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The Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree curriculum in a School of Public Health is different than that found in MBA Programs. The MHA degree provides a deeper understanding of the operational aspects of health care organizations. MHA programs most commonly focus on population health, community populations, rural regions, underserved areas, and health promotion/prevention. . Many public health programs encourage students to participate in internship programs.
SEE ALSO: MHA Online Study Options
An internship is an excellent way to get hands-on experience in a student’s particular area of interest in public health work. The benefits to the student can be more than work experience to use on a resume after graduation. Of equal importance and benefit can be the networking opportunities gained during the course of the internship.
Some of the most promising internships for MHA graduates and students include:
- Master of Health Administration Texas A&M (TAMU) Internship -A required 10 week summer internship, which allows students to apply industry knowledge within a health services organization.
- Northwestern University Internship – The Northwestern Memorial HealthCare Graduate Administrative Internship program is a critical component of our strategic plan goal to “attract and retain top talent in a culture that values innovation, excellence and the highest level of scholarship.”
- Auburn University Internship Program – Auburn offers national and international internships for graduate and undergraduate students at some of the world’s leading health care institutions.
- St. Louis University Internships for Health Management and Policy – The MHA program is designed to give students the practical skills needed to be leading health managers. Students take a summer internship after their first year of study. Experienced health administration professionals assist students in finding an internship in St. Louis, in the United States or across the globe.
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health -Various fellowships and internships for graduate students offered through the network of the Bloomberg School.
- Oregon State University – This internship is a 200-hour experience where knowledge from coursework is applied in a real-world setting, providing an opportunity to apply existing skills and learn new ones by within the field of public health. Students currently employed in a health care facility may request to develop a practice experience in their places of employment. In these cases Intern student works with preceptor to ensure that the experience is distinct from the student’s normal responsibilities and that it provides opportunities to practice and demonstrate the identified track competencies
- Benedictine University MPH/MHA Internships – This internship is a Pass/Fail experience of 6 quarter credit hours (240 contact hours).
- University of Michigan Public Health Internships – This is an 8-week, pre-professional internship in a health care or public health organization in Southeast Michigan (including Flint, Michigan). The student is assigned to a “preceptor” in the organization, who is then responsible for assigning projects to the student, helping to insure competency in core areas. Networking opportunities can be developed during internship.
- University of Colorado – A three-month, 40 hours/week, compensated, summer internship program focused in one or more of competencies such as, human resources, finance, healthcare information technology, quality and performance improvement, laws and regulations, professionalism and ethics, healthcare organizations, and management and business administration. An internship such as those listed above is the opportunity to apply theories, concepts and skills acquired in an academic setting to a real life setting. It allows the graduate student to grow in practical understanding and achieve a level of achievement and confidence in his abilities to handle challenges in a real world setting. Additionally, the associations gained can be useful when seeking career opportunities in the future.
- The School of Health Administration at Texas State University-San Marcos – This internship includes six to eight hours of field experience or six hours of thesis work. It is ideal for the MHA graduate who wants to specialize in the administration of a large hospital.
- Temple University Internship – This university offers Master´s in Public Health Internships in community based organizations, government agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation facility, or community health centers, allow practical applications of the academic information learned in the classroom. Temple´s program schedules a student’s last two semesters for this work, occurring in two placements : the first placement, the intern undertakes a fieldwork experience works for an agency for 200 hours; in the last placement, the intern works for 400 hours . Both placements are for 14 weeks.
- Trinity University Internships – An internship, 12-month stint referred to as an Administrative Residency provides students with the practical learning experience attained in the health administration classroom. The student works and studies at a health care organization under the direct supervision of a senior-level administrator. On-site visits by faculty advisor assigned to each student are conducted during the residency.
- University of Minnesota Internships – Student in the MHA and MPH programs are required to complete a summer residency (2 credits). They are mentored by a mentor and introduced to the daily activities of an organization from a top management perspective, and provides students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a healthcare organization.
- University of Michigan Ann Arbor Internships – Students in the Department of Health Management and Policy are required to do a 10-12 week internship. Based on their career interest, they are placed in appropriate institutions and given assignments under the guidance and mentorship of a preceptor.
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health – The three-month summer internship prepares graduates to take positions in the public, non-profit and for-profit sectors of the healthcare system. These internships are suitable for both MHA and MPH students and graduates. The internships should strengthen students’ abilities in all or most of the following areas including program planning, technical expertise, public service, cooperation and language.
