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Elective in Public Health for Medical Students and Residents

The NYC Department of Health offers an elective in public health for medical students and residents. This elective provides a unique opportunity for you to work with Health Department experts who are tackling public health issues in New York City. Trainees will help with a variety of activities that promote wellness and prevent illness in individuals, groups, and the population as a whole.

Current medical students and residents enrolled in an accredited medical school or residency training program are welcome to apply. We invite rotators from a broad range of medical specialties who are interested in public health.

For more information, see our Elective in Public Health for Medical Students and Residents Brochure (PDF).

Eligibility

  • Residents should be enrolled in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residency program. Medical students should be enrolled in an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school. The elective is open to trainees in any specialty and in any year of training.
  • A minimum four week commitment is required.
  • International trainees are welcome to apply. However, please note that the Health Department does not offer visa assistance. To ensure that you are able to participate in the elective, contact your NYC consulate for details on the proper documentation required.

Applicants should note the following:

  • Participants should arrange academic credit for the elective through their residency program or medical school.
  • Completion of a basic medical school epidemiology class is helpful but not required.
  • Elective participants are responsible for securing housing in NYC and other finances for the duration of the rotation. Stipends are not available to assist with housing or living expenses. The Health Department can only offer some suggested resources to search.

Application Process

Applicants must submit the following materials in one email to healthrp@health.nyc.gov.

  • A completed Elective in Public Health Application Form (PDF)
  • An updated CV or resume
  • A letter of support from your residency program or medical school stating that 1) this is a formal elective and 2) your home institution covers malpractice or liability insurance and, if applicable, Workers’ Compensation.
  • If your program or school requires a Program Letter of Agreement (PLA) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), let us know at the time of your application. A PLA will be sent to you to be reviewed by your institution. If your school or institution requires their own template to be used, submit this to us as soon as possible. Note that review of your institutional document can take several months. When selecting dates for your rotation, keep this in mind.

Application Deadlines

  • For a rotation start date between January and June, you must apply by August 30 of the previous calendar year.
  • For a rotation start date between July and December, you must apply by February 28 of the same calendar year.

Scheduling

  • Approximately two months prior to your chosen elective dates, the Health Department will inform you if you have been selected for project placement. The residency program makes every effort to ensure that elective rotators find suitable placements, but we cannot guarantee the availability of specific projects or content areas.
  • Elective participants work full-time on a month-long project with Health Department professionals. This is primarily an applied public health project that is non-clinical in nature. Rotation schedule is determined based on the project and the individual preceptor.

More Information