Is this a paid internship?

Yes, we provide undergraduates with a $4,000 stipend and graduate students receive a $5,200 stipend for the summer.

If I am a graduating senior, will I receive an undergraduate or graduate level stipend?

If you are a December 2020 or May 2021 graduate, you will receive an undergraduate stipend. This also applies to students who have been accepted into graduate school for Fall 2021.

Are stipends paid all at once?

No, the stipends are disbursed in four equal payments on a semi-monthly basis (the 15th and 30th of each month). The last payment is paid when the final project is submitted.

Does the internship provide housing?

No. We hope that the stipend we provide will help interns cover the cost of housing.

Does the internship provide transportation to the OHIP sites?

No. However, if the program switches to in-person internships, OHIP will cover your travel to the Orientation at UCLA.

Where are the OHIP sites (training centers)?

OHIP has training sites across the country. 2021 OHIP sites will listed on the student application.

Are there other OHIP sites?

Sometimes we receive funding for a new site after the application process has started. We will inform applicants of the opportunity as soon as we learn about it.

Do I have to attend the OHIP Orientation?

Absolutely! The National three day Orientation (June 15-17, 2021) is a requirment. If OHIP 2021 switches to in-person, the Orientation will be at UCLA.

Do I have to pay to attend the OHIP Orientation?

No. OHIP will cover your transportation and lodging expenses for most interns if the program switches to in-person for summer 2021. Interns who will be doing their internship in Los Angeles will NOT be provided lodging but will be reimbursed for local travel to attend the three day Orientation if the program switches to in-person for summer 2021.

When is my application due?

The online application must be received by AOEC by February 12, 2021 at 11:59pmPST. The following application materials MUST be submitted online: application form, resume, and reference page. Letter(s) of recommendation (LOR) can be uploaded online, emailed ( ohip@aoec.org), faxed (202-347-4950), or mailed to AOEC (1010 Vermont Ave, NW Ste. 513, Washington, DC 20005). Applications will NOT be forwarded for review until ALL required materials (application form, resume, reference page, and LORs) are received.

How do I apply?

Apply online HERE. See question below for required application materials.

What do I need to include with my application?

A complete application has four parts:

1. Online Application Form

2. Resume that includes job experience and previous internship or volunteer work

3. Reference Page that lists 3 references with email and/or phone contact information

4. At least one Letter of Recommendation

NOTE: All application materials except the letter(s) of recommendation MUST be submitted online HERE. Application materials (except letter of recommendation) that are faxed, mailed, or emailed will be rejected.

Letter(s) of recommendation can be sent separately or with the application form. If you do not submit it online, you can email (ohip@aoec.org), fax (202-347-4950), or mail to AOEC (1010 Vermont Ave, NW Ste. 513, Washington, DC 20005).

Applications will NOT be forwarded for review until all required materials are received.

How do I submit my resume? Letter(s) of recommendation?

At the end of the online application, there is a section for uploading your resume and letter(s) of recommendation. Letters of recommendation can be submitted with the online application form, or sent separately via email: ohip@aoec.org; fax: 202-347-4950 or mail: AOEC (1010 Vermont Ave, NW Ste. 513, Washington, DC 20005). Applications will NOT be forwarded for review until ALL required materials are received.

Are there different application forms for undergraduate and graduate students?

No, all students use the same application form. See the Eligibility tab of this FAQ page.

I haven’t had much paid work experience. Do I still need to submit a resume?

Yes, you can include any volunteer work, organizing experience, or campus student group membership on your resume.

If I am asked for an interview, do I need to do it in person?

Top candidates will be interviewed either in person, by phone or via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom.

When will I be notified if I have been accepted into the program?

All applicants will be notified regardless of whether they are accepted or not. Students accepted into the program will have 4 days to decide whether to accept the position. There may be delays in notifying students of final acceptance, based on the status of funding.

Do I get to select the project or site to which I want to go, or will I be assigned to a project or site?

Projects are not listed on the application. You will have the opportunity to rank the sites. Generally, selected students are placed at their first or second choice.

Who can apply?

Undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited college or university who will have completed at least two years of college (i.e. juniors and seniors only) by the OHIP summer and students enrolled in graduate programs are eligible to apply. Recent graduates cannot be out of school for more than six months prior to the start of OHIP (i.e. for summer 2021, students are not eligible if they graduated prior to December of 2020). Our funding agencies do not allow us to provide internships to anyone considered post-doctorate (i.e. anyone who has an MD or a PhD by the summer of 2021 is NOT eligible for OHIP). In addition, we cannot offer positions to students who have doctorate degrees and are now pursuing a graduate degree (i.e. MD or MBBS pursuing an MPH).

I graduate in May 2021, can I still apply?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for summer 2021. If you graduate within 6 months of the beginning of the summer program, you are eligible to apply to the program. For example, if you graduated in December 2020, you are eligible to apply for summer 2021. However, if you graduated in May 2020, you are NOT eligible to apply for summer 2021.

Do I have to be a U.S. citizen?

This depends on our funding sources from year to year. Most of our funding for student stipends comes from a federal government program which restricts student support to U.S. citizens and Alien/Permanent Residents (Green card holders). All students must provide evidence of being able to work in the U.S. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) individuals or undocumented individuals are eligible to apply for the OHIP program. If accepted into the program, DACA students will have to provide an unexpired Employee Authorization Document (EAD) prior to participating in the program. It is possible that this program may change in 2020. Please contact Ingrid Denis at 1-888-347-2632 if you are a DACA applicant.

What paperwork do I need if I am NOT a U.S. citizen?

On the application, select the status that applies to you. If you are selected into the program, you will need to provide one of the following:

• Permanent Resident card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)
• F-1 visa holders require permission from their university. Must be approved for practical training and have a approval on I-20 or Employee Authorization Document (EAD)
• J-1 visa holders require permission from their Exchange Visitor Sponsor.
• DACA students must provide an unexpired EAD.

Do I have to be in a certain major or field to apply?

No, but your application should explain the link between your current area of study and workplace health and safety. For undergraduates, this could include public health, environmental studies, public policy, and other related studies. At the graduate level we often seek students enrolled in medicine, nursing, or public health programs, but consider students from other disciplines.

Where will I work?

If OHIP summer 2021 is in-person, the location of office space for each team is arranged by OHIP staff on a case by case basis. Interns are responsible for their own transportation to their assigned office space during work days. Some projects may require access to a car to visit worksites, interview workers, or attend meetings not accessible by mass transit.

When and where is the intern Orientation?

If OHIP 2021 is in-person, all OHIP interns are required to attend a three day National Orientation at UCLA in Los Angeles, California so all interns can meet each other and receive the same training. Summer 2021 Orientation is from June 15-17. Interns who will be doing their internship outside Los Angeles will be provided lodging and given travel stipends to attend the Orientation. Interns who will be doing their internship in Los Angeles will be reimbursed for local travel to attend the Orientation.

What kinds of projects will I work on?

We are in the process of identifying potential projects for the upcoming summer. The final selection usually occurs after the applications are due – in part because we try to match projects to our strongest candidates, and to make sure that we can meet the needs of projects that require a second language. For general information on potential projects, email National OHIP Coordinator, Sarah Jacobs at sjacobs@irle.ucla.edu. See Projects for descriptions of projects from recent years.

How will interns be matched to their projects?

Interns will be matched to projects based on specific technical skills or languages needed as well as expressed areas of interest. Most teams will include interns from different disciplines, combining graduate and undergraduate students.

What will I be expected to do to complete the internship?

Each team is required to provide the following final products at the end of the internship:

• A “give-back” product to the workers and their assigned union/worker organization that each team will determine is most useful. Some examples are:
  • Developing and disseminating information for workers on hazards using fact sheets, laminated wallet cards, posters, audio CDs, training materials, and other forms of educational materials
  • Conducting training sessions to groups of workers on hazards
  • Presenting your findings and recommendation to the worksite organization’s executive board or staff
  • Preparing a detailed report to the leadership of the worksite organization
• A PowerPoint presentation about the interns’ projects, to share with the other interns, NIOSH and other funding agencies, OHIP Board members and supporters at the end of the summer. Each team will present their projects at a designated web-conference site.
• A final summary report for OHIP on what you did and learned, with an abstract. The report is due on last day of the OHIP summer.

What are the dates for the summer program?

The dates for the nine-week internship is June 14 - August 13, 2021. If Summer 2021 is in-person, all students are required to attend the 3-day Orientation in Los Angeles, CA from June 15-17. Travel and hotel expenses are paid by OHIP. Interns whose site is LA and who will be living in LA during the OHIP summer will NOT be staying at the hotel.

Is there any flexibility in the internship dates? I am a medical student and my classes don’t end until July 1? Can I start late?

There may be some flexibility in program dates for medical student applicants with conflicting academic schedules. All medical school applicants must attend the Orientation. Contact ohip@aoec.org for additional information.

I have to take a summer school class. Can I still do the internship?

No, interns are required to spend approximately 40 hours per week on their project and attend educational and skills training sessions. It has been our experience that this does not work, given the demands of the projects and the need for students to work together in teams.

I have a part-time job. Can I still participate in the internship?

No, interns are required to spend approximately 40 hours per week on their project and attend educational and skills training sessions. Given the demands of the projects and the need for students to work together in teams, this does not work.

I have a family obligation (wedding, reunion etc.) scheduled during the summer. Can I leave for a few days?

If you need to miss more than one day of OHIP project time, you will need to get approval from the OHIP Site Coordinator. These decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

What if I cannot stay the entire time?

OHIP interns are expected to be available for the entire nine week project. If you are not available for the entire period, talk to the OHIP Site Coordinator prior to accepting an offer to participate in the program. Priority will be to place students who are able to commit to the entire summer session. You will not be admitted if you cannot attend the initial orientation and training.

Do we have any days off over the summer?

Interns are off on the 4th of July. Generally, interns have the weekends off. If the project requires you to attend a special event on a weekend, you will be given an alternate day off.

How can my organization host an OHIP project?

See HERE for guidelines to host an OHIP project. For additional information, email National OHIP Coordinator, Sarah Jacobs at sjacobs@irle.ucla.edu.