WNC HEART Internship Summer 2027

Mountain Area Health Education Center - MAHEC•Asheville, NC

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The MAHEC HEART Student Internship is a six-week summer program for students interested in pursuing a health professions career, particularly rural medicine. Interns are placed in a rural Western North Carolina primary care practice and take part in clinical and non-clinical shadowing, weekly didactics, and a clinical or community project at MAHEC. Project work is determined and overseen by a MAHEC project leader. Students are expected to present their project and will gain understanding of rural medicine and the complex social factors affecting rural communities. The internship runs June 14 through July 23, 2027. Interns work 20 hours per week, for up to 120 paid hours, including approximately 45 hours of shadowing, 45 hours of project work, and 30 hours of orientation, didactics, SIM Center experience, team building and peer learning, and final presentations. Regular on-site attendance at didactics and the clinical shadowing location is essential. Students must be willing to drive up to one hour to their shadowing site each week. Hours may be flexible to accommodate special assignments and requested evening or weekend activities. Applicants must come from a rural North Carolina county, with preference given to students from rural Western North Carolina. Applicants must be rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, or post-baccalaureate students, maintain a 3.0 GPA, and demonstrate a sincere interest in a healthcare career in a rural community. The application requires a resume, a 500-word personal statement, and transcripts; an optional recommendation letter may also be submitted.

Requirements

Must be from a rural North Carolina county.
Must be a rising sophomore, junior, senior, or post-baccalaureate student.
Must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Must have a sincere interest in pursuing a healthcare career in a rural community.
Must have superior organizational skills and attention to detail.
Must have excellent problem-solving, judgment, and decision-making skills and the ability to work under minimal supervision.
Must be able to work with diverse work styles.
Must demonstrate an exemplary customer service attitude in interactions within the organization and with clients and practices.
Must exercise discretion when handling sensitive medical information.
Must have excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Must have intermediate skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Must be willing to drive up to one hour to the clinical shadowing site each week.
Must attend on-site didactics and clinical shadowing activities.

Nice To Haves

Applicants from rural Western North Carolina are preferred.
Experience writing research papers and reports.
A recommendation letter from a professor, advisor, supervisor, or mentor who can attest to the applicant's ability to complete the internship and pursue their career pathway.

Responsibilities

Participate in clinical and non-clinical shadowing based on individual interests.
Participate in and present a clinical or community project overseen by a MAHEC project leader.
Attend regular weekly didactics.
Attend orientation, SIM Center experience, team building and peer learning activities, and final presentations.
Attend on-site activities at the clinical shadowing location and drive up to one hour to that location each week.