Summer 2017 Administrative Internships

In May, the Iowa MHA class of 2018 set down their pencils and (presumably) spent the next twelve hours head banging to Alice Cooper’s iconic summer anthem. Their reverie, however, was short lived as the hard-working bunch was soon back to work beginning their summer Administrative Internships.

As in years past, the range of summer internships in 2017 was reflective of the highly diverse backgrounds and interests of an exceptionally talented group of young professionals. Twenty-four students completed internships with organizations spanning nine U.S. states and Japan, running the working-environment gamut from rural hospitals, to consulting firms and nationally-recognized academic medical centers. 

Among the many highlights was Shannon McCarthy’s three-month internship with Kameda Medical Center in Kamogawa, Japan. Shannon’s work at Kameda afforded several unique opportunities, including the chance to discuss the city’s future demographic and environmental changes with the Mayor. Additionally, Shannon spent a great deal of time working for Tokyo-based healthcare consulting firm Nihon Keiei, where she played an integral role in their application to join the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Village clinic.

Back Stateside, eleven students completed internships centered in Medical Centers or major teaching hospitals. Of the eleven, three worked for University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and three worked for University of Iowa Physicians. Students in Iowa City completed projects relating to reducing length of stay at Stead Family Children’s Hospital, efficiency and cost analyses within the perioperative department, and expansion of Advanced Practice Provider roles and expectations, and more. Beyond Iowa, students interned at several of the most highly regarded health institutions in the U.S. including University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Advocate Health, and the UC Davis Medical Center.

Regardless of the location, every student had ample opportunity to interact with their organization’s leadership and executive teams. Whether through formal shadowing, meetings, informal lunches, or road trips to off-site locations, students found these relationships to be one of the more beneficial aspects of their experiences. Through these interactions, the interns were given a first-hand look into the passion and dedication required to build successful healthcare organizations.

The class of 2018 returned to campus prior to classes beginning in the latter half of August. For more information regarding their summer internship experiences, please visit the University of Iowa Health Management and Policy Blog.