A2.03 - Oral: Workforce Preparedness in Healthcare: Current Internship Practices

Brief Abstract Summary: Northwell Health, New York State's largest healthcare provider and employer, is uniquely positioned to train future healthcare professionals through its extensive network of hospitals and ambulatory facilities. Northwell Health's Family Medicine Service Line offers two six-month internship tracks: Healthcare Administration (paid, for undergraduate and graduate students) and Public Health (for second-year MPH students from Hofstra University).

A standardized curriculum encompassing administration, clinical practice, academics, research, and quality improvement provides interns with tailored projects aligned with their chosen track. Ten interns have completed the program, reporting positive experiences and skill development. Post-internship, 40% were hired by Northwell, 30% found external positions, and 10% pursued fellowships, demonstrating the program's success in preparing future healthcare leaders and researchers.

Detailed abstract description: As New York State's largest healthcare provider and employer, Northwell Health delivers care to over 2 million patients each year. With 21 hospitals, more than 875 ambulatory facilities, and a workforce exceeding 87,000, the system is uniquely positioned to train the next generation of healthcare professionals. Northwell’s Family Medicine Service Line, a pillar of primary care, plays a pivotal role in this effort, strengthening the future of healthcare and modernizing workforce readiness through its internship programs. This an update on Family Medicine’s ongoing internship program.

Family Medicine offers two distinct six-month internship tracks: Healthcare Administration and Public Health. The Healthcare Administration track is a paid internship open to undergraduate and graduate students in fields such as healthcare administration/management, health sciences, population health, community health, and business administration. The Public Health track is designed for second-year Master of Public Health (MPH) students completing a credit-based Applied Practice Experience (“Internship”) from Hofstra University's, a diverse private institution located outside the New York metropolitan area.

A standardized curriculum encompassing administration, clinical practice, academics, research, and quality improvement provides interns with tailored projects aligned with their chosen track. To date, 10 interns have completed the program (50% per track) reporting positive experiences and skill development in areas such as professionalism, project management, and healthcare administration. One intern shared “At the end of this internship, I felt that I had gained skills in professionalism, project management, healthcare administration, and various other areas.”, another intern noted “I think this internship provides such relevant experience for anyone wanting to go into any field in healthcare. I especially loved the growth and support to learn in whichever aspect of healthcare that you'd like to learn more about….” And lastly, a third intern shared “I was seen as part of the team and was able to see tangible results on the work I completed.” Post-internship outcomes demonstrate the program's effectiveness: 40% of interns were hired within Northwell Health, 30% secured external positions, and 10% pursued further training through fellowships.

Internship programs provide students with the opportunity to practice such skills while also discovering different careers and engaging in professional development, making students more qualified and confident in a real-world setting. These results highlight the value of the Family Medicine’s internship program in preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders and researchers.