Englewood Health Declares 2020 Summer Internship Program a Virtual Success [dedicated]

Every year, Englewood Health welcomes summer interns from the local community and places them right in the middle of the action so they can learn what it’s like to work in the healthcare field. Students are offered positions in departments including communications, nursing, The Lefcourt Family Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center, the ICU, and the executive offices. They are given hands-on experience and the opportunity to make connections that will benefit them in both their educational and professional pursuits. 

This summer the COVID-19 pandemic forced Englewood Health to re-think its traditional summer internship program and the value the team could provide to its interns. What emerged was a five-week hybrid internship including in-person and online experiential learning for all students. The program culminated in group presentations to members of the health system's senior administration, covering topics such as: health disparities in caring for Gen Z, the mental health poverty trap and possible interventions, and promoting diversity in healthcare. Additionally, interns proved invaluable on projects that ranged from social media and communication planning, to departmental reorganization, to enrolling COVID-19 patients in the SCCM Virus Registry. 

What could have been a disappointing summer for these bright, young students turned into an experience that far exceeded their expectations. Students were given the opportunity to learn or hone skills that will be essential in the post-pandemic world. They were given access to hospital staff and administration and most crucially, they were part of the team that helped Englewood Health craft a new summer internship program that was innovative, thoughtful and effective. 

In the end, the 2020 Englewood Health summer internship program was a truly unique experience for all participants. Students, instructors, and sponsors went above and beyond to make the best of a challenging situation and succeeded spectacularly.