Erie County Dept of Health
The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) offers in-person internship, clinical rotation, and volunteer opportunities for students seeking hands-on experience in public health while supporting the mission of ECDOH to protect, promote, and improve the health of Erie County residents.
These experiences are designed for actively enrolled undergraduate, graduate, or medical students whose academic programs require or support experiential learning. Opportunities vary across program areas and may include work related to community health initiatives, epidemiology, environmental health, public information, and other departmental functions.
Overview
Types of Positions
Other Opportunities
Students interested in forensic science or death investigation should refer to the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office Internship Program, which has its own application process, schedule, and requirements.
Erie County residents (including, but not limited to, students) interested in volunteering for the Erie County Medical Reserve Corps may complete the ECMRC application form.
Who May Apply
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Must be an actively enrolled undergraduate, graduate, or medical student.
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Must be 18 years of age or older by the time they participate.
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Must be receiving academic credit for internships or clinical rotations; volunteer roles do not receive credit.
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Students completing an internship or clinical rotation must be enrolled in a program with an existing affiliation agreement with ECDOH, or whose institution is willing to initiate one, to cover liability insurance.
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Meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee placement; availability depends on departmental capacity and supervisory resources.
For Academic Advisors
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All institutional affiliation agreements must use ECDOH’s required legal format. Standard or boilerplate agreements from outside institutions cannot be accepted.
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Programs located outside Western New York may find establishing a new agreement impractical, as all internships and clinical rotations require in‑person participation in Buffalo.
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For questions or to renew or initiate an agreement, please email health@erie.gov with the topic "Academic Institution Affiliation" in the subject line.
ECDOH Program Areas
Environmental Health Division
Internships and volunteering only, no clinical rotations.
Environmental Health is the branch of public health that focuses on the relationships between people and their environment. Interns and volunteers work for programs to reduce chemical and other environmental exposures in air, water, soil, and food to protect people and provide the public with healthier environments within and outside of their homes.
Jesse Nash Health Center
Family Planning Center
Clinical rotations and internships only, no volunteering.
The Family Planning Center offers confidential, comprehensive reproductive health services including wellness exams, birth control, pregnancy testing and counseling, STI prevention and treatment, HIV prevention, medication abortion, and teen wellness programming. It provides walk‑in and appointment-based care, accepts most insurance, and supports access to low‑cost or free services through the Family Planning Benefit Program.
Family Planning Education Interns support reproductive health education by assisting with outreach, developing informational materials, organizing resources, assisting with grant work, and helping strengthen understanding of birth control, STI prevention, and wellness services. MPH students, particularly those specializing in women's health or related areas, are preferred.
Family Planning Administration Interns support family planning program operations by assisting with grant management, government and regulatory requirements, contracting, budgeting, reporting, resource coordination, and program organization. MPH students, particularly those specializing in women's health or related areas, are preferred.
Family Planning Clinical Rotation Students participate in supervised patient care activities and gain practical experience in reproductive health service delivery.
Sexual Health Center
Clinical rotations and internships only, no volunteering.
The Sexual Health Center provides confidential walk‑in services including STI testing and treatment, HIV testing and support, PrEP/PEP, vaccinations, test results access, outreach, and free safer‑sex supplies. It also offers STI treatment guidelines, family planning information, and accepts most insurance with options for those without coverage.
Sexual Health Education Interns help expand community awareness of sexual health services by assisting with outreach, educational content development, resource organization, and program support related to STI prevention, HIV testing, PrEP/PEP, and safer‑sex practices.
Sexual Health Clinical Rotation Students engage in supervised clinical activities and gain practical experience in patient-centered sexual health services in a walk-in clinic setting.
Tuberculosis Clinic
Clinical rotations only, no volunteering or internships.
The Tuberculosis Clinic provides essential TB prevention and control services to protect the health of Erie County residents. Staff evaluate, treat, and manage care for individuals with active TB disease, identify and follow up with contacts of TB cases, analyze local TB data, and offer guidance to medical providers on diagnosis and treatment. The clinic also provides public education and identifies and treats latent TB infection.
The TB Clinic occasionally accepts nursing and medical students for clinical rotations, including rotations with fellows and residents who can participate directly in patient care.
Public Health Division
Cancer Services
Internships only, no volunteering or clinical rotations.
The Cancer Services Program provides no-cost breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings, diagnostics and education to eligible, uninsured & underinsured people across New York State. CSP is seeking an intern with strong digital communication skills and an interest in public health messaging to support their digital outreach and content creation efforts. The program is looking to raise awareness and encourage more eligible people to take advantage of its services, which include free cancer screenings and education. They welcome applicants from a range of programs including communications, public health, film, media studies, digital humanities, and health & human services.
Community Opioid Response
Internships only, no volunteering or clinical rotations.
The Community Opioid Response Office provides strategic oversight and administration of public funding initiatives to ensure investments are managed responsibly, comply with funding requirements, and create measurable benefits for the community. Through collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement, the office supports programs that strengthen public health and community well-being.
The Funding & Engagement Intern supports the administration of public funding initiatives through research, project coordination, data management, contract administration and program support. The intern will gain hands-on experience in local government operations while contributing to projects that improve community health and well-being.
The Policy & Research Intern & Volunteer supports the office by researching best practices, analyzing public policy and funding trends, and developing summaries and recommendations that inform strategic planning and continuous improvement.
Community Wellness
Internships only, no volunteering or clinical rotations.
Community Wellness works to improve the health and well-being of children, families, and the broader community through several key initiatives. This includes leading HEARTSafe Erie County to strengthen cardiac emergency preparedness and AED awareness; medical-dental integration to promote preventive fluoride treatments during pediatric well visits; promoting oral health literacy by delivering a 2nd grade oral health education program in County schools; and supporting youth nicotine use prevention through education, community collaboration, and outreach.
Community Wellness Interns can assist with outreach, resource development, data organization, and program coordination across these initiatives. Interns may also incorporate relevant research to enhance program materials and support evidence-based practices. Their work contributes to community engagement and the overall impact of these public health efforts.
Epidemiology and Disease Control
Internships only, no volunteering or clinical rotations.
The Epidemiology & Disease Control Program monitors communicable disease trends in Erie County and provides timely information and prevention guidance to healthcare providers, exposed individuals, and the public. This internship is designed for graduate‑level public health students, who may gain practical experience in surveillance, data interpretation, and real‑world public health response while working closely with epidemiologists and disease investigators.
Health Communications
Internships only, no volunteering or clinical rotations.
Public Health Communications Interns will support the delivery of accurate, clear and timely information for Erie County residents. Interns will have the opportunity to create and revise messaging for priority health topics, events, publications and press materials. Interns are expected to develop their own ideas for projects that will enhance and expand the department’s ongoing communications campaigns. Depending on their interests, interns may incorporate research, data analysis, data visualization, and community outreach into their work. Dedicated time is provided for completing relevant trainings and certifications in public health and communication. Throughout the internship, students will build skills in strategic communication, audience engagement, and equity-centered public health practice.
Applicants should be prepared to share potential focus areas/topics, and to demonstrate strong writing and presentation skills, and should have familiarity with standard software tools like Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Canva and Adobe Acrobat. Applicants must be able to receive college or university class credit for their internship. Applicants accepted for spring, summer and fall terms.
Health Equity
Internships and volunteering only, no clinical rotations.
The Office of Health Equity works to understand and address the factors that contribute to health disparities across Erie County. Our work combines public health data, community engagement, research, education, and program development to better understand the experiences of diverse communities and help create solutions that improve health and wellness.
Interns have the opportunity to see public health in action and contribute to projects that have a real impact on the community. Depending on their interests and area of study, interns may gain experience with data analysis and visualization, community health research, health literacy and communications, program planning and evaluation, grant writing and management, community engagement, and the social determinants of health. The Office of Health Equity works with community organizations, healthcare providers, government agencies, and other partners, providing interns with a valuable opportunity to learn how collaboration can help advance health equity in Erie County.
If you're interested in social determinants of health, epidemiology, data, health education, community engagement, or improving health on a community level, the Office of Health Equity offers an opportunity to learn, contribute, and develop practical skills while working on meaningful public health initiatives.
Harm Reduction
Internships and volunteering only, no clinical rotations.
The Erie County Office of Harm Reduction is dedicated to improving community health by reducing the harms associated with substance use, as well as promoting dignity, autonomy, and safety among people who use drugs. Through evidence-based harm reduction strategies, peer-led and community-centered approaches, and compassionate engagement, we work to replace stigma with understanding, judgment with support, and addressing barriers with access. In collaboration with community partners, we meet people where they are and don’t leave them there by bridging gaps in services, advancing health equity, providing community education, and preventing overdose and infectious disease for Erie County residents.
Education and Outreach Interns can assist with outreach, literature and resource development, program coordination across these initiatives. The work will contribute to community engagement and the overall impact of the department's public health efforts to support people who use drugs.
Data Analysis Interns this internship is ideal for graduate‑level public health students. Interns can develop statistical models to analyze factors related to overdose deaths and evaluate allocation of harm reduction resources. Experience with R programming preferred.
Public Health Volunteers support the office’s work with coordinating and building various harm reduction supply kits to support people who use drugs.
Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Internships only, no volunteering or clinical rotations.
The Erie County Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OPHEP) is seeking motivated, forward-thinking interns to join our team. Our office ensures Erie County is ready to face large-scale public health emergencies, disasters, and threats. As an intern, you will work alongside emergency preparedness coordinators and Medical Reserve Corps members to safeguard our community.
You may assist with:
- Emergency Planning: Updating disaster response protocols and designing community exercises.
- Data & Surveillance: Analyzing public health trends, mapping resources, or tracking community health data.
- Medical Reserve Corps (MRC): Supporting the coordination, training, and recruitment of our volunteer responders.
- Community Readiness: Developing and presenting public outreach materials and health threat educational campaigns.
We welcome students from various backgrounds, including Public Health, Emergency Management, Public Administration, Data Analytics, and Healthcare Sciences. Ideal candidates are organized, forward thinking, passionate about community safety, and comfortable presenting public health materials.
Note: Erie County residents (including, but not limited to, students) interested in volunteering for the Erie County Medical Reserve Corps may complete the ECMRC application form.
Medical Examiner
Students interested in forensic science or death investigation should refer to the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office Internship Program, which has its own application process, schedule, and requirements.
Application Overview
Contact
For questions about internships, volunteering and clinical rotations at ECDOH, please email health@erie.gov with the topic "Internships, Volunteering and Clinical Rotations" in the subject line.