Health Informatics (BS)

Health Informatics (HI) undergraduate students are required to complete a 3-credit internship (minimum of 120 hours) to facilitate a deeper understanding of the professional practice aspects of the HI field. The overall goal of the internship is to provide students with practical experiences to apply their knowledge and skills that they develop as they progress through the HI curriculum.  Students are often hired by these same companies before they even finish our program, making the internship a valuable experience and a pathway to future success.

Internship placement is the responsibility of the student, and all students are expected to actively apply to opportunities that align with their interests and career goals. While the program provides support through shared opportunities and recruiter engagement, securing an internship ultimately depends on the student’s initiative. Any placements facilitated by the Clinical Education Coordinator are unpaid and may take place during the summer, fall or spring of the senior year.

Navigating My Health Informatics Summer Internship at BNY Mellon: A Prelude to a Data Analyst 

Carly Ukalovic (BSHI ‘24) shares her experience in the Health Informatics program and her internship with BNY Mellon in Pittsburgh.

Read the full story

Our department has affiliation agreements with approximately 145+ clinical sites for student internships. Please note that affiliation agreements do not guarantee internship placement in one of these organizations.

The following list provides a sample of sites that have recruited and/or hosted internships for our HI students in the past.:

• UPMC
• BNY Mellon
• enGen
• PNC
• Pfizer
• Centrak
• TEIS
• JPMorgan Chase
• KPMG
• Deliotte
• Barclay
• United Health Services
• CVS
• VA

Prerequisites For Internship

If a student chooses to complete their internship at a site that is under contract with the HIM department (or any other site where a contract is required), the items listed below are required. The clinical education coordinator will provide guidance to the student on completion of contract requirements.

• Physical examination, including proof or completion of specific immunizations
• TB test, 2 step or blood test
• Pennsylvania Criminal Record Check
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance
• Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse Training.
• FBI Background Check (includes fingerprinting)
• HIPAA Training and Certification
• Bloodborne Pathogen Training and Certification
• Students must carry personal health insurance, as well as professional student liability insurance coverage while participating in an internship at a site where contracts are required. The University provides liability insurance for internships covered by clinical affiliation contracts.
• Some sites may have additional requirements (i.e. drug screen, Covid-19 vaccine, influenza vaccine, or orientation programs specific to their organization).
• Internship sites may not allow a student to participate in an internship at their site if the background check reports that they have been convicted of a misdemeanor, a felony; or a felonious or illegal act associated with alcohol and/or substance.

Additional Information:

• Travel to the internship site is the responsibility of the student.
• All expenses for transportation, parking, meals, and costs of prerequisites associated with the internship are the responsibility of the student.
• The HIM Department utilizes an outside document management vendor, EXXAT, to collect and track student compliance with internship requirements. Cost for creating an EXXAT account is $25/student. Approximate cost for clearances is $125 annually, and costs for physical exam and immunization status are dependent on health insurance coverage and provider costs.
• Approximate cost for drug screen is $60.