Appendix A: Internship Site Expectations

College of Continuing and Professional Studies: Academic Internships

On behalf of the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS) at the University of Minnesota, thank you for your interest in hosting one of our students as an intern at your organization.

In order for the student to complete an internship for academic credit in CCAPS, we need approval from an appointed individual at your organization who is willing to supervise the student intern in their work and learning on site, approve a learning agreement, and complete a final evaluation.

We also encourage internship sites to adhere to the following best practices in hosting an intern at your company or organization.

Best Practice Guidelines for the Hosting Internship Site

  1. Encourage and support the learning aspect of the student’s internship, including approval of learning objectives and facilitation of project and presentation.
  2. Designate a professional staff person or employee to serve as an advisor or supervisor with responsibilities to orient the student to the organization and its culture, to assist in the development of learning objectives, and to confer regularly with the student to monitor progress.
  3. Provide adequate supervision (recommended one meeting per week or every other week) for the student, and assign duties that are progressive, challenging, and related to the student’s area of interest.
  4. Make equipment, supplies, and necessary space available for the student to perform their duties.
  5. Provide a safe working environment and space for the intern to complete necessary work functions.
  6. Provide an evaluation of the student’s performance at the end of the student’s internship.
  7. Agree to adhere to the Department of Labor guidelines for Internship Programs under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  8. Provide the opportunity to complete a minimum of 200 internship hours at the organization.

We look forward to partnering with your organization to provide a valuable learning opportunity for our students. If you have any questions, please email the internship coordinator, Alissa Bigelow, at [email protected].

Appendix B: Sample Mentor Job Description

The mentor is generally a health services manager, director, or administrator (with three or more years of experience) who is working at the sponsoring internship site. Responsibilities of the mentor include the following:

  • Serve as a role model, coach, and mentor to the student intern.
  • Assist the student in getting the proper hiring process and paperwork completed.
  • Make equipment, supplies, and necessary space available for the student to perform their duties.
  • Provide orientation to the student concerning organizational policies, rules, and regulations.
  • Assist the student in identifying learning outcomes and activities to achieve them.
  • Assign the student specific and significant duties, responsibilities and projects, to further the student’s understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a health services administrator while contributing meaningfully to the operations of the organization, without replacing other staff.
  • Introduce the student to key personnel, and arrange for the student to attend staff and management-level meetings, as appropriate to their role, during the allotted time.
  • Observe the student’s interactions and work within the organization, and provide regular feedback concerning positive notes and needed improvement regarding behaviors and outcomes in all aspects of the organization’s operations, as well as in general managerial activities and skills.
  • Share information and thought processes with the student to provide as much insight as possible into successful approaches to management problem solving and administrative roles, including culture, diversity and equity building, and leadership roles.
  • Provide a concluding evaluation of the student’s performance during the internship upon completion in a manner which will encourage the student to grow in their administrative skills and competencies.

In the rare instance of misconduct, please contact the internship coordinator immediately (Alissa Bigelow at [email protected] or 612-625-5276) to determine appropriate action to rectify problems or conclude the internship experience at the organization.

Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions for Internship Sites

The internship is a required component of the health services management academic program that provides students with a consolidated period of time to relate and apply what they have learned in the classroom to a health care organization. The purpose of the internship is to provide an introduction to the daily activities of a health care organization from the perspective of business management.

Whenever possible, the internship is tailored to the interests and professional needs of the student.

HSM students have completed a series of courses prior to the internship designed to give them an understanding of and exposure to basic business management challenges in health care organizations. Students have also been required to analyze data, write numerous reports, collaborate on group projects, and make oral case and organizational presentations that have been reviewed and graded by faculty. The combination of management projects and applied health services management courses provides a solid foundation for the internship.

Students are responsible for finding their own positions, with the assistance of the HSM Internship coordinator and Career & Internship Services. Students are encouraged to seek internships at organizations in which they have an interest. They can also view a list of open internship positions available on Handshake, the University of Minnesota’s professional job, internship, and volunteer opportunities database.

The best way to promote your position to students is to post your opportunity via Handshake.

University of Minnesota undergraduate students are trained to use it as a top resource, and recent alumni also continue to use Handshake to find opportunities. Visit this link for more information on how to set up an account and use the features in Handshake.

Students and alumni job seekers can upload their resume into Handshake for you to view, as long as you have an employer account. If you would be interested in an electronic resume book of HSM students in the future, please contact [email protected].

The internship requirement can be completed during the fall term (September−December), spring term (January−May), or summer term (May/June−August).

The HSM internship requires a minimum of 200 hours. While 200 hours is the minimum program benchmark, HSM students are encouraged to complete as many hours as possible at the internship site, so it is not necessary for internship site providers to decrease the number of hours required for their internships to 200, if this is not appropriate for their site. For example, if it is necessary for a student to commit to 400 hours at your site in order to achieve a fulfilling and mutually beneficial experience, then you should continue to require a 400-hour minimum. If a part-time (10, 15, or 20 hours per week) internship opportunity at your site is identified, some HSM students might consider that a more appealing option, given their goals and availability.

The average pay in 2023 was $19.67 per hour (range of $15.00−$25 per hour).

All students should have an orientation to the organization at the start of the internship and access to meetings with a variety of internal and external constituents throughout the duration of the experience.

A major component of the internship is assigned responsibilities and/or projects designed to give practical experience at various administrative levels. As a requirement of the HSM internship, students must give a formal presentation of their role and learned and applied skills and their application in the internship setting to an audience of students, faculty, and professionals. The student should also have a mentor as a point of contact in the general management of the organization.

Students have previously worked on a variety of roles/responsibilities including: provider productivity and compensation metrics, clinical quality metrics and patient retention, patient check-in process improvement, clinical supply workflow implementation, updating databases, policies and procedures, diversity and inclusion initiatives, marketing and social media reach, and working on a clinic insurance guidebook, etc.

The University's mission, carried out on multiple campuses and throughout the state, is threefold: research and discovery, teaching and learning, and outreach and public service.

The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to the Director, Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, University of Minnesota, 274 McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-624-9547, [email protected].

This publication/material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact Alissa Bigelow, College of Continuing & Professional Studies, 1994 Buford Avenue, 20 Ruttan Hall, Saint Paul, MN 55108, 612-624-4000.