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Community health internship vs community health worker

The differences between community health interns and community health workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a community health internship and a community health worker. Additionally, a community health worker has an average salary of $37,079, which is higher than the $32,586 average annual salary of a community health internship.

The top three skills for a community health internship include patients, mental health and public health. The most important skills for a community health worker are patients, community health, and social work.

Community health internship vs community health worker overview

Community Health InternshipCommunity Health Worker
Yearly salary$32,586$37,079
Hourly rate$15.67$17.83
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs113,66782,445
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4343
Years of experience44

What does a community health internship do?

A community health intern is responsible for assisting the community staff with the health services and responsibilities for the citizens. Community health interns should help in identifying health opportunities, provide solutions for community health problems, and inform citizens of health issues. They also suggest programs promote a healthy environment, research and create reports on health education, and communicate with health departments for health services. A community health intern must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as time-management and the ability to multi-task to perform duties in a fast-paced environment under minimal supervision.

What does a community health worker do?

A community health worker is a health professional who is a lay member of the community that provides health care in both urban and rural environments. Community health workers offer the health needs of the community they serve and provide some direct services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. They help people understand their health conditions and deliver health information by using appropriate cultural terms and concepts. Community health workers also make home visits to patients who are clinically ill, pregnant women, and individuals at high risk of health problems.

Community health internship vs community health worker salary

Community health interns and community health workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Community Health InternshipCommunity Health Worker
Average salary$32,586$37,079
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $44,000Between $27,000 And $49,000
Highest paying CityAnchorage, AKSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaConnecticut
Best paying companyCity of BaltimorePacific Northwest National Laboratory
Best paying industryGovernmentInsurance

Differences between community health internship and community health worker education

There are a few differences between a community health internship and a community health worker in terms of educational background:

Community Health InternshipCommunity Health Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Southern California

Community health internship vs community health worker demographics

Here are the differences between community health interns' and community health workers' demographics:

Community Health InternshipCommunity Health Worker
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 24.5% Female, 75.5%Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 7.2% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% Asian, 5.8% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage21%21%

Differences between community health internship and community health worker duties and responsibilities

Community health internship example responsibilities.

  • Manage large databases, analyze records, perform literature reviews, prepare PowerPoint presentations, and interpret data for publication.
  • Implement state-mandated curriculum on sexual education, STI prevention, and unplan pregnancy prevention to teens and young adults.
  • Provide culturally sensitive STI prevention counseling and connect individuals with a positive HIV diagnosis to treatment and support services.
  • Perform a variety of clinical tasks including obtaining vitals, patient history, and preparing patients for chiropractic manipulative therapy.
  • Administer individual psychotherapy and intake evaluations to patients seeking behavioral health services in outpatient clinic for homeless men and women.
  • Manage large databases, analyze records, perform literature reviews, prepare PowerPoint presentations, and interpret data for publication.
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Community health worker example responsibilities.

  • Lead process and counseling groups gear toward healing from both PTSD and substance dependence issues.
  • Manage large databases, analyze records, perform literature reviews, prepare PowerPoint presentations, and interpret data for publication.
  • Complete vitals on all patients and record vitals in EMR.
  • Train and educate professionals on HIV prevention and testing in the community.
  • Create program materials such as flyers, letters, banners, handouts, etc.
  • Assess asthma control by completing questionnaires during home visits and communicating this information via EMR.
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Community health internship vs community health worker skills

Common community health internship skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Mental Health, 9%
  • Public Health, 8%
  • Substance Abuse, 6%
  • Intake Assessments, 5%
  • Crisis Intervention, 5%
Common community health worker skills
  • Patients, 13%
  • Community Health, 12%
  • Social Work, 8%
  • Community Resources, 7%
  • CHW, 5%
  • Social Services, 4%

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