Internships
DID YOU KNOW?
… there are many opportunities to do internships in the Lake Forest area or in Chicago!
Contact Lynn Westley, Internship Supervisor for the Natural Sciences (including Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Physics, Environmental Studies, Mathematics and Computer Science), at westley@lakeforest.edu for more information about health-related internship opportunities during the academic year.
Contact Laura Matthews at matthews@lakeforest.edu in the Career Advancement Center for more information on summer internships.
Contact Shubhik DebBurman at debburman@lakeforest.edu
to learn more about the Rosalind Franklin Summer Research program for Lake Forest College Undergraduates.
Internships provide an opportunity to explore a field of interest and gain valuable experience outside the classroom. Students can earn academic credit for internships and become eligible to apply for internships for credit following the completion of two years of course work.
Internships allow students to:
- explore and gain insight into a wide range of careers
- learn to apply academic concepts and principles in real-world settings
- develop new skills that help distinguish them from other health professions applicants
Internships are done during the academic year for credit (rule of thumb is 10 hours per week is one credit) or during a summer. In some cases, you may be paid.
What students say about health professional internships
“I shadowed in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago….. By the end of my shadowing experience, I had become familiar with most of the surgeons and staff within the dept. I expressed my interest to continue being involved in the department and that I would like to do it for academic credit……The internship itself will consist of participation in clinical research including patient interaction that is led by one of the Northwestern neurosurgeons.” (Michael White, ‘07)
“I completed a semester long internship at the Pediatric Neurology Clinic (Autism & Epilepsy Specialty Services of Illinois) in Lake Bluff, IL….. [this] clinic sees patients facing problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, general seizures or epilepsy, depression, and other neurological disorders. I had the chance to shadow him while he was with patients, observe his EEG technicians, and help with data collection for clinical trials in his research department. (Nijee Sharma ’06)
“My internship took place over the summer with Dr. Peterson at Rosalind Franklin Medical School. The internship itself was designed to explore neuroplasticity. Specifically, we examined whether growth factors can induce stem cell proliferation in areas of the brain where there is normally none. My actual job was to quantify the down stream effects by counting stained cells (that is, those that proliferated) under a microscope…. (Lital Silverman, ’08)
“I completed an internship abroad as part of my French major. While in Paris, I interned at the International Herald Tribune Paris office. I attended meetings where the editors discussed what would go into the paper. Then, I would send out the names of the stories that are set to appear in the paper the next day as well as list the possible Page 1 stories. Although the internship was not related to health professions, I know that I will be able to draw on these experiences in the future.” (Shruti Pore, ’08)
