• Field Work, Field Work Placement, & Internship: Refer to the broad activities and experiential learning opportunities in which students engage as interns. These terms are used interchangeably.
• Field Work Log: Refers to the Excel worksheet created by the health program coordinator in which students log and track hours worked, tasks completed and lessons learned during their internship experience.
• Health Program Coordinator: Refers to the University of Houston faculty member(s) responsible for coordinating all HLT 4392 and HLT 4393: Field Work in Community Health internship courses, including internship approvals.
  The current health program coordinator is:
  Rhonda Scherer, Ph.D.
• Health Internship & Field Work Placement: Refer to the broad activities and experiences students complete as part of an internship. These terms are used interchangeably.
• Internship Site: Refers to the specific organization and location where a student works as an intern.
• Internship Site & Internship Site Partner: Refer to the specific organization and location where a student works as an intern. These terms are used interchangeably.
• Internship Site Supervisor: Refers to the individual who oversees student internships at a specific internship site.
• Site Agreement & Field Work Agreement: Refer to the collaborative agreement form completed by students and internship site supervisors. These terms are used interchangeably.

• Internship Site Directory: Refers to the list of approved internship site partners that have been vetted by the health program coordinator.
• Internship Site Supervisor & Site Supervisor: Refer to the individual who oversees and supervises student internships at a specific internship site. These terms are used interchangeably.
• Intern Partnership and Health Intern Partnership: Refer to the formal partnership established between the health program coordinator and an internship site to accept student interns and feature the site in the internship site directory. These terms are used interchangeably.
• Types of Partnerships:
  • No Partnership: Refers to an internship site that (1) does not have an existing intern partnership with our program; or, (2) has not yet been vetted by the health internship coordinator.
  • Formal Partnership: Refers to an internship site that (1) has been vetted by the health program coordinator and has an active intern partnership; (2) has previously accepted students from the program; and/or (3) has completed the Qualtrics Intern Partnership survey.
  • Inactive Partnership: Refers to an internship site that previously had an intern partnership with the program or has temporarily stopped accepting interns.
  • Primary Site Contact: Refers to the individual at an internship site who communicates with the health program coordinator to update internship site information.

For information on how to apply for Health Education Internships, please see your academic advisor.

The health internship, or fieldwork placement, is a professional setting-based practicum where student interns are exposed to health-related work experiences. The experience provides students with the opportunity to practice health program planning, implementation and evaluation, as well as other skills relevant to health professions.

Yes, undergraduate health students must register for the HLT 4392 Field Work in Community Health course and attend its required orientation meeting in their senior year. This is a self-paced, asynchronous course, but it does require two virtual or in-person meetings throughout the semester. The in-person and virtual meeting dates will be announced by the health program coordinator. HLT 4392 is a semester-long experience that requires the completion of designated coursework and 160 supervised internship hours.

No, HLT 4393 is not required for graduation, but it can be taken as an elective. This is a self-paced, asynchronous course, but it does require two virtual or in-person meetings throughout the semester. The in-person and virtual meeting dates will be announced by the health program coordinator. It is a semester-long experience that requires the completion of designated coursework and 160 supervised internship hours.

Undergraduate students must have (1) senior class standing and (2) have completed their required prerequisite health courses before enrolling in the internship courses. This is to ensure students have mastered the health competencies necessary to make their internship a fruitful experience. Graduate students can take the health internship courses any time during their academic training.

Students must complete their internship hours during the semester they are enrolled. It is important that students discuss the course requirements and required internship hours with their potential site supervisor to ensure the internship experience can be successfully completed. If students believe they might not complete their required hours, they must consult the health program coordinator.

General semester timeline:

• Eight weeks before the new semester: Program coordinators contact internship sites with established formal intern partnerships (i.e., those that have completed the Qualtrics survey) to update the student handbook prior to the start of the semester.
• One month before the new semester: Students receive copies of the student handbook and begin applying for internship placements.
• Semester start to end: Students complete the necessary hours and experience required for completion of the health program.

Students may take up to 6 credit hours in one semester. However, it is recommended that students complete HLT 4392 Field Work internship as required, followed by HLT 4393 Field Work internship as an elective during their senior year. While not recommended, students may complete two internships in one semester, requiring a total of 320 internship hours within the semester.

Note: If a student completes an internship at two different sites, two separate internship applications must be submitted and a minimum of 160 hours must be completed at each internship site.

No, the health program coordinator and the academic advisors will not place students at an internship site. Each student is responsible for securing an internship site. A list of approved internship sites will be provided in the Student Internship Handbook.

Six weeks prior to the semester, students enrolled in HLT 4392 and HLT 4393 will receive the Student Internship Handbook to begin applying for approved internship opportunities. Additional ways to identify an internship site include consulting health faculty, attending Internship Day to meet health-related organization representatives and participating in an internship orientation with health academic advisors.

There are a variety of settings in which students can complete their health internship. These settings include, but are not limited to, clinical, hospital, public health, research, nonprofit, education, community and private practice settings. The program maintains a list of more than 80 approved internship sites vetted by the health program coordinator for this out-of-classroom experience.

Yes, students may use their current health-related place of employment as their internship site. However, internship hours must be dedicated to internship activities outside of regular job responsibilities (e.g., special projects, program development and assisting with activities or duties outside the student’s department).

Students who are interested in an unlisted health internship site must complete a New Site survey to request approval.

Please contact the Health Program Coordinator:

Rhonda Scherer, Ph.D. 
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences
RLSchere@Central.UH.EDU

The health internship, or fieldwork placement, is a professional setting-based practicum in which student interns gain health-related work experience. The experience provides students with the opportunity to practice health program planning, implementation and evaluation, as well as other skills relevant to health professions.

Students are required to complete a minimum of 160 hours during their enrolled semester. It is anticipated that interns will complete approximately 10-12 hours per week, totaling 160 hours by the course deadline, assuming they begin their internship during the first week of the semester.

Students are also responsible for sharing any assignment documents, communicating assignment instructions and due dates and tracking their work hours and tasks.

There are a variety of settings in which students can complete their health internship. These settings include, but are not limited to, clinical, hospital, public health, research, nonprofit, education, community and private practice settings. The program maintains a list of more than 80 approved internship sites vetted by the health program coordinator for this out-of-classroom experience.

Note: All formal intern partnerships must be pre-approved by the health program coordinator prior to hosting student interns.

Students must complete their internship hours during the semester they are enrolled. It is important that students discuss the course requirements and required internship hours with their potential site supervisor to ensure the internship experience can be successfully completed. If students believe they might not complete their required hours, they must consult the health program coordinator.

General semester timeline:

• Eight weeks before the new semester: Program coordinators contact internship sites with established formal intern partnerships (i.e., those that have completed the Qualtrics survey) to update the student handbook prior to the start of the semester.
• One month before the new semester: Students receive copies of the student handbook and begin applying for internship placements.
• Semester start to end: Students complete the necessary hours and experience required for completion of the health program.

No, the health program coordinator and the academic advisors will not place students at an internship site. Each student is responsible for securing an internship site. A list of approved internship sites will be provided in the Student Internship Handbook.

Six weeks prior to the semester, students enrolled in HLT 4392 and HLT 4393 will receive the Student Internship Handbook to begin applying for approved internship opportunities. 

Each intern is required to:

1. Select their internship site from the list of approved internship sites.
2. Contact a representative from the internship site to schedule an interview with the director or potential site supervisor.
3. Submit all required documentation for HLT 4392 or HLT 4393 prior to accruing internship hours.

Site supervisors at the internship site may determine:

• Specific projects or experiences in which the intern will participate;
• How internship hours will be completed (e.g., in person, virtual, or remote); and
• The intern’s weekly work schedule.

Internship site partners may require or allow students to complete more than the 160-hour minimum requirement for the semester. Internship opportunities may be paid or unpaid.

The site supervisor should hold a minimum of a master’s degree or have equivalent professional experience in a health-related field. If you are unsure whether your site supervisor meets this requirement, please contact the program coordinator(s).

Site supervisors will work with students to complete four brief assignments including: 

• Crafting and finalizing a site agreement;
• Completing midterm and final evaluations; and
• Approving a final field log that documents hours worked and tasks completed.

It is recommended that interns and site supervisors collaboratively complete the site agreement, which outlines:

• Key learning experiences provided to the intern;
• Project(s) the intern will lead or support; and
• Scheduling of weekly internship work hours.

Interns may work closely with one or more other site employees, assuming the site supervisor maintains the supervisory role.

Yes, a health-related organization may provide current employees with internship opportunities; however, internship hours must be dedicated to activities outside of the employee’s regular job responsibilities (e.g., special projects, program development, or assisting with activities and duties outside of the employee’s department).