Health Policy & Planning Internships

Internship Overview

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

HPP Framework: Primary Prevention & Health Equity

There is a growing recognition that where we live, work, play and go to school shape our health. HPP focuses on building healthy, equitable communities that prevent people from getting sick in the first place. HPP works to ensure all people have the opportunity for health and well-being and seeks to build health equity by addressing the root causes of poor health, such as the social, economic, and physical conditions around us. To achieve this goal, HPP employs expertise in policy, planning, research, equity, communications, and advocacy. HPP has a particular focus on supporting populations with higher rates of preventable health issues and in places with the fewest opportunities for health. HPP is currently focused on four areas of work: 1) Stable and affordable housing: protects health and provides the ability to engage in healthy opportunities, 2) Complete neighborhoods: make it easy for residents to be healthy every day in their own communities, 3) High-quality education: creates pathways to better health, and 4) Strong local economy: builds household financial security for all.

Focus of Internship Projects

San Mateo County Health is seeking graduate-level (master’s program) student interns to join the HPP team, a program within the Public Health, Policy and Planning Division. 

Important Internship Program Dates

Summer 2020

• Recruitment: Closed

Fall 2020

• Recruitment: Closed

Summer 2021

• Recruitment: TBD

Internship Eligibility

• Current students in a master’s program or graduates of a master’s program 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 a program that promotes equity (this can be through a multitude of intervention types and variety of locations or organizations

Internship Term & Pay

This HPP Internship program runs year round. The Summer Internship cycle June through August and the intern must commit to working between 32-40 hours per week. Reasonable timeframe adjustments can be negotiated. Current graduate students pay starts at $24.00 per hour depending on experience.

How to Apply

Complete and submit an application packet to HPPinternship@smcgov.org with the following required attachments: 

1. Cover Letter: Please describe your interest in and qualifications for this internship in the cover letter including position you are applying for.
2. Resume
3. Completed application and supplemental questionnaire 

Summer 2020 Application Packets: Unavailable

Only completed applications will be reviewed; please contact us if you do not receive a confirmation we received your application within 2-3 business days. If selected, you will be invited for an interview. In-person interviews are strongly preferred, but telephone interviews can be arranged if needed.