Center for Precision Medicine Summer Internship FAQs
Q: Is the summer internship program open to international students? A: Yes, it is open to international students. You will need to work with your school for any visa/paperwork requirements.
Q: What majors are acceptable to apply? A: Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physics, Anthropology, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, and Engineering are generally considered. We will also consider Health Science and undergraduate nursing majors. Similar majors are considered, if you have a question you can contact Cynthia Van Horn at cvanhorn@wakehealth.edu
Q: How are applicants evaluated? A: Evaluation is based on quality of coursework, relevant advanced courses taken, and lab/work experience.
Q: Are college First years/Freshman eligible to apply for this internship? A. Yes; however, most students at this level do not have sufficient science coursework to be competitive.
Q: Can graduating seniors or alums apply for the internship? A: For insurance and intern stipend purposes, we do not accept College/University graduates. We can only accept students who are enrolled in a college or university and defined as an undergraduate.
Q: How many students generally apply for the internship each year? A: In 2021 we had 160 applicants.
Q: Can I apply for multiple internships if I apply for this internship? A: Most students apply to several different internship opportunities.
Q: What formatting should be used in the 1-page letter? A: Single spacing is preferred.
Q: What should the 1-page letter contain? A: The letter should include the reasons why you’re interested in the internship, what you hope to gain from the experience, and how the experience is relevant to your career goals.
Q: Are unofficial transcripts acceptable? A: Yes.
Q: Are letters of recommendation required? A: No.
Q: The application asks if I have had any previous research experience, are you referring to summer research or does research done during a class also count? A: All laboratory research is relevant. Please specify, in your application letter, whether you experience was part of a laboratory class or an independent research project working with a faculty mentor.
Q: Will there be an interview? A: Yes, interviews are done by Zoom. Interview invitations will be sent out 2-3 weeks after the application deadline.
Q: What is the approximate timeline for notification of acceptance into the program? A: Applications are due January 31, 2022. The selection process will occur around the second week of February. Interviews will begin around the third week of February. Application status emails will be sent out in March 2022.
Q: Is housing provided? A: We offer an on campus housing option which costs about $1200 - $1350 for the 9 week internship. The cost of housing can be deducted from your stipend.
Q: Is transportation provided during the internship? A: We have a shuttle bus available multiple times during the day with pickup and drop off to/from the WFU campus to the WFSOM campus. Shuttle schedules will be handed out during orientation.
Q: How are students assigned to projects? A: We evaluate your background and potential research projects in participating mentor labs, and match accordingly.
Q: Do I have to work on weekends? Am I allowed to go home on weekends? A: Weekends are generally free as long as there are no outstanding work obligation in the lab (i.e. experiments running)
Q: What would a typical day look like in this program (in terms of work schedule)? A: The program is research-focused. About 90% of your time will be spent on your assigned project, including lab work and/or data analysis. You will work with your primary mentor, personnel in mentor’s lab, and a high school student who is also assigned to your research project. Work times will depend on the schedule in your lab, but usually will be standard working hours (8am -5pm; 9am-6pm) and will be considered full time.
Q: Can I take a summer classes or work a part-time job during the internship? A: You will be working a 40 hour work week and the internship takes priority. The full-time internship schedule does not accommodate taking summer classes or having other jobs in parallel.
Q: Will this program be held online or in-person? A: We expect the 2022 program to be held in person as it was in 2021.
Q: Will we participate in social events? A: Some social events will be scheduled for the Center interns only. Additional events will be offered that include interns in other WFSOM programs.
Q: Will we have mentorship, manuscript writing, and data presentation opportunities? A: Mentoring: Each intern will be paired with a high school student who they will work with on their assigned research project. A: Presentation of Project Results: The final week of the program includes intern project presentations both oral and written (poster). Interns will keep their poster for display at their undergraduate university/college.
Q: What activities are included beside research and mentoring? A: The internship will cover various aspects relevant to a potential research career that will include career development, Graduate and Medical School information sessions, and seminars presented by CPM faculty to gain a broader view of research opportunities and make research connections.