Student Experiences

Field experiences provide SPH students with essential career preparation skills such as program design, implementation, management, and evaluation; data collection, analysis, and reporting; and policy analysis and advocacy.

From Bangalore to Mayo Clinic to the Minnesota Department of health, students participate in field experiences across the globe that deepen current strengths and skills, or push them to explore new areas of interest.

This is an opportunity to shape your path to a public health career.

Examples of Field Experiences Locations

Students can complete field experiences at a variety of locations. The Career Center works directly with students to match the field experience to their individual interests, strengths, and skills.

View information on past Field Experiences (once logged in, click “Search for past field experiences” under “Get Started”)

For Profit Organizations

3M
Boston Scientific
Ecolab
General Mills
UnitedHealth Group

Government Organizations

Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Minneapolis Health Department
St. Paul-Ramsey Public Health Department
United States Department of Agriculture

Not-for-profit Organizations

Allina Health
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
HealthEast
Hennepin County Medical Center
HealthPartners
Mayo Clinic
National Association of County and City Health Officials

Field Experiences Stories

Learn about field experiences through the lens of a student.

Makshita Luthra

Public Health Administration & Policy MPH program

Field experience location:
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

“[In my field experience] I was collaborating with program managers, statistical programming analysts, and health services analysts”

Luthra was a dentist in her native India and moved to Minnesota in 2015 to enroll at SPH. She plans to supplement her health care knowledge with a degree in management and leadership in the future. “Before my internship, I had my whole graduate program planned out, now my interests have expanded and I’m looking into other courses,” she says. “I’m able to plan my second year better because I understand more about how the health care industry works.”

“I worked very closely with my team,” says Luthra (center). “I was collaborating with program managers, statistical programming analysts, and health services analysts and if I didn’t have the skills needed for a task, they would guide and mentor me so I could learn how to take on the work.”

Maks_Mayo_Clinic_3 — Luthra worked closely with her preceptor Lindsey Philpot. “Our check-ins went beyond work,” says Luthra. “She would mentor me and she would ask if I needed any support.” In addition to Philpot, Luthra was also encouraged by her team. “People were always asking what my interests were and encouraged me to get involved in other projects.”

Subin Jang

Epidemiology MPH program

Field experience location:
St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences’ Medical College, Bangalore, India

“The program is designed to be flexible and integrates many health fields so it can fit across different public health interests”

Subin Jang (fourth from left) works with other St. John’s Medical College students and SPH student Patrick Williams (third from left) to catch fish using mosquito larva. “Dengue fever is mosquito borne and a big problem in India, so we were looking at how fish eat the larva to manage the population,” says Jang.

Williams and Jang outside St. John’s Medical College, which was established in 1963 and provides opportunities to SPH students through the AHC’s Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility. — Williams and Jang outside St. John’s Medical College, which was established in 1963.

Jang and Williams with a doctor from St. John’s Medical College. “Everyone at St. John’s was so welcoming and helped acclimate us to the culture,” says Jang.