Exploring ASU Pre-Health Internship Opportunities

Internships are invaluable for enriching your academic journey, providing experiential learning opportunities outside the traditional university setting. These experiences are supported by enrollment in specific courses, allowing you to earn academic credit while gaining practical skills. For students at Arizona State University (ASU) interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, several pre-health internship programs offer unique opportunities to explore various medical fields and gain firsthand experience. Advisors can provide resources and information to help students find internship opportunities.

The Value of Internships

Internships serve as a bridge between academic learning and real-world application. They allow students to:

Gain practical skills: Develop skills specific to a career field through hands-on experience.
Explore career options: Experience a potential career path firsthand, helping you determine if it aligns with your interests and goals.
Build your resume: Enhance your resume with relevant experience, making you more competitive for future opportunities.
Make connections: Network with professionals in your field, potentially leading to future job opportunities or mentorships.
Develop professionally: Cultivate essential non-cognitive skills such as interpersonal communication, responsibility, and teamwork.

To make yourself competitive for an internship, you can build your resume by participating in student organizations, community service and leadership activities.

General Internship Information

Several points should be considered when searching for an internship:

Start early: The search for the right internship can take several months.
Deadlines: Many internship programs have deadlines as early as fall for the following summer.
Eligibility: Some internships may require specific coursework or experience to be eligible.
Entering first-year and transfer students: we recommend you allow yourself at least one quarter of academic study to adjust to life at ASU before starting your internship.

BIO 484 Internship Course

The BIO 484 course supports internships by allowing students to earn academic credit for their experience. This course is available for both On-Campus and ASU Online SOLS students. All students must be enrolled from the first day of the term to earn academic credit for their internship. Specific details regarding the course, including deadlines, are as follows:

Fall Semester: The Fall internship course runs from 8/21/2025 - 12/5/2025. The deadline to apply for the Fall semester is August 7th. Late applications will be considered for B session enrollment and must be received no later than October 10th.
Spring Semester: The Spring Internship course runs from 1/12/2026 - 5/1/2026. The deadline to apply for the Spring semester is Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. Late applications will be considered for B session enrollment and must be received no later than March 2, 2026.

It is recommended to submit your internship application as soon as possible, even if you don’t have all the information. This allows the program to follow up, provide guidance, and ensure everything is on track.

Pre-Health Internship Programs

For students specifically interested in pre-health internships, ASU offers specialized programs to provide relevant experience in clinical settings, shadowing, and scribing duties. If you are applying for/interested in an internship that has anything to do with Pre-Health, please refer to the Pre-Health Internship Program and your assigned academic advisor (found on your My ASU) for further details.

These programs include:

Emergency Department (ED) Internship Program: This program involves placement into a partner hospital and enrollment in BIO 390, a class that focuses on preparation for the application to medical school.
General Pre-Health Internships: Offered through the Pre-Health Internship Program, students will enroll in a separate BIO 484 not managed by SOLS and also be required to attend the BIO 390 class. This BIO 484 offers opportunities to students pursuing any health professions program, including dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant, physical therapy and more.

Students interested in BIO 390 or this pre-health BIO 484 should meet with the Pre-Professional Advising Office (PPAO) to discuss their interest and preparation for a career in healthcare.

It is required that students meet with an academic advisor or internship coordinator from their college prior to submitting an application. Students must verify eligibility and identify the appropriate internship course for the program. Students must submit an application by the deadline date for consideration.

*Please note: there is a separate application for the Emergency Department Internship Program.

Emergency Department (ED) Internship Program Details

The Emergency Department (ED) Internship Program and Pre-Health Internship Program (PHIP) offer students firsthand experience in healthcare settings, ideal for those exploring a career in health professions. These internships are designed to help students assess their suitability for a healthcare career.

Students in the ED internship Program will enroll into a 3-credit internship course and complete a weekly rotation in the Emergency Departments for one of our partner hospitals. Students may have a weekly 8-12-hour shift, some hospitals offer overnight and weekend shifts as options. During the rotation, students will perform a variety of tasks overseen by the hospital staff. Students may only apply for 1 (one) ED internship location. Students will develop an understanding of patient care, ED procedures, medical knowledge, and interpersonal and communication skills. The role of the intern is to enhance patient care through communication and advocacy between patient, family, and medical staff. Weekend and night shifts are available.

Participating hospitals include:

Banner University Medical Center- Phoenix (8 hours shift, once per week) BUMC requires interviews prior to selection of students.
Banner Desert Medical Center - Mesa (8 hours shift, once per week)
Banner Baywood Medical Center- Mesa (8 hours shift, once per week)
Banner Gateway Medical Center - Gilbert (8 hours shift, once per week)
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center - Sun City (8 hours shift, once per week)
Honor Health Shea, Osborn, or Thompson Peak - Scottsdale (12 hours shift, once per week, 7 AM-7 PM or 7 PM-7 AM)
Honor Health John C. Lincoln, Sonoran Crossing- Phoenix (12 hours shift, once per week, 7 AM-7 PM or 7 PM-7 AM)
St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center- Phoenix (8 hours shift, once per week)
Abrazo West Campus Hospital- Goodyear (8 hours shift, once per week)

Students are not allowed to add the course to their class schedule until they have been accepted to the internship.

Pre-Health Internship Program (PHIP) Details

Pre-Health students looking for a clinical internship may apply into the Pre-Health Internship Program for placement in a variety of specialties to gain patient care experience. Students in the Pre-Health Internship Program will enroll into a 3-credit internship course and complete a weekly shift at their internship site. A commitment of 10-12 hours per week is needed for clinical hours. Students will need to work with PHIP staff to ensure all paperwork is complete for their site.

PHIP places students in the following internships:

Medical (Pre-Med, Pre-PA, Scribing)
Dental
Physical/Occupational Therapy
Optometry
Veterinary
Chiropractic
Naturopathic Medicine
Other medical specialties

To find out more about site options, please visit the Office of Clinical Partnerships - Pre-Health Internship Program.

Students are not allowed to add the course to their class schedule until they have been accepted to the internship.

The PHIP Placement Specialist will be in contact with the student to refine the student's responses. The student and the Site Supervisor conduct the interview and agree to the placement. The Educational Agreement (EA) must be completed to ensure that the student and Site Supervisor have determined the work hours for the internship. The Educational Agreement (EA) serves as the learning agreement between a student and Site Supervisor. It is an individualized learning agreement, unique to each student.

Application Deadlines

Arizona time on the deadline date.

Session	Application Opens	Application Closes
Spring 2026	Aug. 21, 2025	Oct. 17, 2025
Summer 2026	Jan. 12, 2026	Mar. 13, 2026
Fall 2026	Mar. 16, 2026	May 15, 2026
Spring 2027	Aug. 24, 2026	Oct. 17, 2026

Academic Criteria

At the time of application, students must meet all of the following qualifications:

Credit Hours & Standing: Completed 50+ credits and be a junior or senior. Transfer credits from a university or community college are accepted. AP/IB credits from high school do not count. Dual enrollment credits are accepted, but students must have completed at least two semesters at ASU.
High school graduation dates will be taken into consideration even if student meets the minimum criteria.

Throughout the semester, students complete clinical rotations and online reflective curriculum focused on preparing for professional school applications. The internships provide valuable insights into students' interpersonal skills, attitude, maturity, integrity, and ability to take responsibility-key traits for success in healthcare. Students who struggle with these non-cognitive skills may find these courses challenging.

Compliance and Requirements

Students are expected to provide their own transportation to and from the site; please ensure you have access to reliable transportation and indicate any transportation barriers during the application.

Regardless of a student's qualifications, the instructor, coordinators, and internship site have the right to deny any student entrance to the ED Internship Program.

Attendance at hospital orientation is mandatory. Complete all required hours and shifts at your hospital Show up to your assigned shift day/time each week If you need to miss a shift, contact the hospital for permission and plan to make-up any shifts if required. The Pre-Health Internship Program will notify students what the health and safety requirements will be for each hospital.

Submission of materials is required for a complete application. All requirements will vary among hospitals but may include the following:

Immunizations or titers (Hepatitis B series, MMR, Varicella, Influenza, etc). Exception forms may be provided per hospital policy.
COVID-19 Vaccination. Exception forms may be provided per hospital policy.
Negative Two-Step Tb test or Quantiferon blood test
CPR certification: BLS for Healthcare Providers
Drug screening: Panel 10 drug test; mycb.castlebranch.com Fee of $20.00
Background check: mycb.castlebranch.com Fee of $67.00
Fingerprint clearance card: Information on obtaining an AZ Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card can be found at www.azdps.gov/services/public/fingerprint AZ Department of Public Service application fee is $65.00. Electronic fingerprinting fee is $7.95.

Students interning at any Banner, HonorHealth, Dignity, Abrazo, Valleywise, Phoenix Children's or Health South locations will be required to complete all health and safety requirements for the selected hospital and complete compliance requirements through My Clinical Exchange (mCE). There is a $20.00 fee for a 6 month account. Please note: all requirements must be completed in mCE 3-4 weeks prior to the internship start date.

Pharmacy Internships

Pharmacy Internships require students to hold a valid Pharmacy Tech or Pharmacy Tech Training License . For more information, please visit the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy. The Pharm Tech License fee is $82.00.

Important Academic Credit Deadlines

Students interested in using an internship for academic credit are responsible for meeting compliance documentation deadlines.

Internship Course Semester	Pre-Internship Petition Deadline	Internship Learning Agreement Deadline
Spring 2026	Friday, Nov. 14, 2025	Monday, Jan. 5, 2026
Summer 2026	Monday, March 16, 2026	Monday, May 11, 2026
Fall 2026	Thursday, June 25, 2026	Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026
Spring 2027	Monday, Nov. 16, 2026	Monday, Jan.

Forms are found and submitted in the MyCHS Opportunities database.

Additional Information

Students may view the directory for internship opportunities.
We ask that students DO NOT CONTACT DIRECTORY SITES. The Pre-Health Internship Program partners with local companies, organizations and facilities and typically these internship opportunities will be presented to the student as an option, but students are not limited to those.
If an absence is anticipated, or tardiness occurs for any reason, a call to the facility is necessary. If the supervisor cannot be reached, a message should be left explaining the situation. Students should not ask for time off. Absences due to illness or unexpected events are acceptable. The time missed will need to be made up. The site supervisor will use discretion regarding time off. In addition, all students are governed by Rules and Regulations of Arizona State University.
The students are responsible for submiting all evaluations for completion. The PHIP Placement Specialists and the appropriate academic coordinator/faculty will evaluate the student’s performance based on the site evaluations and feedback received from the site supervisor/preceptor and any additional course assignments.
Based on the program in which a student is enrolled, the hours for an internship can range from 135-270. Students are placed during a 14 week semester for the Fall and Spring terms and an 8 week semester for the Summer term. Students average about 10-12 hours on site and are required to complete the hours for the entire duration of the semester. Schedules will be set with the Site Supervisor prior to beginning.

Importance of Volunteering

If you do not qualify or are not ready to pursue an internship, we encourage you to gain experience through volunteering.

ITA 350: Food and Culture: The Mediterranean Lifestyle in Italy (3 credits)

In 2013 the Mediterranean Diet of several countries, including Italy, was added to the list of UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Mediterranean Diet is described by UNESCO as “a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking, and particularly the sharing and consumption of food.” According to the United Nations, Italy also has one of the longest life expectancies in the world due in part to the health benefits of these same eating practices.

In this course, you will analyze the Mediterranean lifestyle (food and eating practices) in southern Italy from a historical/cultural, scientific, and sociological perspective. You will experience a regional subculture of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle in Italy through visits to food producers, farms, local markets, a traditional pizzeria, a cooking lesson, a dining experience with a family, and lectures/discussions with two food historians and nutritionists. AcademicsITA 350: Food and Culture: The Mediterranean Lifestyle in Italy (3 credits) (fulfills The College Science and Society requirement)Course FormatThe course will be taught via Canvas (ocourse/icourse) in Spring Session B leading up to the abroad portion at the end of the Spring semester 2025. Students participating on this program may wish to enroll in the Gateway to Italian course offered during the spring session B semester. This course is designed for non-speakers to gain basic language skills to help them during their study abroad experience.

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