summer medical internships for undergraduates
Summer medical internship (SMIP)
The Summer Medical Internship Program (SMIP) is a four-week program for rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors who want to explore medicine and health care as a career. SMIP participants are exposed to a variety of professional experiences in medicine and health care by working directly with physicians, nurses, clinical staff, and administrators in the medical center. The program also includes educational seminars on topics such as doctor-patient communication, ethics in medicine, and health disparities.
Participants learn about the many healthcare careers available by shadowing physicians from many specialties including pediatrics, surgery and anesthesiology. Plus you get to connect with University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine students at our social events where you’ll be able to learn more about their journey through medical school.
The SMIP program allows participants to apply classroom knowledge in addition to developing their leadership skills while working within the community through volunteer opportunities at local clinics or hospitals.
You should have a strong interest in medicine, biology and physiology.
>You should have a strong interest in medicine, biology and physiology.
>This is an internship and not a job, so you are not going to get paid for it. You will receive course credit for your work experience. The scheduling of the internship depends on your school’s schedule, so if you are planning on taking classes during the summer, this may not be the best option for you. It would also be helpful for you to understand what the medical school experience entails as well as learning how research is done at a university hospital or research facility. Successful applicants normally have at least a B average in related coursework such as chemistry and anatomy/physiology courses. It is also important that you understand that this internship is meant to give students exposure to science-related careers; however, many interns later decide that they prefer a career outside of science or health care professions. In some cases, an intern has decided that they did not want to pursue medicine after their participation in this program!
You should be interested in the medical school experience.
You should have a strong interest in medicine and health care. You should also be interested in the medical school experience.
To be eligible for a medical internship program, you will need to have completed your sophomore year with at least a B average in related coursework. Ideally, you will have completed the prerequisite for medical school and your college’s premed curriculum.
You should have at least a B average in related coursework.
Generally, being an undergraduate at the time of your summer medical internship is not enough. You should have at least a B average in related coursework. That said, you won’t be excluded for lower grades if you can show that you’re engaged in other ways with your field of interest. For example, are you volunteering for an organization related to medicine? Do you have a lot of experience shadowing doctors or similar professionals? It’s not just about what kind of student you are; it’s about what kind of person you are, and how driven and passionate you are about the specific field that interests you.
One thing to keep in mind: some programs that sponsor summer medical internships might require a higher GPA than others. If they don’t explicitly state their minimum GPA requirement on their websites or promotional materials, contact them via email or phone to ask.
You should have completed a premed curriculum.
You should have completed a premed curriculum. If you haven’t fulfilled this requirement, make sure to take the appropriate courses before applying to a summer medical internship program. A premed curriculum applies only to students who have not yet completed medical school, and is most commonly found at the undergraduate level; in your application, you’ll want to indicate that you’ve completed all of the relevant prerequisite coursework for medical school admissions.
The requirements can vary from one university or college to another, but generally the courses include at least one year each of biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry with labs; two years of physics with labs; and one year each of biochemistry, mathematics (usually calculus) and English composition. Some universities may require other courses such as genetics or statistics; others may allow for electives in certain subjects like psychology or sociology.
You should be available to commit to four weeks of full-time work during the summer.
You should be available to commit to four weeks of full-time work during the summer, with the possibility of additional part-time hours during the school year. You’ll need to be fully engaged in the internship, and you’ll also have to deal with my last-minute changes and requests for extra work. But I promise that you won’t regret it: it will be a great opportunity for you to get some experience and learn new skills that you couldn’t get anywhere else.
As your supervisor, I can provide you with one-on-one training on equipment that would take months to figure out on your own. We can talk as much as necessary (or watch movies) until we’re both satisfied that you understand how everything works. Additionally, there are things I can teach you about medical research that are hard to learn in a regular school setting: how the results of our theoretical studies affect the practical world is something most physicians don’t know about, but our department does cutting edge research into how we can improve health policy decisions made by governments across Canada and beyond.
The program is open to college students who are first- or second-year students at an accredited college or university, including students who will be entering their sophomore or junior years starting in the fall after their internship.
What are the qualifications of a SMIP intern?
Participants in the Summer Medical Internship Program should be first- or second-year students at an accredited college or university. This includes students who will be entering their sophomore or junior years starting in the fall after their internship.
You must also have strong academic performance (college GPA greater than 3.0), and good interpersonal skills. SMIP interns should enjoy working with others, and have the ability to communicate well with patients, patient family members, physicians and other health care professionals. We encourage our interns to ask questions, learn from their experiences and get involved in the community.
The SMIP program exposes participants to a variety of professional experiences in medicine and health care, allowing them to apply classroom knowledge and develop their leadership skills.
The SMIP program exposes participants to a variety of professional experiences in medicine and health care, allowing them to apply classroom knowledge and develop their leadership skills. Participants have the opportunity to shadow physicians in various specialties, take part in monthly seminars, and gain exposure to medical ethics. The program also offers community service opportunities within the local hospital where they are placed. The exposure which interns receive can give them greater insight into the factors that influence their future career decisions while also giving them a solid understanding of how healthcare professionals provide care to patients. All participants obtain invaluable experience and knowledge which will serve as a strong foundation for their future careers.
The program is designed for undergraduates who have completed two years of full-time study at an accredited college or university with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Students should be in good academic standing at the institution they currently attend or last attended, show evidence of good character, maturity, responsibility, and initiative; and demonstrate interest or experience working with underserved populations through clinical or extracurricular activities (e.g., internships/volunteering). Candidates must have finished one semester prior to applying for this summer internship program (for example, students who plan on graduating in December must have completed one year by June 1st).
Being a summer intern is a great way to launch your career, make connections and get some experience
If you aren’t sure which area of the medical field you want to work in, an internship can help you decide. For example, if you have your heart set on becoming a pediatrician, but don’t know whether or not it’s the right fit for you, a summer internship at a pediatric practice can give you some perspective and experience. Perhaps even more importantly, as a competitive job field where resumes often look similar upon graduation, internships show employers that you’re committed to the field and willing to put in the work required. Internships are also great for building connections within the industry which can be helpful when applying for jobs later down the road.