Health Services Management Program 2023–24

Internship Handbook

Overview

• HSM Program Mission Statement
• HSM Program Vision Statement
• HSM Program Values
• Competencies & Program Outcomes
• HSM Student Overview

Internship Information

• Definition of Internship
• Internship Objectives
• Student Preparation
• Internship Timing
• Financial Arrangements
• Experience Agreement Form
• Internship Activities
• Virtual/Remote Arrangements

Internship Roles

• Mentor Role
• Student Role
• Health Services Management Staff Roles
• Internship Coordinator
• Course Instructor
• HSM Faculty Director

Policies

• Background Checks
• Contracts/Affiliation Agreements
• HIPAA
• Insurance Requirements
• Misconduct, Harassment, and Discrimination
• Termination

Contact Us

Appendix A: Internship Site Expectations

Appendix B: Sample Mentor Job Description

Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions for Internship Sites

Internship Information

One of the objectives of the HSM Program is to prepare undergraduates capable of becoming accomplished health care/services business leaders in all types of health care/services organizations through course preparation and an on-site experiential internship.The HSM internship is not a patient care activity. Students can not be involved in direct patient care delivery.

Definition of Internship

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) defines an internship as “a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths, and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.”

To ensure that an experience—whether it is a traditional internship or one conducted remotely or virtually—is educational, and thus eligible to be considered a legitimate internship by the NACE definition, all the following criteria must be met. An internship must provide:

1. a learning experience with a real-world opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or replace the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
2. learned skills and knowledge that are transferable to other employment settings.
3. a defined beginning and end that is mutually agreed upon and consistent with institutional sponsor guidelines and schedules.
4. a position description with clear responsibilities and required/desired qualifications.
5. clearly defined learning objectives/goals supportive of the student’s academic program goals and institutional requirements.
6. direct supervision by a professional(s) with relevant expertise and educational and/or professional experience who provides productive feedback, guidance, and the resources and equipment necessary to successfully complete the assignment.

National Association of Colleges and Employers. “What Is an Internship?” Accessed September 3, 2023. 

Internship Objectives

1. Demonstrate real-time problem-solving and business skills in a health care-related work environment.
2. Interpret and observe the role, function, and style of middle and senior management individuals in order to learn from them.
3. Apply and evaluate coursework skills, theories, and concepts learned from the health services management classes within a controlled internship environment.
4. Generate an improved resume with industry-specific experience, and make potential future employment/networking contacts.
5. Completion of a presentation at the end of the internship. The presentation should reflect applied skills and expertise learned in the health services management program and their impact/effect in the internship role and organization.
6. Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills both at the work site and in a presentation environment.
7. Evaluate the student needs for professional and potential career development in Health Services Management.
8. Apply mentor evaluation of the student to improve their competencies and skills for professional and potential career development in Health Services Management.

Student Preparation

HSM students must have completed all HSM foundation courses (accounting, economics, etc.) and the majority of the core HSM courses prior to enrolling in their HSM 4596 Internship course, including the following prerequisites:

• Career and Internship Skills in Health Services Management (HSM 3051)
• Health Care Delivery Systems (HSM 3521)
• Health Care Administration and Management (HSM 4561W)
• Human Resources in Health Care Settings (HSM 4531)
• Health Care Finance (HSM 4541)
• Health Care Law and Ethics (HSM 4591)
• Recommended: Health Care Quality and Patient Safety Management (HSM 4301)
• Recommended: Project and Program Management in Health Services Management (HSM 4043)

In these courses, students have been required to analyze data, write numerous reports, work in group projects and make oral case and organizational presentations that have been reviewed and graded by the faculty. The combination of management projects and applied health services management courses provides a solid foundation for the internship.

Internship Timing

Students complete a minimum of 200 hours of internship experience (1,000 hours for those seeking LTC licensure). The internship hours can be completed in the fall (September−December), spring (January−May) or summer (May/June−August). The specific dates of the internship must line up closely with the start and end dates of the term. Students are able to register for HSM 4596 up to three times. Each separate enrollment will require students to complete a new course, as well as a different presentation, in order to receive the additional credit(s).

Financial Arrangements

The Health Services Management program strongly encourages paid internships. Internships require more work and commitment than most volunteer positions, so compensation is a fair expectation.

Paid internships also tend to draw more committed, diverse, and qualified candidates. Participating in unpaid internships can pose a significant barrier for some HSM students. The HSM Program leaves it to the discretion of the individual organization to provide a wage commensurate with the amount provided to other students working in a similar capacity. The average pay in 2022–23 was $19.67 per hour.

The Department of Labor provides specific criteria for determining whether an employment relationship exists with interns for purposes of complying with minimum wage compensation laws. The criteria are listed in Fair Labor Standards Act Fact Sheet #71. Please review the rules provided by the Department of Labor to determine whether the internship qualifies for an exemption from minimum wage compensation.

Experience Agreement Form

In order to register for the internship course, students must submit an experience agreement with the internship details, including company, supervisor, pay, dates, and job responsibilities. The completed form will be sent to the supervisor specified by the student. The internship supervisor/mentor should review the information provided by the student. The supervisor must also agree to the internship site expectations available in the form and in Appendix A.

Internship Activities

The internship is made up of the following components:

• Orientation: A comprehensive orientation to the mission, philosophy, operational framework, and external relationships of the organization is an essential starting place for the orientation of interns.
• Responsibilities, Projects and Final Presentation: A student should engage in detailed staff assignments designed to give practical experience at various administrative levels. To ensure that the student gains a well-rounded health services management experience, it is important that responsibilities and projects be viewed in aggregate when planning the internship. The students are required to work on a presentation as a major part of their course grade to showcase their learned skills and expertise and their application in the internship setting to an audience of students, faculty, and industry professionals. 
• Access to Meetings: As a part of their internship, the student is encouraged to be exposed to different departments of the organization when possible and ideally to some of the organization’s high-level meetings, as relevant to their role. Arrangements should be made to facilitate attendance at meetings of the management staff, medical staff, governing board, or clients when appropriate.

Virtual/Remote Arrangements

While in-person internships are the most effective for orienting students to workplace culture, practices, and on-site professional relationships, virtual internships—completed remotely—provide different yet equally significant benefits. Remote internships give students the opportunity to flex and grow multiple skills required by the task, including digital literacy, while adding value to an organization. Benefits to the organization include:

• Broader applicant pool allowing for a greater diversity of candidates and expanded geographical access
• Competitive hiring advantage and talent pipeline
• Flexibility in length of internship and potential cost savings
• Increased capacity to advance your organization’s mission and goals through creative solutions
• Tapping new ideas from Gen Z, commonly referred to as “digital natives”

For additional tips, visit the Career & Internship Services office at the University of Minnesota.

Policies

Background Checks

It is not the Health Services Management program policy to perform background checks on all students. The HSM program does not certify or vouch for the background of the students who participate in this internship. Accordingly, organizations must conduct their own background check or require the student to obtain a background check to determine fitness for the position.

Contracts/Affiliation Agreements

The HSM program does not require sites to have formal affiliation agreements to host interns. An affiliation agreement can be established with a site that would like to establish a partnership and host interns regularly. A standard, nonclinical internship affiliation agreement template can be provided as a reference point.

If a site requires an affiliation agreement with the University of Minnesota, it must be initiated so there is plenty of time (several weeks or months, depending on the complexity) to complete through the Office of General Counsel.

HIPAA

Interns are expected to know and comply with the Privacy Rule, which serves to ensure that individuals’ health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high-quality health care and to protect the public's health and well-being. Strict compliance with all aspects of HIPAA is required of interns.

Insurance Requirements

The University of Minnesota requires students to have health insurance coverage. Students without health insurance may be able to buy coverage from the Office of Student Health Benefits.

Because students are not performing clinical duties, they generally do not need professional liability insurance. For most employers, student administrative interns can be used without affecting their insurance. If the organization requires students to obtain coverage, the student is responsible for obtaining it, and the organization must notify the student of that responsibility. The University of Minnesota does not provide liability coverage for students participating in internships or extend its insurance to students.

Misconduct, Harassment, and Discrimination

Please visit the Equal Opportunity and Access website for the full policies on discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct at the University of Minnesota. These policies are followed during the internship, and concerns about discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct need to be reported to the internship coordinator as soon as possible.

Termination

Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and by the highest standard of ethics, as representatives of the University, the internship organization, and the HSM program.

During the internship, if the intern does not fulfill their professional obligations to the organization, this will result in the termination of the internship and a failing grade. The decision for this termination will be made between the mentor, the internship coordinator, and the instructor.

In rare situations, students may not feel they are a fit for the role or the organization. The student may request to end the internship with the organization after meeting with the HSM internship coordinator.

In this case, the HSM internship coordinator and/or faculty director will engage with the site mentor/supervisor to assess the situation, receive and provide constructive feedback, and establish a corrective or exit plan.