An organizational model of community health agencies for health education internships.

Abstract

An essential element in the preparation of aspiring health care professionals is the internship experience. It is usually identified, by student and professionals alike, as the single most important aspect of training. The selection of any agency which provides such a vital function, however, can be confusing. There are thousands of different community health agencies which are specifically concerned with a particular aspect of human health for some designated subset of the general population. These agencies range from the well known giants like the World Health Organization, the American Cancer Society, and the National Institutes of Health, to the less well know but equally important agencies like Compassionate Friends and the National Atoxia Foundation. The purpose of this article is to identify a classification system that will organize the seemingly disparate health care industry. It is hoped that this system will enable users, such as aspiring young professionals seeking field placement or employment, or local consumers seeking assistance for a health problem, to distinguish among the plethora of agencies, institutions, and organizations concerned with health/medical care and make intelligent choices concerning their selection and utilization.