FAQs

  • What kind of hours are expected?

    • Hours are scheduled based on the academic requirements, the department's needs and the intern's availability. Workdays are typically Monday through Friday after 8am or before 5pm. Site supervisors will try their best to accommodate for the intern’s preferred work schedule. The department does sponsor and attend some community based activities on weekends and occasionally after business hours, but cannot guarantee night or weekend work. 

  • Can I intern with the department if I am not in school?

    • No. Internships are only available to undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled in a partnering college, university or educational institution.  Volunteers may do internship-level work but are not able to apply for posted internship positions.

  • How can my college/university partner with the Health Department?

    • E-mail HDInternshipProgram@pima.gov and provide the name of your college or university’s Internship Coordinator, as well as their phone number and email address. We will contact them and inquire about an agreement. Some schools decide not to enter into a partnership with the County and, as a result, students from those institutions are not eligible to participate in the internship program.

  • How long are internships?

    • Assignments vary and can range in length from a single academic term to a full academic year. The length of the internship depends upon the agreement made between the site supervisor and the intern. Internships can be as short as 1 month or as long as one year. 

  • How many interns are normally accepted?

    • The program made its debut in August 2017. A module of the acceptance rate has not yet been created. While the department would like to accommodate all applicants pursuing professional experience in public health, there is limited staffing capacity to do so. 

  • How are interns selected?

    • Selections are made without regard to considerations of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, or handicap. Applications are considered in the order in which they were received and are based on staff capacity and the applicant’s area(s) of interest. Preference is given to those majoring in an area closely related to the department’s program services in which they are applying. 

  • What happens after an internship application is submitted?

    • Completed applications are sent to the best suited staff member(s) for placement. If an experienced/appropriate staff member has the availability to accept an intern, we will contact the applicant and work with him or her to develop a plan and start date. In the event that the department has no experienced/appropriate staff members available to accept an intern, we will let the applicant know within 10-days and keep his or her application on file if any internship opportunities arise.

  • If accepted, when can I start? 

    • The department’s Workforce Development Coordinator will work with accepted interns to determine their start date. Students cannot begin their internship until all required paperwork has been reviewed and orientation is complete.

  • Will my assignment lead to a job?

  • Do you accept Summer Youth Program interns?

    • Yes. Teens and young adults interested in participating in Pima County’s Summer Youth Program must apply to the program through the Pima County One-Stop Summer Youth Program webpage. Once accepted, the Summer Youth Program Coordinator will provide the intern with a list of available internship work offered by the Pima County Health Department. 
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Health Department

Julia Flannery
Workforce Development Manager

3950 S. Country Club Road
Ste. 100
Tucson, AZ 85714

(520) 724-7832
HDInternship@pima.gov

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