Community Health Internship Program
About the Program
BTG CHIP is a paid, 7-week summer internship that immerses health and social service students in community-based work.
Students collaborate with community partners across Pennsylvania and New Jersey to design projects based on community-defined needs, gaining hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of the factors that shape health in underserved communities.
2026 Program Dates
Philadelphia Consortium
June 15 to July 31, 2026
Erie
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
May 26 to July 10, 2026
Lehigh Valley
June 15 to July 31, 2026
New Jersey
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
June 15 to July 31, 2026
Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh & LECOM-Seton Hill
June 8 to July 31, 2026
Program Basics
Students are recruited in winter and notified of acceptance in spring. Interns are placed in interdisciplinary teams at community sites, matched based on the site’s needs and the student’s discipline and interests.
Interns work on projects that support health education and healthy behaviors, providing added capacity for community organizations. Each student is paired with a community preceptor (site mentor and advocate) and an academic preceptor (faculty resource and support).
In addition to site work, interns spend one day each week in curricular sessions led by community members, health professionals, and faculty—building skills and deepening understanding of issues affecting vulnerable populations.
