Summer Internships Offer Opportunities for Growth

Student pharmacists make the most of summer break by pursuing internships in a variety of pharmacy settings.

By Alicia Chen
September 19, 2011

For many students, summer break is an ideal time to explore career options. For pharmacy students, this past summer was an opportunity to take advantage of internships in diverse pharmacy settings ranging from established community internships to self-created international experiences.

One universal benefit that internships offer is that they give students a much broader look into a specific pharmacy field, as well as provide an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to a real-world setting. Anna Hung, a second year student pharmacist, completed a research internship in the School of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutical Health Sciences Research, where she was able to gain a diverse range of experiences in addition to research, including various seminars and clinical rotations. “Overall, the internship was really good because you got a general overview of a lot of things. It was an application of what we learned in our first year course Context of Health Care,” says Hung.

Internship opportunities open doors to a wide array of future experiential possibilities, as well as to networking with current professionals and students. Sandy Truong, a second year student pharmacist, participated in Shoppers summer internship program, which “encompassed many aspects of pharmacy including community, management, clinical, and leadership development,” she says. “The hours were really flexible and it was an excellent opportunity to develop relationships with patients, preceptors, and other pharmacists and interns.”

At a Johns Hopkins Hospital internship, third year student pharmacist Andrew Haines gained knowledge from students, residents, and pharmacists from across the country. “There were pharmacists’ discussions where we were able to hear about the many different areas of pharmacy, and there were shadowing experiences built into the program.”

Summer internships are invaluable opportunities to gain experience while building relationships with potential future employees. Third year student Andrew Phan was an intern at Target pharmacy this summer and was able to learn about the management and business side of community pharmacy in addition to maintaining technician skills. “It was good networking to set up for a career after graduation because you got to meet regional and district managers and other management,” he says. “There’s always the possibility of a job offer post-graduation.”

Some students created their own internship experiences. By connecting with a family contact, Kellie Chew, a third year student pharmacist, was able to set up a four-week internship with Liguanea Drug and Garden Center in Kingston, Jamaica. Her advice for success is to approach independent pharmacies where “the owner of the pharmacy works with you, and is usually a pharmacist.”

Rewards and experiences gained from these internships are invaluable and allow for personal growth that could not have happened without them. Open-mindedness and flexibility are crucial to getting the most out of these experiences. Jason Hodge, a third year student, traveled to Malawi for an interdisciplinary research project, and encourages taking risks to grow. “The only limitations you have are the ones you put on yourself,” he says. “Put yourself into a completely new situation and trust that everything is going to be okay.”

The most rewarding part of a summer internship experience is being able to play a part in developing positive change. Shawn Wang, a third year student who did an internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital reflects, “I think that some of the pharmacy’s projects would not have happened without our help. It’s exciting to think that we all played a role in making each pharmacy better.”

“It is amazing to see our students going above and beyond the classroom and taking initiatives for great global experiences,” says Hoai-An Truong, PharmD, MPH, acting director of experiential learning and an assistant professor of pharmaceutical health services research. “Although the Experiential Learning Program bridges pharmacy education to practice by facilitating rotations in a variety of practice experiences, these student-led international opportunities further enriches their educational experiences and prepares them for the real-world beyond graduation.”