Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for MCH Students
What are the requirements for Center-funded students?
All students receiving support from Center funds (provided through HRSA):
- must be a citizen of the US or a foreign national having in their possession a visa permitting PERMANENT residence in the United States, or a non-citizen national. An F1 visa does not make you eligible for a Center-funded position as it is a temporary student visa and “Individuals on temporary or student visas, or with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, are not eligible to receive financial support from grant funds.”
- must contribute to a Student Spotlight feature
- must attend four Center-or MCHSIG-hosted events/year
- must participate in SPH Mentor Program
are restricted to those currently enrolled for a minimum of 3 credits in the MCH Program at the time of their internship - may need to fill out paperwork required by the agency or organization they’re deployed to
- cannot use positions to teach or fill TA appointments
- cannot hold multiple Center-funded positions
What is a deployment?
We frequently respond to requests, and seek out opportunities, for MCH graduate students to be deployed to a state/local agency or nonprofit. These internships provide MCH students with the opportunity to work directly with a masters-level professional to assist the organization or agency with a time-limited project. The student receives a stipend scholarship from the Center, which is issued 4 times/year.
What type of projects will I work on?
Internships (1) provide students with experience working in an MCH or public health agency or organization, (2) build the capacity of the organization or agency that students are deployed to and (3) support organizations/agencies providing programs that serve and support maternal and child health populations, especially vulnerable populations.
Projects might include program or policy development, data gathering and analysis, or health promotion, all of which would make ideal learning opportunities for students while helping your agency or organization with its important work. We’ve deployed students to help create a pregnancy guide, review WIC data and communicate about cancer topics.
Learn what prior MCH students have worked on by combing through their many Student Spotlight reflections.
What are the benefits of a deployment/internship to the student?
There are many! During their internship, MCH trainees work to fine-tune and develop the competencies MCH professionals need in order to work with MCH populations. An MCH leader inspires and brings people together to achieve sustainable results to improve the lives of the MCH population; in order to accomplish this, MCH leaders need excellent project management skills to ensure services and programs are running smoothly and efficiently. An nternship will help build or hone the skills needed to communicate effectively, and plan, organize and prioritize projects, all of which will benefit the MCH populations students serve.
Students will create a solid foundation for building key skills that employers in every sector are looking for; among them, the ability to (1) communicate effectively and (2) plan, organize and prioritize projects. The MCH populations students serve will depend on these skills, which complement the MCH theories, concepts, and history students learn about in the classroom.
Finally, these positions help students build their MCH network, all while gaining practical experiences.
What types of deployments/internships are offered?
- *Hybrid (mostly virtual but some time in office is expected)
- *In-person (all hours spent in office)
- **Virtual (work is 100% virtual)
- **Virtual or hybrid (student/supervisor chooses based on needs/location)
How is the stipend dispersed?
Stipends are issued 4x/year (October 1, December 1, March 1 and May 1) by the SPH Scholarship Office to OneStop, funded by the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health).
Your internship is contingent upon the continuing availability of work and funds for the position and on satisfactory completion of internship activities. The stipend range depends on the hours/per week, Center funding and the number of internship offered in a given year.
How do I apply?
You will reach out directly to the supervisor listed on the job description by the deadline. Supervisors will reach out directly to those students they wish to interview. Interviews will be conducted in person or over the phone. Once the internship is offered and accepted, the supervisor contacts the Center director to facilitate paperwork.
Please apply only for the internship that you are able to commit to and are interested in.
If you are offered an internship, please don’t leave one supervisor waiting. Please let the offering supervisor know whether you accept or not within 48 hours of the offer.
Please note that you cannot be deployed to multiple agencies. This allows more students to take advantage of more opportunities.
Who oversees the positions?
The day-to-day supervision, mentorship and task management comes from the agency/organization since supervisors are the most familiar with the ins and outs of the project needs, goals and anticipated results.
Can I use a deployment/internship for my applied practice experience (APEx)?
That depends. If a student would like to utilize an internship as part of their MCH Program degree requirements, they need to have their faculty advisor approve the project to ensure that the project fits the Program requirements and objectives.
If you’re considering an internship for your applied practice experience, you must work with your advisor to confirm all requirements and arrange paperwork. We recommend checking in ahead of time to make sure it’s feasible, and reviewing the “applied practice” section of your MCH Program Guidebook for more information. The Center is not responsible for making these arrangements.
Want all the important dates and details in one place?
Find them here.
Have an idea for an internship?
We want to hear about it! Email mch @ umn.edu.