High School Service Internships
The High School Service Internship Program provides students with an opportunity to explore a healthcare organization and the many departments that come together to impact the patient experience, both clinical and non-clinical. The internship experience uniquely prepares students by exposing them to working professionals and to the work environment in a way that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. Through a combination of observation and service tasks, students gain a better appreciation for the pressures that affect decision-making in today’s professional organizations and can identify additional skills they will need to better prepare them for a rewarding career.
We offer five Internship Tracks to provide experience in a variety of career paths. Students apply for a single track to participate in.
Requirements
High School Seniors
(Junior at the time of application).
Minimum Hours
Minimum of 1.5 hours of internship time per day or 7.5 hours per week (may not include travel time and must overlap with school hours).
School Program Requirements
School Program must grant academic course credit for successful completion of internship.
As a large organization, with over 10,000 associates, St. Elizabeth Healthcare utilizes the skills in both clinical and non-clinical careers. To provide students with opportunities to explore these various careers, Volunteer Services offers several tracks within our High School Service Internship Program.
Patient Care
Students will have a rotation in a variety of healthcare careers focusing on patient care and the departments that directly impact the clinical care provided to patients. Departments likely to include Emergency Services, Perioperative Services, Outpatient Services (Lab, Radiology, Therapy, etc.) and Inpatient Units.
Engineering/Facilities
Students will be partnered with maintenance staff members during patient room/floor calls which may include changing ceiling tiles, repair light fixtures, general door issues, etc. Students may be involved in assisting with large mechanical systems (HVAC), electronic systems (tv, patient beds, door controls) or fire alarm/sprinkler systems routine maintenance as well as trouble shooting. Facilities interns will also be exposed to current construction and renovation projects.
Information Technology
Students will work with St. Elizabeth Information Technology staff on variety of projects and learning opportunities. These opportunities will explore the areas of IT Infrastructure, Data Strategy and Analytics, including hands-on work with data systems and equipment.
Business
Students will explore the administrative side of healthcare through a rotation in the “behind the scenes” office environments that support the clinical staff and healthcare system. These areas may include Foundation, Human Resources, Marketing, Finance, or Training/Education. There may also be inclusion of some areas such as Gift Shop or Target Health/Wellness.
Culinary
Students will learn what it takes to manage a commercial kitchen. They will be exposed to all aspects of the kitchen including product identification, proper food storage and preparation, sanitation, and compliance regulations, as well as expose to the cooking service line and daily production. Interns will also learn that the culinary field in healthcare is growing to include educating the community of proper cooking and eating habits, offering organic and scratch cooking for retail outlets as well as ensuring that the patients are offered meals that promote healing and comfort.
