Graduate Student Epidemiology Program

AMCHP is committed to cultivating interest in the broad array of MCH careers and building the knowledge, skills, and abilities of practicing professionals to address current and future challenges – all while experiencing desired leadership growth and fulfillment in the context of this critical work. 

Consistent with established national leadership competencies, GSEP strives to do the following within the context of MCH epidemiology: 

1. Ensure interns have the foundation necessary to work within various professional settings to contribute to the health and well-being of our nation’s women, children, youth, and families and inspire others to do likewise.
2. Develop advanced abilities in customizing health systems for comprehensive service delivery, integrating agency priorities and accessibility across domains, and using data-driven tools for analysis and presentation. 
3. Provide leadership training that is grounded in established national competencies and can be evaluated on the basis of: (a) reported efficacy, (b) behavior changes over time, and (c) influence on future accomplishments.
4. Cultivate, sustain, and grow intern connections with current MCH professionals in national, state, and local health agencies, academia, and other organizations within a broader ecosystem.

Only current graduate students or recent graduates (Fall/Winter 2025) with at least one year of completed coursework and a strong, demonstrated interest in maternal and child health and/or epidemiology are eligible to apply.

To qualify for this program, interns must be one of the following: 

1. A citizen of the United States: A person born in one of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Northern Mariana Islands; a person born outside of the U.S. to at least one U.S. parent; or naturalized citizen; 
2. A non-citizen national: A person born in an outlying possession of the U.S. (e.g., American Samoa or Swain’s Island) on or after the date the U.S. acquired the possession, or a person whose parents are U.S. non-citizen nationals. All U.S. citizens are U.S. nationals; however, not every U.S. national is a U.S. citizen; or 
3. A permanent resident of the United States: A person who possesses a Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”).

If you do not meet the criteria outlined above, unfortunately, you do not qualify for this program at this time. For example, individuals with an F-1 student visa are not eligible. If you have any questions or need clarification regarding your eligibility, you can refer to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website for more information. 

We’re looking for currently enrolled graduate students (or those who very recently completed their degree) with a strong, demonstrated interest in epidemiology and maternal and child health, inclusive of children and youth with special health care needs. Interns are paid $9,200 for the full 12-week experience, which includes:

• Completing a rigorous/high priority project at a matched host site with supervisory support (35 hours per week for the final 10 weeks).
• Engagement in a robust enrichment curriculum with weekly didactic sessions, asynchronous homework assignments, small group meetings, networking with practicing professionals, etc. that is led by AMCHP staff (5 hours per week for the duration of the internship).

The GSEP intern application will open on December 15, 2025. Please see the GSEP intern job description for more details. To be notified when more detailed information about the process is available, please sign up for our mailing list. The timeline below represents targets and may shift based on program priorities, resource availability, or other considerations:

• February 20, 2026 – applications due
• March 20, 2026 – applicants notified of status (accepted, declined, waitlist)
• March 27, 2026 – confirmation required for accepted interns
• May 1, 2026 – intern/host site matches confirmed
• May 26, 2026 – internships begin (AMCHP enrichment curriculum)
• June 8, 2026 – host site projects begin (i.e., work with matched site)
• August 14, 2026 – internships conclude

All applicants will be asked to submit the following in our portal:

1. A complete student profile.
2. A complete student application.
3. One (1) letter of recommendation from someone who can speak to your character, demonstrated or potential leadership, and commitment to MCH and/or epidemiology.

Apply Now

What kind of host sites are we looking for?

Ideal sites are ones that can provide meaningful internship experiences for graduate students and share AMCHP’s values of leadership, collaboration, integrity, excellence, and stewardship. We encourage many types of MCH programs to apply, including those housed at:

1. State/jurisdiction, Native American or indigenous, and local health departments.
2. Non-profit organizations working in partnership with Title V MCH or CYSHCN programs or in support of established Title V priorities.
3. University departments receiving funds from a Title V MCH or CYSHCN program aimed at advancing established priorities.

We are actively recruiting host sites for Summer 2026! Click here to begin your application . The timeline below represents targets and may shift based on program priorities, resource availability, or other considerations:

• February 6, 2026 – deadline to request technical assistance from AMCHP
• February 20, 2026 – applications due at 11:59pm ET
• March 20, 2026 – applicants notified of status
• April 24, 2026 – proposed intern matches shared
• May 1, 2026 – intern matches confirmed
• May 26, 2026 – internships begin (orientation and onboarding period)
• June 8, 2026 – project work begins
• August 14, 2026 – internships conclude

You can read more about our expectations by accessing a preview of the 2026 host site profile and project application questions. Our team is also happy to provide technical assistance with project scoping, structuring adequate supervision, logistical (e.g., software and data access) considerations, and other aspects of your application. To request support, please contact gsep@amchp.org and a member of our team will be in touch. All technical assistance requests must be received by February 6, 2026.

Our general inbox for GSEP communications, which is regularly monitored by all five (5) members of the core program team, is gsep@amchp.org.

For specific questions about the student application and experience, please contact Ellisa Alvarez (ealvarez@amchp.org). For specific questions about the host site application and experience, please contact Candice Simon (csimon@amchp.org).