The Importance of an MHA Internship

Experience is key to your success, which is why you can tap in to our extensive network of alumni, faculty, and friends to help you land an internship that is in sync with your career goals.

Gain Experience at Top Healthcare Organizations 

The internship will be waived for students who are currently working, or have worked, in a healthcare organization in the U.S. in an administrative, clinical, policy, or research role, with demonstrable experience with administrators and/or care providers. As an intern, you’ll work closely with your supervisor and interact with staff and patients, gaining at least 400 hours of professional experience. You'll also attend classes that provide an academic framework for that experience.

Over the course of your internship, you’ll also build a strong network of leaders and managers in the healthcare field. For many students, the connections they make during internships last for years and open doors to career opportunities. In fact, many students have secured employment as a direct result of their internships.

Internship Placements

Our students have worked in all areas of healthcare administration, including cardiology, neurology, orthopedics, surgery, pulmonology/rheumatology, pediatrics, oncology, ambulatory care, rehabilitative medicine, project management, data analysis, marketing, development/fundraising, and human resources. In the past, our students have interned at a number of the top healthcare sites in the region, including:

  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Bowdoin Street Health Center
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  • Lahey HealthMassachusetts General Hospital
  • Partners HealthCare
  • South Shore Hospital
  • Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
  • Tufts Medical Center

Stories

On the Front Lines of the Coronavirus Crisis

Jen Raichle, MHA ’21 gives a thumbs up wearing PPE in the ambulance she was working in

When she was in the Army, Jen Raichle, MHA ’21, was deployed to hotspots like Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Today she’s waging a whole new kind of battle against COVID-19 as an EMT for Fallon Ambulance Service.

Healthcare from the Inside

Image of two featured MHA program alumni

Our MHA students have numerous opportunities for internships that span the Boston healthcare spectrum including world-class hospitals, leading medical schools, biotech/health sciences industry leaders.

Internship Q & A

Typically, students complete an internship after completing at least the first and second semester courses, specifically the Foundation and Core Level 1 courses. The internship requires 400 hours of supervised onsite work as well as classes that provide an academic framework for the work experiences. Many students complete their internships during the summer months, but the course is flexible and allows for part-time internships during the fall and spring semesters.

There are many resources available to MHA students to identify appropriate healthcare management related internships. The University’s career development center, faculty advisors, healthcare industry mentors affiliated with the Healthcare Administration Program (HAP), healthcare professional associations, and faculty teaching the course all provide information and guidance on opportunities, resume development, and interviewing techniques as well as onboarding to placement in a healthcare organization.

Students complete an application indicating their preferences based on courses and career interests, for example, operations management, quality and performance improvement, financial management, etc. Interviews are arranged with support from the HAP faculty.

Healthcare organizations sponsoring interns include integrated delivery systems, long-term care facilities, managed care providers, community health centers, physician group practices, and pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices companies. Examples of current sponsors include:

  • Tufts Medical Center
  • Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Lahey Health
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital
  • Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Boston University Medical Group
  • Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
  • Medically Home
  • VA Boston Healthcare System

Students work on projects involving patient surveys, data analytics related to quality and health outcomes, workflow and process improvement analysis, and primary market research. Many interns are part of project teams addressing problems to be analyzed to assist management with improved decision making.

No. The MHA Foundation and Core Level 1 courses provide an overview of the dynamic healthcare industry and will enable students to understand its unique business elements in order to be successful in an internship.

The internship will provide an opportunity to develop a working relationship with middle and senior managers in healthcare organizations. These relationships are the foundation of a professional network that will lead to future career advancement.

One of the major challenges facing students during their internships is how to effectively balance their internship workload while simultaneously expanding their network both within and outside the organization to advance their career. Many students participate in the Healthcare Administration Program (HAP) mentor program and receive guidance from mentors. The HAP strongly urges student to become members of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and other professional associations to enhance their network.