Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an intern and volunteer?
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A volunteer serves with the Department of Public Health to gain experience and/or personal fulfillment. Volunteers will not receive academic credit. Volunteers can include community members, students, or any qualified individual interested in serving LA County.
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An intern is a student that works with the Department of Public Health to gain experience and receive academic credit for their participation.
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What are the requirements for an internship?
- You must be enrolled at an accredited college or university that has a partnership agreement with LA County.
- We accept students in any year of enrollment at a partnering school (both 4-year university and community college), as long as student will receive academic credit towards their degree.
- Some County workforce members may be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Successful candidates for those positions/classifications may be required to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Candidates should not present proof of vaccination until instructed to do so by the hiring department.
- Interns must submit an application to the LA County Academic Internship Program (AIP): https://hr.lacounty.gov/academic-internships/.
Which schools have partnerships with Los Angeles County for internships? You can review the list of schools that are partnered with LA County Academic Internship Program (AIP) at this site: Click Here
What can I do if my school does not have a partnership agreement with LA County?
Email the Academic Internship Program at Interns@hr.lacounty.gov and provide them with the name of your college or university’s Internship Coordinator, as well as their phone number and email address. They will contact the coordinator to inquire about their interest in establishing an agreement. Some schools decide not to partner with County of Los Angeles, which means students from those institutions are not eligible to participate in internships with LA County. However, you may still gain experience with the Department of Public Health as a volunteer but you will not receive academic credit.
Are internships and volunteer positions paid opportunities?
Intern and volunteer positions are typically unpaid. LA County has opportunities for Student Professional Workers, which are paid positions for students who have current enrollment in school. A comparison table of the three types of positions is below.
How do I apply?
1. Review project descriptions and apply accordingly.
- For an internship opportunity (seeking academic credit), you must apply to Los Angeles County's Academic Internship Program (AIP) and complete their orientation prior to interning with a Department of Public Health program. Go to AIP’s website: https://hr.lacounty.gov/academic-internships/ to get started.
- For a volunteer opportunity (not seeking academic credit), email the Department’s Human Resources to get started: DHRNon-LACProcessing@ph.lacounty.gov
2. Select the project(s) of interest.
- For internships, LA County’s Academic Internship Program (AIP) will work with you and send your resume to the programs that have projects you are interested in.
- For volunteering, you may send your resume to the program’s contact person of the project you are interested into inquire if they are accepting volunteers.
3. The program may contact you for an interview if they are looking for an intern or volunteer to host.
How many hours per week are internships?
Generally, interns are expected to be available at least 8 hours a week. You will discuss hours, work schedule, and duration with the program during the interview process.
Can Los Angeles County employees also participate in internships?
Yes, LA County employees can apply to be interns. Employees should work with their current supervisors to ensure that internships do not conflict with work obligations. Employees will follow the same process detailed above to apply.
Does the Department of Public Health have nurse preceptorships?
The Department of Public Health offers nurse preceptorships with universities that have an affiliation agreement with the Department. Nurse preceptorships must be arranged through the university. In addition, students need to be completing their Community/Public Health Nursing practicum to participate in a preceptorship with us. Nursing students must be a part of a cohort that is accompanied by a clinical instructor in order to rotate in the Department of Public Health. Contact Carol Daniels at
cadaniels@ph.lacounty.gov.
- Azusa Pacific University
- California State University Fullerton
- California State University Los Angeles
- California State University Dominguez Hills
- California State University Northridge
- Charles Drew University
- Martha Fuerst School of Nursing
- University of California Los Angeles
- University of San Francisco
- West Coast University
- Western University
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