Navigating Internships for Biology Majors: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

For biology majors, internships provide invaluable real-world experience, supplementing academic coursework and enhancing career prospects. This article explores the significance of internships, resources for finding them, and how to integrate them into your academic plan to maximize their benefit. Getting professional experience as an undergraduate is essential for succeeding in your future career. Even spending a few hours a week engaged in the right activities can have a great deal of value over multiple years. Biology and zoology students can engage in a wealth of professionally relevant opportunities through volunteering and internships.

The Importance of Internships

Internships and experiential learning opportunities are important ways to gain experience in your desired field before you graduate. Participating in a biology-related internship, whether it is arranged with a government agency, non-profit organization, for-profit business, or other entity, counts as advanced biology credit when a BIOL 4940 is arranged in conjunction with the experience. An internship consists of spending time gaining biologically relevant experience. It may involve working as a technician for Idaho Department of Fish and Game, shadowing a physician, working in a research lab, being an undergraduate teaching assistant, or any of many other possibilities.

Benefits of Internships

Career Exploration: Internships allow students to explore different career paths within biology, such as research, healthcare, environmental science, or biotechnology.
Skill Development: Interns develop practical skills relevant to their field, including laboratory techniques, data analysis, fieldwork methods, and communication skills.
Networking: Internships provide opportunities to build professional relationships with mentors, supervisors, and colleagues, expanding their network for future career opportunities.
Resume Enhancement: Completing internships strengthens a student's resume, making them a more competitive applicant for jobs and graduate programs.
Academic Credit: Many biology programs offer academic credit for internships, allowing students to integrate their practical experience into their degree requirements.
Real World Experience: This supplements their academic course work at Iowa State University with "real world" experience that will make a student a more desirable and competitive applicant for post-graduate studies and future careers.

Finding Internship Opportunities

Finding an internship can be a challenge, but there are several resources available to help. Students can always talk with their advisor about opportunities they are aware of. The following resources for internship hunting are suggested as well. Who is responsible for finding you an internship? You are. You can get help from your advisor to find one, from your instructors, and from friends. If you know someone working in the field that you want to intern in, start there. It is important to realize that no one is going to plop an internship opportunity in front of you, no one is going to require that you partake in an internship experience, and no one is going to do the paperwork necessary for you to receive internship credit. Talk to potential internship sponsors until you find one willing to take you on and one with whom you want to work.

University Resources:

Career Services: Career centers at universities provide resources such as resume workshops, mock interviews, and internship databases. Iowa State University Resources Career Fairs Career Services - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Career Services - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences CyHire.
Academic Advisors: Advisors can offer guidance on finding internships related to your specific interests and academic goals. Talk to your academic advisor about how internships can fit into your academic plan and your ultimate career goals.
Departmental Listings: Biology departments often maintain lists of internship opportunities and share them with students through email listservs or online postings. Finding volunteering and internship positions Current opportunities shared with integrative biology faculty are posted to the biology and zoology major listserv, and all students also have free access to additional listings and OSU student jobs on Handshake through the Career Development Center. The resources below list volunteer and internship sites and programs that our students have been involved with in the past. Students should use these resources as a place to start searching, and the Career Development Center and your advisor can be helpful in preparing for and navigating your search.
Faculty Connections: Professors may have connections with local organizations or research institutions offering internship opportunities.

External Resources:

Online Databases: Websites like Handshake, Indeed, LinkedIn, and university job boards list internships in various fields, including biology.
Professional Organizations: Organizations such as the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the Ecological Society of America (ESA) may offer internship listings or career resources for students.
Government Agencies: Federal and state agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and state departments of natural resources offer internships related to biology.
Research Institutions: Universities, research centers, and private companies often have summer research programs or internships for undergraduate students. Back to Browse by Field of StudyBiologySummer camps, research internships, REU programs, scholarships, fellowships, and postdoctoral positions in Biology. Can't find what you are looking for?

Specific Internship Programs:

REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) Programs: Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), REU programs offer summer research opportunities for undergraduates at universities across the country. • SENIC REU ProgramThe SENIC REU program consists of an intensive 10 week summer research experience at the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Georgia Institu …
Amgen Scholars Program: This program provides research opportunities in biotechnology for undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in biological and biomedical sciences. • Amgen Scholars ProgramThe Amgen Scholars Program is designed to recruit exceptional students interested in careers in biological and biomedical sciences with an intensive 1 …
CanSUR Program: A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded program focused on cancer research for undergraduate students. • CanSUR ProgramCancer-focused Summer Undergraduate Research (CanSUR) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded program meant to generate excitement in highly m … Don Danforth Plant Science Center (St.
Young Scholars Program: A summer program for high school students in Florida with interest in science and mathematics. • Young Scholars ProgramThe Young Scholars Program (YSP) is a six-week residential science and mathematics summer program for Florida high school students with significant po … Ann & Robert H.

Volunteering:

Biology and zoology students can engage in a wealth of professionally relevant opportunities through volunteering.

Integrating Internships into Your Academic Plan

You should sign up for credits during the time period that you will be doing the work. What exactly is an internship? An internship consists of spending time gaining biologically relevant experience. If you want to receive college credit and want the internship appear on your transcript, you must sign up for internship credit through the biology department (see “how” below).

Academic Credit for Internships

Many biology programs allow students to earn academic credit for internships. Here's how it typically works:

Eligibility: Students must meet certain criteria, such as being in good academic standing and having completed specific prerequisite courses.
Application Process: Students typically need to submit a proposal outlining their internship responsibilities, learning objectives, and how the experience relates to their academic goals.
Faculty Sponsor: A faculty member serves as a mentor and oversees the student's progress during the internship.
Credit Hours: The number of credits awarded depends on the duration and intensity of the internship, with a typical range of 1 to 4 credits. You can sign up for 1 credit per 50 hours of internship work. It is best to be a bit conservative, making sure that you can easily work the hours required. Remember, though, that it is the experience that matters, not the credit. You can count a total of four internship credits towards upper division biology elective credit for your biology degree (that’s almost 10% of your total required biology credits). If you receive additional internship credits, they can be used as free electives towards your total of 128 credits required to graduate.
Requirements: BIOL 4940 courses are taken for 1 to 2 credits, typically in the fall following a summer internship experience. The BIOL 4940 course is repeatable, but only 6 credits may be applied as advanced biology coursework, and no more than 9 may be applied towards graduation. The number of credits received depends on the activities agreed upon by the BIOL 494 instructor and the student. A maximum of 7 credits total from BIOL 4800, BIOL 4810, BIOL 4900, BIOL 4910, BIOL 4940, and BIOL 4990 can be applied towards advanced biology course requirements
Assignments: Students may be required to submit progress reports, write a final paper, or give a presentation on their internship experience. Progress Reports: progress reporting will assist you in evaluating your overall Internship experience as well as documenting work information that may be helpful for future interviews. Final Report: this report is submitted to the Internship Coordinator within 10 days of the completion of your internship. There is a specific guideline for each internship level (BIOL-293, BIOL-493). Performance Evaluation: your internship supervisor can offer valuable insight into your preparation and performance during your internship. Each type of internship report is available to be saved as a Word file. Select a report, then “save file as” a Word document on your computer.

Steps to Receiving Credit:

Identify and secure a suitable internship opportunity (often months before it starts).
Identify a Biology faculty member to serve as the BIOL 4940 instructor (generally Dr. Warchola)
Sign a contract with the instructor specifying the number of credits, due dates, and so forth; turn this in to Dr.
Fill out the form with the help of your advisor.
A contract for the BIOL 4940 internship must be completed and turned in to Dr. Warchola (Bessey 135) before the start of the internship. As part of this contract, the student and Dr. Warchola will decide whether the course will be graded or taken satisfactory/fail. The format and topics of the poster and journal, as well as deadlines for submission, are set by the BIOL 4940 instructor in consultation with the student. Students typically register for the BIOL 4940 the semester immediately following the internship experience (i.e., for a summer internship experience, students register for BIOL 4940 in the fall).BIOL 4940_contract.pdf

Activities for Credit:

1 credit. Students complete a daily journal documenting and reflecting on the activities of the internship experience. They also develop an electronic poster related to the experience. The poster theme is determined by the student and the instructor; the theme should be either a biological topic related to the internship, or a descriptive overview of the internship duties and experiences.
2 credits. In addition to completing the journal and poster, students taking a BIOL 4940 for 2 credits write a research paper (approximately 10 pages, with references) on a topic related to the internship. The paper topic and format must be approved by the instructor.

Elective Credits

If you receive additional internship credits, they can be used as free electives towards your total of 128 credits required to graduate.

Internship Checklist

Biology Internship ChecklistIdentify and secure a suitable internship opportunity (often months before it starts)Identify a Biology faculty member to serve as the BIOL 4940 instructor (generally Dr. Warchola)Sign a contract with the instructor specifying the number of credits, due dates, and so forth; turn this in to Dr.

Types of Internships

Internships can be broadly categorized based on their focus:

Research Internships: These involve working in a laboratory or field setting, assisting with research projects, collecting data, and analyzing results.
Clinical Internships: These offer exposure to healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, or private practices, where students can shadow healthcare professionals and learn about patient care.
Environmental Internships: These focus on conservation, ecology, and environmental management, with opportunities to work in national parks, wildlife refuges, or environmental organizations. Internships by Content Ecology/Environmental Focused Internships
Science Communication Internships: These involve writing, editing, and communicating scientific information to the public through various media, such as websites, magazines, or social media. Science Policy, Writing and Education Internships
Industry Internships: These provide experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or agricultural companies, where students can learn about product development, quality control, and regulatory affairs.

Additional Opportunities

Integrative biology opportunitiesIntegrative biology undergraduate teaching: Corvallis and Ecampus students can seek credit for teaching opportunities in biology and zoology courses. Most Corvallis student opportunities are in the BI 22xZ series, but the human anatomy series and others are possible options. Ecampus students can assist with the online BI 20x series. Contact instructors or see the BI 309/409 Teaching Practicum Credit Form for details and contacts.OSU biological collections: Corvallis students can seek credit for assisting with curatorial projects in the Oregon State Arthropod Collection or the OSU Herpetological Collection, both managed by integrative biology faculty, as well as several other biological collections at OSU. See the BI 406 Curatorial Assistant Credit Form for details and contacts.OSU IE3 international Internships: Corvallis and Ecampus students can participate in a variety of approved international internships (and other study abroad) for OSU credit.OSU Medical Preceptorship (SCI 410): Corvallis pre-medical students can participate in this intensive medical shadowing experience for qualified juniors and seniors.Undergraduate research-focused opportunitiesExternal opportunitiesCorvallis and Ecampus students can pursue volunteering and internship positions in a variety of private sector, government, non-profits and other contexts. The lists below can assist with looking at options, though it is local to regional in focus.

Tips for a Successful Internship

Start Early: Begin your internship search well in advance, as some programs have early application deadlines.
Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume and cover letter to highlight your skills and experiences relevant to the specific internship.
Network: Attend career fairs, talk to professors, and connect with professionals in your field to learn about internship opportunities.
Be Proactive: Take initiative during your internship, ask questions, and seek out opportunities to learn and contribute.
Reflect on Your Experience: After your internship, reflect on what you learned, what skills you developed, and how the experience has shaped your career goals. In addition, when your internship is finished, you will need to fill out an evaluation of your internship.

Beyond Internships: Additional Opportunities

A person’s college years can be one of the most exciting chapters in a life story, and a major reason for that is the sheer quantity of opportunities available to take advantage of. The Biology Program encourages students to actively engage with campus activities beyond the classroom to learn new skills, make connections, and have fun!

Read also: Unlock summer legal internships

Learning Communities

For more than twenty years, the Biology Program has offered a learning community to engage incoming first-year students with our major and assist with college adjustment. Learn more about our Biology Education Success Team (BEST).Students can be part of more than one learning community, and these communities may also be of interest to Biology majors:Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE)BOLD Learning Community

Student Organizations

Iowa State University is home to hundreds of student organizations which provide opportunities for social engagement, professional development, and leadership experiences. Students in the Biology Program can participate in our Biological Sciences Club to network with other Biology majors. Other clubs of interest to many of our students include various pre-professional clubs (e.g., Pre-Medical Professions Club, Pre-Pharmacy Club, Pre-Veterinary Club), additional biology-related academic clubs (e.g., Genetics Club, Iowa State Environmental Science Club, Psychology Club), and various recreation clubs (e.g., Fishing Club, Martial Arts Club).

Field Trip Courses and Study Abroad

Field trip courses offered by the Biology Program provide a unique opportunity for students to learn about biology through hands-on experience. These experiences may be within North America (BIOL 393) or international (BIOL 394), and count directly towards biology degree requirements as advanced coursework. We currently offer a couple trips in marine biology, an exploration of the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, and trips to Valencia, Spain. More information on our field trip courses and study abroad.

Research

As a major research university, there are plenty of opportunities for students to engage in research during their undergraduate studies. Learn more about research opportunities in biology at Iowa State.

Teaching

Being a skilled communicator is among the most employable qualities, and teaching experiences help cultivate such skills. More information about teaching opportunities.

Scholarships

Many scholarships are available to assist students in paying for college.

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