Internships at DSHS

We host a variety of internships across all divisions and public health regions. Our internships:

• Meet academic requirements,
• Provide practical and research experience, and
• Offer a venue where students can apply skills learned in the classroom

We offer a broad range of internships to students of different academic levels from universities inside and outside of Texas. Interested students and post-graduates can view internship opportunities on the internship opportunities page.

Internship projects are offered three times a year, during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. New internship postings are added to the website about two months before the start of each semester.

Full-time jobs at DSHS can be found through the Texas Health and Human Services Job Center. 

Why Intern with DSHS?

DSHS internships provide students with hands-on experience working on real-world public health projects that benefit Texans. We have hosted interns across the agency in areas ranging from epidemiology, data analysis, communications, nursing, and more.

Along with the intern project and day-to-day work, we provide additional educational and networking opportunities to expose students to the varied work of DSHS as well as the many career paths in public health. Multiple interns have gone on to full-time staff roles at the agency.

Program Components

In addition to the project work, the program offers a variety of structured activities to develop professional skills and gain a more comprehensive understanding of DSHS to provide a more in-depth internship experience. These activities account for about 25 hours of the internship and include:

• Program Orientation
• DSHS Program Seminars
• DSHS State Laboratory Tour and State Pharmacy Tour
• Regional Health Department Visit
• Meeting with a DSHS Executive
• Final Presentation
• Mock Interviews