Student Field Placement Funding from the Minnesota Public Health Training Center

Students are enthusiastic about working with health departments, community-based organizations, and health organizations to gain practical, real-world learning experiences. However, these organizations often encounter resource constraints that limit their capacity to support paid internships. The purpose of these stipends is to assist students as they further develop their professional skills in public health. 

Up to three individual Student Field Placements or Collaborative Projects (involving individual students or groups of students and faculty) will be offered. Each stipend, in the amount of $3,500, will support student field placements. 

Students can apply using one of two paths: with a secured placement or through pre-approval. Placements must be unpaid or underpaid ($15/hour or less or a stipend of $3,500 or less). Students must apply for this funding, not the placement site supervisor.

Applying for field placement funding 
Student eligibility
Field experience requirements and considerations
Student requirements
Questions and assistance

Application (updated 3/4/2024): Student Field Placement Award Application 2025 - Minnesota Public Health Training Center

Application options

Traditional application (secured placement):

• Students who have already secured an unpaid or underpaid ($15 per hour or less or a stipend of $3,500 or less) field placement
• Applications must include a letter from your site supervisor confirming your placement and hours

Pre-approval application (NEW):

• Students who need funding confirmation before securing a placement
• Applications must include a description of intended project focus and goals
• If approved, students will have 30 days to secure an eligible placement
• Supervisor letter must be submitted within 30 days of pre-approval
• If placement is not secured within 30 days, the funding opportunity will be offered to another applicant

Application process

• MDH will accept applications on a competitive basis until it receives 20 applications and no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 1, 2025.
• Submit your completed application online and email your site supervisor's letter if using the traditional path to Yasmin Odowa at yasmin.odowa@state.mn.us 

To qualify for this award, students must meet the following criteria:

• Undergraduate (junior/senior), graduate or doctoral students pursuing a degree in a health profession, including public health, nursing, social work, psychology, sociology, or any degree program housed within a school or program of public health. This also includes Tribal Community College students enrolled in a health professions degree program (e.g., allied health, community health worker).
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen U.S. nationals, or foreign nationals holding a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States; DACA recipients and international students with work/research/student visas are not eligible to receive federal funding under this award.
• Students may be enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time students cannot receive a stipend for more than one year, while part-time students may complete their entire placement or project within two years. For multi-year completion, students will receive a pro-rated stipend of $1,750 each year for a maximum of two years.
• Students may not receive a stipend for more than one project in the four—year grant cycle from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2026.

The Minnesota Public Health Training Center aims to enhance the skills of both current and future public health professionals to drive improvements in population health outcomes.  There are two eligible types of field experiences:  

Students will be required to:

• Develop a learning agreement and work plan that demonstrates the alignment of their project with at least two public health core competencies. Refer to Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (PDF)
• Develop and submit a poster or paper that includes the following sections: abstract, introduction, methodology, findings, discussion, and conclusion.  
• Complete four program evaluations: baseline, mid-point, post, and 1-year follow up.
• Participation in the Practicing Public Health in Region V Community of Practice (PPHRV CoP) is strongly encouraged. This virtual peer-to-peer learning opportunity features regular webinar sessions with interactive discussions and networking.

Please submit applications and direct questions to: 
Yasmin Odowa
MDH Center for Public Health Practice
yasmin.odowa@state.mn.us
 

The Region V Public Health Training Center is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31684. This grant makes these funds available through the University of Michigan.