• Health Economics Spring 2026 Internship - REMOTE

    Location: Remote – must be available to attend one or two in-person meetings at the IDPH Chicago office or IDPH Springfield office

    As the Health Economics Intern, you will contribute to a critical initiative led by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to evaluate the economic impact of drug overdoses across the state. You’ll gain hands-on experience in health economics, public health policy, and data analysis by conducting a comprehensive healthcare cost analysis of both fatal and non-fatal overdose incidents. Your work will directly support state-level policy decisions and public health interventions aimed at addressing the overdose crisis in Illinois.

    Key Responsibilities:

    • Conduct a detailed healthcare cost analysis of drug overdoses within Illinois using available state and national datasets.
    • Estimate direct healthcare costs associated with both fatal and non-fatal overdose incidents.
    • Evaluate costs and outcomes related to Medication-Assisted Recovery (MAR) initiation in emergency departments following overdose events.
    • Compare costs and potential savings between individuals who receive MAR intervention and those who do not.
    • Assist in compiling, cleaning, and analyzing large datasets to ensure data accuracy and reliability.
    • Summarize findings through written reports, visualizations, and presentations for IDPH leadership and stakeholders.
    • Collaborate with IDPH staff to ensure analyses align with public health goals and reporting standards.

    Qualifications:

    • Pursuing a graduate degree in Public Health, Economics, Health Administration, Data Analytics/Data Science, or Public Policy or Social Work with a focus on health or substance use, or a related field.
    • Strong analytical and quantitative skills with experience using statistical software (Excel, R, SAS, or Stata).
    • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
    • Detail-oriented with the ability to interpret and synthesize complex datasets.
    • Demonstrated interest in public health, substance use prevention, or health systems research.
    • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a research-oriented environment.

    Duration and Compensation:

    This is an unpaid internship with flexible scheduling options to accommodate academic commitments. This is a remote position for 12-16 hours a week. Academic credit may be available depending on your institution's guidelines.

    All applications must be submitted by Tuesday, November 18th, by 4:00 PM