interview, amazing references, and real-world confidence in my chosen field."
    - Stephany, NEPHIP Intern at the New Mexico Environmental Health Bureau
  • "It was very rewarding to put the knowledge learned in classes to real time application. I found myself in some of the most astounding scenarios, leading me to think that this job could provide a lifetime of entertainment and moral satisfaction. I can’t wait to see where my future in environmental health takes me."
    - Kyle, NEPHIP Intern at the Peninsula Health Department, Virginia
  • "I liked NEPHIP because it allowed me to learn the structure and workings of environmental health, but also allowed me the freedom to work on my own projects within my chosen health department. I'm leaving this experience with more knowledge, confidence in my chosen field, and the satisfaction of benefiting a community that I have grown to love."
    - Amy, NEPHIP Intern at the Eau Claire Cit –County Health Department, Wisconsin