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Premedicine Requirements

Premedicine Major Healthcare Internship
Frequently Asked Questions

Premedicine B.S. Healthcare Internship

Physician shadowing and volunteering in clinical settings have long been regarded as highly important preparation for medical school. In 2023, US medical schools began rating paid health care experience as one of the most important factors in identifying an applicant for an interview or admissions offer (Using MCAT® Data in 2025 Medical Student Selection, Appendix B). This is due in part to COVID closures, when clinical volunteering and shadowing experiences came to a halt. During this time, students who had paid clinical roles remained employed, and were able to share what they experienced within their medical school applications. This shifted the way medical school admissions saw and valued paid clinical experiences. Many health professions programs are strongly recommending/requiring clinical work, clinical volunteering, and physician shadowing on an application. To support students in this effort, the Premedicine BS program requires a 1 credit healthcare internship. Students with clinical experience have had more success in recent application cycles. They also perform better within their essays, interviews, and situational judgement exams.

 

Premedicine Healthcare Internship Program Guidelines

Healthcare Internship Options

  1. Clinical Work
    1. Work as a medical assistant (MA), emergency medical technician (EMT), patient care tech (PCT), certified nursing assistant (CNA), phlebotomist, medical scribe, or other clinical role (ideally with patient interaction). Student may be paid and receive credit at the same time.
    2. James Madison PA Program has a great list of clinical roles here: https://www.jmu.edu/chbs/healthprof/pa/prerequisites.shtml
    3. Some of these roles will require certification, so plan accordingly
  2. Clinical Volunteer
    1. Volunteer in a clinical setting (hospital, free clinic, physician's office, hospice, etc.)
  3. Physician Shadowing
    1. Shadow a physician, PA, dentist, optometrist, etc. to learn more about a healthcare career of interest to you.
  4. Healthcare Internship
    1. These programs may have some or all the above components offered as an internship, usually over the summer within hospital systems. SHPEP may count here. 

 

Where to Find Internships

  • Prehealth Advising: List of Clinical Opportunities and video on "Finding Clinical Opportunities"
  • Nittany Lion Careers: All Penn State students have a free NLC account! Use this resource to search employers that recruit PSU students and find postings for PSU students only!
  • LinkedIn: Develop your profile and find healthcare positions that match your academic and career interests!
  • Indeed: Search for healthcare roles in your area (Ex: Patient Care Tech in Boston, MA)
  • Company Webpages: Look at websites for hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, hospice centers, dental practices, optometry practices, home health companies, etc.
  • Health Professions Expo: Network with healthcare employers during our spring expo

 

Internship for Credit

The Office of Science Engagement offers internship for credits through our courses SC294 and SC494. Below is a breakdown of these courses.

  • SC 294: Your first internship or for first- or second-year students
  • SC 494: Third- or fourth-year students
  • Credits*: Students can choose to earn 1 to 3 credits based off our hour allotments
    • 1 credit = Minimum of 75 hours per semester
    • 2 credits = Minimum of 120 hours per semester
    • 3 credits = Minimum of 180 hours per semester
    • Students can choose to do less credits (Ex: student may work 180 hours but choose 1.0 credit)
  • Cost: Students should be aware that taking an internship for credit comes with a cost for the credit (s).
  • Students may be paid and receive credit at the same time.
  • Students CANNOT earn credit retroactively. Student must be enrolled in SC 294 or 494 during the internship.

*Note for Premedicine Majors: Healthcare Internship just requires 1 credit. If you opt for more credits, they can count toward Program List. Please see note about cost to plan accordingly.

 

SC 294/494 Application Requirements

  • Contact Dustin Zettle in the Office of Science Engagement to arrange your internship
    • Schedule via Starfish or email him at dmz5150 'at' psu.edu
    • Refer to the OSE Internship webpage for step-by-step instructions.
  • Students must complete the application form
  • Students must complete the entirety of the form to be added to the course
  • Documents that are required for upload are a copy of an official offer letter that explains the duties that you will be engaging in during the internship (NOTE: These must be medically/STEM related!!) and a copy of the academic advisor approval form
  • Once the form is completed, please allow up to 10 business days for the Office of Science Engagement to process the request

Frequently Asked Questions

We typically recommend students complete their internship during their first two years of their undergraduate education. Students may complete their Premedicine healthcare internship during any semester (fall, spring, or summer).

Shadowing and volunteer opportunities may take some time to arrange with healthcare providers and within healthcare systems. Start planning about a semester ahead to ensure the opportunity is available when you want it.

Similarly, clinical work opportunities can take some time. You will want to begin looking for job postings months ahead of your desired experience time.

Clinical internships within a hospital system are typically run during the summer (though not always). We recommend looking for these opportunities in December, as many application deadlines are in January and February for the following summer. Check on the program of interest regularly and consider reaching out to the internship coordinator to stay aware of any requirements or changes.

Yes, students within the Premedicne major must register for at least one (1) credit of internship credit to count toward their Healthcare Internship requirement. If you plan to complete more than 75 hours of internship work over the semester (fall, spring, or summer), you may choose to register for 2-3 credits, depending on the number of hours you plan to complete, but this is not required. You may complete more hours over the semester, but still register for just one (1) credit to avoid additional tuition charges if needed.

Be sure to complete the Internship Credit Form well in advance of the start of your assignment, to make sure that your department will approve the experience for academic credit before you commit to participating in the experience.

To begin this process, talk with your Academic Adviser and Dustin Zettle in the Office of Science Engagement.

Yes, if you complete your internship over the summer. Penn State tuition and administrative fees apply on a per-credit basis. Summer tuition fees can be found on the Bursar’s website.

If you complete your internship during the spring or fall semesters, there will not be an additional charge unless you go above 19 credits.

This depends on the experience you select. If you plan to shadow and/or volunteer for this experience, you will not be paid. However, if you find a clinical job, you will be paid for your work. It is up to each student to find a suitable experience that is both beneficial for them and approved by the Premedicine Program.

Both SC 294 and 494 require assignments, plus student and supervisor evaluations throughout the internship.

You can begin learning more about the Premedicine internship requirement by speaking with your Academic Adviser. You may schedule an appointment with them via Starfish. 

Specific questions about the internship credit should be explored with Dustin Zettle in the Office of Science Engagement. You can learn more about their internship credit on their website and by scheduling a meeting with Dustin. 

You can do a healthcare internship, but whether you can receive credit will largely depend on the department where your major is housed. You should consult your Academic Adviser to learn if this is an option for you. Students within Eberly should also speak with the Office of Science Engagement to get started exploring this as an option.