The Graduate Student Epidemiology Program (GSEP) is a Maternal and Child Health leadership program and internship opportunity with state/territory/tribal/local health departments. GSEP is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a department of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has been around since 1997. The program has trained over 400 students. After a four-year hiatus from 2017 to 2020, 62 students across three Summer cohorts have participated in the program since it relaunched in 2021. The application process, orientation, and 10-week summer internship experience are led by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP). Students will receive a $9,300 stipend provided by AMCHP.
AMCHP will not host a GSEP 2025 cohort, but we plan on returning for a 2026 cohort. While the internship will be remote, student interns will have the opportunity for optional in-person site visits during the first three weeks of their internships, with travel and lodging covered by AMCHP. The virtual experience creates an opportunity for a more inclusive program, ensuring that students who might have been unable to relocate for the summer due to expense or commitment will be able to participate. Remote work also expands the list of possible host sites that may have been limited due to location or cost of living (e.g., those in Hawaii, Alaska, U.S. Territories, or Freely Associated States).
GSEP Goals and Objectives
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 HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Leadership Competencies, Version 4.5, GSEP strives to do the following within the context of MCH epidemiology:
- 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.
- 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.
- Provide leadership training and use the MCH Leadership Competencies to guide the measurement and evaluation of MCH leadership training’s strength.
- Cultivate, sustain, and grow intern connections with current MCH professionals in national, state, and local health agencies, academia, and other MCH organizations. Students and site supervisors should create opportunities across the 12 MCH Leadership competencies.
Intern Eligibility
Only current graduate students or recent graduates (Fall/Winter 2023) with at least one year of completed coursework and a strong, demonstrated interest in maternal and child health epidemiology are eligible to apply.
To qualify for this program, interns must be one of the following:
- 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;
- 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
- 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.
Information for Interested Students
Discover additional details about past host sites and access the complete program timeline:
- Full list of past GSEP host sites and projects accomplished by GSEP interns
- 2024 Program Timeline
Interested in applying?
First, review the GSEP Intern General Job Description.
We’re looking for currently enrolled graduate students with a strong, demonstrated interest in epidemiology and maternal and child health (inclusive of youth with special health care needs). You will need:
- A complete Student Profile
- A complete Student Application.
- One (1) letter of recommendation.
AMCHP will not host a 2025 GSEP cohort. To stay up-to-date on the application process for the 2026 cohort, please sign up for our mailing list.
Information for Interested Host Sites
What kind of host sites are we looking for?
First, review the GSEP Host Site Supervisor General Job Description
We are looking for sites 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:
- State/jurisdiction, Native American or indigenous, and local health departments.
- Non-profit organizations working in partnership with Title V MCH or CYSHCN programs or in support of established Title V priorities.
- University departments receiving funds from a Title V MCH or CYSHCN program aimed at advancing established priorities.
Read more about host site expectations Preview the 2024 host site application questions Host sites will also need to create a host site profile; preview those questions
AMCHP will not host a 2025 GSEP cohort. To stay up-to-date on the application process for the 2026 cohort, please sign up for our mailing list.
Contact
For questions about the GSEP student application and experience, please contact Mikayla Frye (mfrye@amchp.org ). For questions about the GSEP host site application and experience, please contact Candice Simon (csimon@amchp.org).
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U01MC0001 – Partnership for State Title V MCH Leadership Community Cooperative Agreement ($1,738,864). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government.
