About the role#
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) offers internship opportunities for students and recent graduates to gain practical experience within an international health agency. This program provides a framework for interns to contribute to departmental projects while being exposed to the work of PAHO and the World Health Organization. Interns are assigned projects based on their skill sets and terms of reference, with placements available across various fields including public health, communications, finance, and human resources.
What you'll do#
- Review literature and conduct literature surveys.
- Undertake web research and data collection on specific subject areas.
- Organize data and documents.
- Assist in drafting, formatting, and editing policy briefs, tool kits, guides, manuals, hand-outs, brochures, and reports.
- Participate in on-going departmental projects.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in the final academic year of a bachelor's degree, or enrollment in a master's or doctoral program, or graduation within the last two years from a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral program.
- Minimum age of 20 years at the time of application.
- Fluency in one of PAHO's working languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French) in reading, writing, and speaking.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Academic background in fields such as Public Health, Health Administration, Biology, Communications, Human Resources, Statistics, International Relations, or Psychology.
- Knowledge of statistical software like XLStat is considered an advantage.
Location & details#
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Term: Summer 2026
- Modality: On-site
- Status: Full-time, paid internship
- Note: Applicants must not have previously participated in the PAHO internship program and must meet specific relationship requirements regarding current PAHO staff and government personnel.
About Pan American Health Organization
The Pan American Health Organization is an international public health agency based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1902, it serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization. The organization employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people. It focuses on technical cooperation and partnerships to improve health outcomes across the Americas.
How to get in at Pan American Health Organization
Securing an internship at the Pan American Health Organization requires staying ahead of the competition. Because roles are often competitive, Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a position is published, which helps you apply early before the applicant pool grows too large. Being among the first to submit your materials ensures your application is reviewed while the team is still actively screening candidates. You can also use Intern Insider to surface the specific recruiters managing these roles. Reaching out to them directly allows you to ask thoughtful questions or inquire about a referral, which often improves your response rate compared to submitting through a general portal.
