What is an Internship?
According to The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), an internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skill development in a professional setting. An internship should be a legitimate learning experience benefiting you, the student, and not simply an operational work experience. This means you must plan to take your internship beyond administrative tasks or shadowing a physician by incorporating an educational component such as original research, regularly attending seminars related to your internship’s area of focus, or following a schedule of academic readings pertaining to relevant subject matter that can be discussed with your supervisor, for example.
First, consider these NACE guidelines when choosing an internship:
- The experience should be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom
- There should be clearly defined learning objectives/goals
- There should be supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience
- There should be routine feedback by the experienced supervisor
Next, be sure your internship meets these criteria set by the Human Biology Program at Hunter College:
- The internship is part of an official program at your host institution or agency
- There is a documented website that explains internship goals and requirements (or your supervisor is willing to fill out a form to be included in the Human Biology internship database)
- The experience is NOT a “shadowing” or “scribing” experience, unless part of a broader formal internship program
- The internship is NOT the same as your regular employment, or employment generally that is offered at the agency
Please note you may not take on internships with relatives/significant others/friends or anyone else who might have a conflict of interest in providing a formal assessment.