At the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Workforce Readiness Institute (D-H WRI), we are committed to supporting the professional growth and development of our future generation of professionals.

Our internship programs involve working with a host site. Host sites are organized into different tracks that align with your area of interest and studies.

• In addition to the experience you will gain with your host site, the internship programs are supported by a professional development curriculum to help you develop the critical competencies of: communication, teamwork, problem solving, self-development, empathy, work ethic and initiative. Growing in these important workplace professional competencies will help you stand out as a meaningful contributor wherever your future career takes you.

Site Descriptions:

• Below are descriptions of each internship track as well as some examples of previous host sites in these tracks.
• The specific project described may not be exactly the same this year, so we encourage you to think broadly about the type of experience you are looking for including what you are hoping to learn, what kind of environment in which you are hoping to work, and what kind of skills you want to build. You may find that more than one track resonates with you and we encourage you to share your areas of interest with us through the application process.
• Specific internship site placement decisions are based on a combination of your area of interest, any required skills, and site opportunities available. We work hard to create great matches so that our interns and site hosts have a wonderful experience.

Healthcare Foundations

The Healthcare Foundations track is a great fit for health science, health administration or still-exploring students. This is a rotation-based model where interns learn about hospital systems and functions, and different direct and indirect patient care work by working in many different operating and care environments through multiple frontline roles. This track also involves some additional shadow time to maximize your exposure to different areas.

Example Host Sites in the Healthcare Foundations track:

Perioperative Support Technician: Through an internship as a Perioperative Support Technician, you will be part of the Operating Room (OR) team and gain experience and exposure to the OR environment and the many roles that are part of the team. You will learn to perform a variety of specific sterilization duties within the D-H Main Operating Rooms (MOR) and other surgical areas and orient to prepare tables for various specialty procedures. As an intern on our team, you will remove clean, unneeded equipment from OR and ensure trash and contaminated linens and instruments are properly handled and sent to appropriate destination. You will handle blood, tissue, bodily fluids, recyclables and other materials safely. You will learn to perform rapid room turnovers using standards of OR sanitation and reset OR after room turnover. You will develop knowledge of infection prevention through cleaning and maintaining other areas of the OR on a regularly scheduled basis, and ensure that all cleaning equipment is sterile, safe, and properly maintained. Must be 18 and over.

Food & Nutrition: Healthy and nutritious food is an essential part of the day for our patients, their visitors and our team members. Our Food and Nutrition department is prepares and serves more than 4,000 meals each day, including up to 750 patient meals with hundreds of different diet considerations and needs. It is a complex and important operation. This internship site has multiple opportunities that are a great fit if you are interested in the health care, food service and hospitality fields.

Environmental Services: Patient care starts with a clean, safe environment. As an intern with our team you will gain direct experience in infection prevention and proper sanitation practices. These core skills are fundamental to every single health care career path. In addition, you will have the opportunity to interact directly with patients and work alongside other care team members including Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, Nurses, and LNAs. This is an excellent opportunity if you are interested in a clinical career but aren’t sure what type of unit or specialty and patient population is the right fit. It is also a valuable opportunity if you are interested in gaining exposure to the clinical environment before committing to pursuing or furthering a clinical education. Additional shadowing opportunities are built into this role to offer in-depth exposure to the roles that make up our care teams.

Radiology: As a Radiology intern, you will support the day-to-day operations of our Department as well as gain exposure to the many medical imaging techniques used at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in the Diagnostic Radiology Department. You will also be given the opportunity to shadow in other modalities such as Ultrasound and Computed Tomography (CT). This internship will give you a broad picture of different job opportunities within Radiology. Through this internship you will have direct patient contact and be part of our team of health care professionals. Must be 18 or over.

Business: People, Process & Technology

The Business track is for students who are interested in the administrative work of a healthcare system. Business interns come from all backgrounds, bring their diverse talents to drive the business of healthcare and focus on developing, supporting and improving the people, process and technology systems that support our organization.

Example Host Sites in the Business track:

Human Resources: As part of our Human Resources (HR) Department and Compensation team, a college intern will learn about how market adjustment programs are developed and help in implementing them successfully. You will also gain experience with the type of data that is stored for HR purposes. As a member of the Compensation team, you’ll assist us in our regular audits of HR data related to job titles, salary grades and pay rates. We’re in the midst of a Job Description review process which involves clarifying responsibilities, requirements and licensure. You would be assisting in the tracking, updating and finalization of this process.

High school students who are interested in exploring business, marketing and operational career fields will have the opportunity to learn about the significant amount of information related to jobs that are stored and audited. An intern would directly assist in the audit process, a transferable skill to any business and operational field. You will also gain exposure to our market adjustment program and help in the coordination of materials that are necessary to execute on these critical programs.

Clinic Administration: As a college intern in the Department of Gastroenterology you will be immersed in learning about our clinical and procedural area of Endoscopy and will have the opportunity to shadow many different team members to gain a wide exposure and education of our areas. This internship will be focused through partnering with our practice manager and nurse manager on a few high level projects that will support the growth of endoscopy and the gastroenterology patient and staff experience over time. It involves coordination and conducting an equipment inventory working with Supply Chain and Endoscopy Team and deep dive analysis into supply chain of endoscopy and assistance with capital request process for new equipment. You will assist with several other ongoing improvement efforts focused on improving our patient experience when they come in to get their procedure or clinic in Lebanon.

Finance: Projects of varying levels of complexity are available for individuals studying finance, accounting, tax and/or business. Internships are project-based and are aligned with the intern’s area of interest and qualifications. Projects could include managerial finance, analysis, report generation, auditing, process improvement, and/or reconciliation. Interns must, at a minimum, have a basic working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Clear communication skills, the ability to ask questions and problem solve is a must. General understanding of health care is a plus but not necessary. You must be able to work well with others, including analysts, managers, and VPs. The ability to have insight into clinical financial planning reports, the ability to understand data and why it’s important for managerial finance, querying capabilities and financial based tools are valued.

Communications and Marketing: An intern will spend time shadowing staff in the Communications and Marketing department, learning about all aspects of Communications & Marketing, including:

• Communications & Publications
• External Affairs
• Marketing
• Media Relations
• Digital Services
• Creative Services

An intern will be involved in different projects over the ten weeks, collaborating with members of the Communications and Marketing team, located in Lebanon and Bedford, NH.

Communications and Marketing: The Medical Laboratory at the Medical Center in Lebanon is one of the largest laboratories in Northern New England, offering over 450 different types of tests and performing 1.3 million tests annually. Our team is composed of technicians, support staff, technologists, physicians, PhDs, residents and students from various programs. Our department includes the following primary areas: Chemistry, Flow Cytometry, Anatomic Pathology, Molecular Diagnostics, Hematology, Blood Bank and Microbiology. We also provide cytogenetics services, along with the full gamut of services in Anatomic Pathology, including surgical pathology, autopsy pathology and cytopathology. An intern with our team will support projects across different sections of the lab and Blood Donor clinic, gaining exposure to leading technologies and state-of-the-art equipment, and clinical laboratory professionals from across the career spectrum. Our lab internships are an excellent opportunity if you are interested in research, translational medicine, science, biomedical technology, laboratory equipment and careers, or learning more about how healthcare takes place behind the scenes from a business process standpoint to support patient care. Here are some example projects which our summer interns could support:

• Media and Marketing: Support a project that standardizes lab procedures across different lab locations. You would help record and produce “how-to” videos for a variety of procedures that can then be shared with our system labs so that everyone is doing the procedures in a standardized manner. The second part of this internship would be producing an “Intro to the Lab” video that would be used during Nurse Orientation to introduce new nurses to the lab.
• Chemical Waste Disposal Project: As an intern on this project, you will work with lab and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team members to help with Chemical Waste disposal, including the development of a communication plan between the lab and EHS for chemical disposal based off of current D-H policy. You will not only gain exposure to the fields of medical laboratory and EHS, but you will also gain experience in the development of a standard operating procedure and communication tools.

Education and Retention: As an intern with our Nursing Education and the Nursing Retention teams, you will be involved in multiple projects that focus on our nursing workforce. This is an opportunity for someone with strong communication and organization skills to work with a broad stakeholder base and navigate tasks and responsibilities across a number of initiatives. About half your time will be spent supporting Nurse Education providing support for our new inpatient RN and Licensed Nurse Assistant (LNA) onboarding program, CORE. You will also provide administrative support and assist Educators with tracking nursing competency progress. The other half of your time will be spent with the Nursing Recruiting and Retention team providing administrative assistance for the DHART 25th anniversary event, Daisy events and Nursing Blood Drive. You will also assist with the scheduling and collection of retention data, and some recruiting tasks. This internship would be a unique opportunity for an intern to gain knowledge about HR and Nursing in one assignment.

Video Production: As a Video Production intern with the Children’s Hospital at D-H (CHaD) Community Relations, you will support video production for promotional videos leading up to the CHaD HERO, CHaD’s single largest fundraising event, as well as video content for other CHaD projects and events. This will include developing creative new concepts for video content and working with Community Relations team to plan and produce these videos; filming video at various CHaD events; assisting with the editing and production of promotional videos; and assisting with the creation of our Kid Hero video. You must be available for occasional weekend work and travel. Additional Opportunities: Attend CHaD hosted events to gain a deeper perspective into the work of CHaD Community Relations, meet CHaD families and see firsthand the impact that philanthropy has on the care of CHaD kids. This position will work closely with the Community Relations Event Coordinators and report to the Community Relations Manager. Qualified applicants are currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in video production, graphic design, communications or other related field. You must have experience with either Adobe Premiere Pro or ProShow required, or ability to use video production software on personal computer, and be proficient in MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Publisher. We are looking for an intern who has strong attention to detail, is a self-starter who can both work independently and be a team player, has excellent verbal and written communication skills, and interest in video production and an interest in children’s healthcare or non-profit work.

Graduate Medical Education: The landscape of Graduate Medical Education (GME) is vast and every changing based on trainee, program and institutional needs as well as requirements dictated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and its specialty Review Committees (RC). In addition, GME identifies annual goals with an aim to enhance the clinical and educational learning environments. GME at D-H is comprised of 52 residency/fellowship training programs, over 400 trainees, and approximately 100 associated physician staff and administrative personnel.

As an intern, you would have the opportunity to engage in project work specifically related to GME’s Annual Institutional Review (AIR) goals. This may take the form of research, benchmarking, writing, committee membership, taking minutes and developing agendas and much more.

This year our AIR goals are in the following areas:

1. Culture of Safety & Resident/Fellow Well-Being: GME is partnering with D-H clinical chairs to address work compression as a systemic cultural issue for resident/fellows and faculty
2. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging: GME is establishing a subcommittee of the Graduate Medical Education Committee focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB)
3. Resident & Fellow Education – GME is working on a project to provide a module to residents/fellows on how to disclose adverse events to patients/families.

Additionally, during the summer months we orient our incoming residents/fellows to GME and D-H before they begin their education in their specialty/sub-specialty. As an intern, you would be an integral part of the Orientation Team, assisting the Accreditation Coordinator with execution of onsite onboarding. This is one of the busiest times of year for our GME team and you will have the opportunity to see and participate in the inner workings of how we welcome and prepare over 130 incoming trainees to be successful at D-H. Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher preferred.

STEM

This track is for students who are interested in the application of science, technology, engineering and math to career paths. STEM interns may be pursuing areas of study in engineering, the construction trades, information technology, life sciences, math, research or business.

Example Host Sites in the STEM track:

Biomedical Engineering: Our Biomedical/Clinical Engineering team plays an important role in the safety and treatment of our patients through the testing, repair, and maintenance of medical equipment. Through this internship, you will have the opportunity to work with equipment and devices such as medical radiology, ultrasound, MRI, and medical lasers. In addition to preventative maintenance, you will also participate in incumbent inspection to test all the functions and manufacturing specifications of new medical equipment before it can go out to patient floors, and gain exposure to core and cutting-edge medical devices. This is a good opportunity for candidates pursuing degrees in computer programming, mechanical engineering, electronic or electrical engineering.

Engineering and Maintenance: Engineering Services is a support service department for the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic, and the Geisel School of Medicine. We provide heat, light, power, air-conditioning, repairs and maintenance to all Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center components.  An intern will help support the team in our mission to:  

• Create a pleasant and comfortable environment for the patients, staff, and the public and insure that all buildings conform to all safety, fire and sanitation standards.
• Perform all work in a safe and efficient manner using the best tools, materials, and workmanship to obtain the highest quality of work possible.  
• Insure that repairs and service performed meet all government, state, and local code requirements.  
• Insure the most economical operation and maintenance of the physical plant by careful planning and increased productivity while keeping costs under control.  
• Maintain a good rapport with department employees by providing and encouraging continuing education in the trades, by keeping a formal and informal line of communication, and by providing a good departmental orientation program.
• Provide assistance and guidance in the planning and development of new construction, remodeling and building repairs.

Medical Laboratory: We are one of the largest laboratories in Northern New England, offering over 450 different types of tests and performing 1.3 million tests annually. Our team is composed of technicians, support staff, technologists, physicians, PhDs, residents and students from various programs. Our department includes the following primary areas: Chemistry, Flow Cytometry, Anatomic Pathology, Molecular Diagnostics, Hematology, Blood Bank and Microbiology. We also provide cytogenetics services, along with the full gamut of services in Anatomic Pathology, including surgical pathology, autopsy pathology and cytopathology. An intern with our team will support projects across different sections of the lab and Blood Donor clinic, gaining exposure to leading technologies and state-of-the-art equipment, and clinical laboratory professionals from across the career spectrum. Our lab internships are an excellent opportunity if you are interested in research, translational medicine, science, biomedical technology, laboratory equipment and careers. Interns often support our Genomics team. Another example of a project our STEM summer interns could support is related to research. You will work with one of the Lab Managers on a project pulling samples and sending them out for testing. Through this project you will gain experience with data collection and analysis.

Patient Safety Training Center: Gain exposure to the world of simulation education! As a national leader in medical simulation education, The PSTC at D-H provides a multidisciplinary learning experience for students and practitioners. Simulation is integral to help health care professionals acquire technical proficiency, knowledge, confidence, attitudes and team skills to continue the journey to safer practice and excellence in patient care. This is a fast-paced environment where you will develop critical thinking skills, be exposed to a department that is both educational and clinical, and interact with health care professionals of all levels on a daily basis. As an intern here, your role will have two components. You will work on important operational projects such as inventory or records management, through which you will practice project management and organizational skills while gaining exposure to the processes that support health care delivery. You will also support our training team by learning how to set-up for a simulation, review scripts and operate a simulation. Whether you are interested in becoming an educator, designing equipment that is used in simulation medicine, delivering as a simulation education, a clinician or health care management professional, this internship will provide broad exposure and offers you the opportunity to build a unique skill set. Must be 18 or over.

Clinical Specialty

The Clinical Specialty track is for students who have a specific clinical pathway you are interested in exploring further, and/or if you are seeking to develop a better understanding of a particular role and career trajectory.

Example Host Sites in the Clinical Specialty track:

Radiology: As a Radiology intern, you will support the day-to-day operations of our Department as well as gain exposure to the many medical imaging techniques used at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in the Diagnostic Radiology Department. You will also be given the opportunity to shadow in other modalities such as Ultrasound and Computed Tomography (CT). This internship will give you a broad picture of different job opportunities within Radiology. Through this internship you will have direct patient contact and be part of our team of health care professionals. Must be 18 or over.

Stroke Team: Immerse yourself in the holistic approach for the care of the stroke patient. Team rounding, patient classification, patient education, and follow-up calls to discharged patients are some of the daily activities an intern will complete. Neurology summer interns will also engage in reviewing/revision of policies and protocols to align with Joint Commission Standards. You will track the care of stroke patients utilizing tracers starting in the Emergency room through to discharge to be sure that we are delivering comprehensive care to this patient population. In addition, you will support the analysis of identified deviations from practice standards in order to incorporate into process improvement projects.

Psychiatry: As an intern in our Psychiatry Department, you will both support the day-to-day operations of our clinical services as well as gain exposure to the research environment. You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team of administrative, academic and clinical professionals who all strive to make research-supported services available to individuals and their families experiencing difficulties with psychiatric symptoms and/or addiction. You will be part of a continuous learning environment in which we provide evidence-based care for individuals of all ages and continually facilitate the integration of new knowledge into our practice. As an academic medical center, we train the next generation of clinicians and build new knowledge through active research. If you are interested in pursuing a career in mental health, substance use disorders, social work, research, clinical psychiatry, clinical psychology, or public policy, then this is a great opportunity for you to advance your understanding of this field.

Clinical Nutrition: Healthy and nutritious food is an essential part of the day for our patients, their visitors and our team members. Our Food and Nutrition department is prepares and serves more than 4,000 meals each day, including up to 750 patient meals with hundreds of different diet considerations and needs. It is a complex and important operation that will help future Dieticians learn about this career field. Your work may involve supporting research and different projects.

Nursing Education and Nursing Retention: As an intern with our Nursing Education and the Nursing Retention teams, you will be involved in multiple projects that focus on our nursing workforce. This is an opportunity for someone with strong communication and organization skills to work with a broad stakeholder base and navigate tasks and responsibilities across a number of initiatives. About half your time will be spent supporting Nurse Education providing support for our new inpatient RN and Licensed Nurse Assistant (LNA) onboarding program, CORE. You will also provide administrative support and assist Educators with tracking nursing competency progress. The other half of your time will be spent with the Nursing Recruiting and Retention team providing administrative assistance for the DHART 25th anniversary event, Daisy events and Nursing Blood Drive. You will also assist with the scheduling and collection of retention data, and some recruiting tasks. This internship would be a unique opportunity for an intern to gain knowledge about HR and Nursing in one assignment.

The LNA Summer Nurse Internship Program

This track is only for participants in the LNA Summer Nurse Internship Program. To be eligible, you must be a nursing student currently enrolled in an accredited BSN program and have completed your sophomore year. This program requires a current NH Nurse Assistant license or eligibility to obtain a NH Nurse Assistant license by the beginning of May. For more information about this program please visit the LNA Summer Nurse Internship Program tab.