Internship Opportunities through UC's Partnership with the California Medi-Cal Department

Graduate and Professional Students with an Interest in Health Policy

Internships with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) are available to applicants for summer and semester-long periods. Interns may work full-time on-site at DHCS in Sacramento during summer months (8-12 weeks). Full- or part- time options may also be available during the school year.

DHCS is the state agency responsible for administering Medicaid, the nation's publicly-funded health insurance program for low-income children, families, elderly, and individuals with disabilities. Internships will provide opportunities to work in public service and on major issues of significance to beneficiaries, providers, health plans, and the state government. Examples include innovations in health care financing and delivery, strategies for outreach to, and enrollment of, beneficiaries, health benefit design, value-based purchasing, and health information technology. Opportunities to support DHCS' implementation of health reform under the Affordable Care Act may also be available.

The Summer Internship also provides a series of seminars, held during the workday — allowing interns to deepen their knowledge of Medicaid and Medi-Cal and expand their understanding of the insurance program's many complex health policy issues. In the past, the seminars have featured expert speakers from DHCS, the California Legislature, the Office of the Health Secretary, California provider associations and consumer advocates, as well as CAMRI researchers. Interns also participate in weekly discussions where they present and lead in-depth discussions on Medi-Cal policy topics of their choosing.

Applicants must be enrolled and in good academic standing, and have a legal right to work in the U.S. These internships typically do not provide university credits. Letters of interest should be sent to Dawn Marie Snodgrass (Career Development Specialist, DHCS' Workforce and Planning and Development Office).