GET PHIT will provide eligible students with paid Internships within health departments, non-profits, and health systems every semester.
Spring 2026 application is closed.
Summer 2026 application will open in February 2026.
Eligibility
- Must be a student at a GET PHIT institution
- UTHealth Houston -School of Public Health and McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, Huston-Tillotson University, Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M International University, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas at El Paso, The University of Texas at Tyler, The University of Texas Permian Basin, and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Must participate in a GET PHIT bootcamp, approved program and/or course
- Have a strong interest in public health informatics and data science
- Students from underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply
- Students may only participate in the GET PHIT internship program for one semester
International Students: Due to processing requirements, the GET PHIT team cannot process applications (paid or unpaid) for international students. We apologize for any inconvenience and encourage you to explore other opportunities available at your home institution. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and wish you the best in your endeavors.
Internship Application Materials
In addition to providing your personal information, applicants will need to provide the following items:
- Unofficial transcript from your current institution
- Resume/CV
- Name and contact information for a recommender (someone who can attest to your skills, leadership, character, and the like)
- Personal statement (500 words or less) addressing your interest in public health informatics, data science, and/or other relevant topics, and how this program will support your growth and development.
These items can be directly provided and/or uploaded to your application.
| Semester * | Internship Dates ** | Deadline to Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Early June – Mid Aug | April 1 |
| Fall | Early Sep – Early Dec | July 1 |
| Spring | Early Jan – Early May | Oct 1 |
* Semester refers to the academic session in which the internship takes place.
** Dates are approximate and may vary slightly year to year.
*GET PHIT Internships will also be available in years 2023, 2024 and 2025. Check back for updates to schedule. ** Specific start dates may vary and will depend on internship sites and processing.
With the completion of the GET PHIT Internship, students can earn a certificate and badge that can be shared and viewed by others.
Host Site Participation List
| A-I | |
| AccessHealth (Fort Bend Family Health Center) | City of Laredo Health Department |
| Area Health Education Center of the Mid Rio Grande Border Area | City of Lubbock Health Department |
| Austin Public Health | Community First! Village; Wellness Advisory Board |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Dallas County Health and Human Services |
| Bread of Life, Inc. | East Harris County Empowerment Council |
| Cameron County Health Department | Harris County Public Health |
| CAN DO Houston | Harris Health System |
| Center for Urban Transformation | Harris Health Systems (Maternal Substance Use Program) |
| Children at Risk | Houston Food Bank |
| City of Brownsville Health Department | Houston Health Foundation |
| City of El Paso Department of Public Health | IQuESt - Center for Innovations in Quality |
| City of Houston Health Department | |
| J-Z | |
| Livestrong Cancer Institutes - Dell Medical School (UT Austin) |
SCAN Inc., Prevention, HOPES |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center | Tarrant County Public Health |
| Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute | Texas Action for Healthy Kids |
| New Hope Housing | Texas Association of Community Health Centers |
| Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI) | Texas Department of State Health Services |
| Paso del Norte Health Information Exchange | Texas Health Resources |
| Patient Care Intervention Center | The Montrose Center |
| People's Community Clinic | The Texas Association of City & County Health Officials (TACCHO) |
| PMC Group I | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
| ProUnitas Inc. | University Health |
| Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) | UTHealth SPH Health Equity Collective |
| Rio Grande Valley Health Information Exchange (RGV HIE) |
Williamson County and Cities Health District |
| San Jose Clinic | |
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What is public health informatics and why is it important?
The public health informatics institute defines informatics as “the process by which raw data turn into digestible information and, subsequently, knowledge”. The use of informatics in public health practice is what enables effective public health surveillance and allows us to monitor the vast number of public health issues that are impacting our communities.
Through public health informatics we can have access to timely and accurate data and make data-driven decisions that support better health outcomes and improve population health.
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How can a GET PHIT internship benefit me as a student?
A GET PHIT internship will give you the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for understanding and addressing informatics-related issues in public health work. You will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of competencies, such as those outlined in the Applied Public Health Informatics Competency Model. You will also gain professional work experience and strengthen your readiness for the public health informatics workforce.
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Do I need to have previous experience or a specific set of skills to participate in the internship program?
You don’t need to have extensive knowledge, advanced level skills, or previous work experience in public health informatics to be considered. However, if you are an undergraduate student, completion of the GET PHIT bootcamp is required prior to being considered (see bootcamp section on webpage for more details). If you’re a graduate student your public health informatics-related coursework will suffice (this includes any introductory courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, data analysis, data management, etc.)
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What types of projects will interns be expected to complete?
Project will vary and depend on the host site/organization you are matched with. Projects can involve data collection, data management, data cleaning, data analysis, data visualization, data programming, etc.
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Can I participate in the program for more than one semester?
Unfortunately, once you participate in a GET PHIT internship for a semester and complete your 160 hours, you cannot participate again.
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Does the program offer virtual/remote internships?
There are both virtual and remote opportunities. However, this is dependent on each host site and their capacity. We will do our best to match you with a host site that aligns with your preference, however, we cannot guarantee any specific placements.
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My organization is interested in being a host site for GET PHIT interns. What is the next step?
Please ensure that your organization has the capacity to provide one or more students with a 160-hour internship and that there are available projects that can help develop or strengthen informatics-related skills and competencies. Please refer to the Applied Public Health Informatics Competency Model for examples of such competencies.
If your organization has such capacity, you may contact us at [email protected] and we will collect additional information.
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Are any legal documents required from organizations that want to participate as a host site?
A signed letter of affiliation must be provided before your organization can participate as a host site for GET PHIT interns. If your organization requires additional procedures, please feel free to contact us.
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Can organizations host interns for more than one semester?
Yes. We will collect more information from you once you contact us.