Navigating Internship Opportunities at Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) provides a variety of internship programs across diverse fields, from clinical psychology to healthcare administration and scientific research. These internships offer invaluable practical experience, skill development, and networking opportunities for students and graduates alike. This article explores the various internship options available at MGH and their specific requirements.

Research Internships in Neuroscience and Medicine

For individuals interested in neuroscience and medicine, research internships at MGH offer hands-on experience in a laboratory setting. Interns actively participate in experimental techniques, data collection, and learn the scientific principles behind the research.

Key Skills and Expectations

Practical Skills: Interns acquire skills directly applicable to neuroscience and medicine.
Communication: Close collaboration with other lab members necessitates strong communication skills.
Time Commitment: Post-graduates typically dedicate 30-40 hours per week for 9-12 months. A slower pace of 20 hours per week for at least one year may also be possible.
Financial Considerations: MGH does not offer stipends or housing for these internships. However, students are encouraged to seek stipends through their academic programs. Summer-only internships are not typically offered.

Opportunities for Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows

Medical Students: Starting in the first year of medical school is highly encouraged, as it allows for more time in the lab. While second-year students and beyond can participate, having their own project may not be feasible.
Residents and Fellows: These individuals should provide a vacation/travel schedule before joining the lab. They also gain hands-on skills in surgery, anesthesia, and critical care, which complements their clinical programs.

The Importance of Background and Opportunity

Personal background and access to resources play a significant role in pursuing unpaid internships. As an example, Beth, whose ancestors emigrated from England and Ireland, benefited from generational wealth that allowed her to volunteer in a lab during college, shaping her career path in science. Recognizing that not all students have this advantage, MGH supports initiatives like scholarships to provide paid internship opportunities.

Clinical Psychology Predoctoral Internship: Lifespan Health Elective

The Clinical Psychology Predoctoral Internship within the Lifespan Health Elective (formerly the Integrated Brain Health Elective) offers multidisciplinary training in mind-body interventions across the health-illness continuum.

Program Overview

Biopsychosocial Approach: The program emphasizes a biopsychosocial approach to prevention and treatment.
Multidisciplinary Partnerships: Interns work collaboratively across inpatient and outpatient medical and psychiatric settings, as well as community clinics.
Evidence-Based Interventions: Interns learn to deliver evidence-based interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and physical activity programs.
Diverse Populations: They gain experience working with diverse populations within randomized clinical trials and clinical settings.

History and Leadership

Founded in 2018 by Dr. Ana-Maria Vranceanu, the Lifespan Health Elective is part of the Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital (HMS/MGH) Clinical Psychology Predoctoral Internship Program. The program aims to foster clinical and research careers that integrate mind, brain, body, and behavior.

Training Opportunities

Training opportunities have expanded from a focus on chronic pain and neurological populations to include diverse medical settings (e.g., rehabilitation, neonatal intensive care, sports medicine, neurodegenerative illness clinics) and community settings (e.g., churches, underserved community clinics).

Desired Qualities in Candidates

Successful candidates demonstrate a commitment to clinical research through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, awards, or small grants. Completion (or near completion) of the dissertation is expected before starting the internship. The program is well-suited for those interested in an academic research career, intervention development and implementation, and team-based science.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

MGH strongly encourages applicants with diverse backgrounds to apply, valuing diversity, inclusion, and equity in all aspects of their work.

Required Internship Rotations

The internship includes several required rotations:

Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at Blake 11 (½ year): Conduct brief interventions for patients with acute psychiatric and/or co-morbid medical concerns, co-lead groups, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (½ year): Co-lead weekly DBT skills groups for patients with borderline personality disorder and attend weekly DBT team meetings.
Outpatient Psychiatry Department (1 year): Provide individualized evidence-based care using cognitive-behavioral approaches to patients with medical and/or psychological conditions.

Elective Internship Experiences

Elective experiences are assigned collaboratively with the intern and Dr. Vranceanu, and generally include 1-2 (full year) or 3-4 (half year) placements. Examples include:

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Chronic Pain, Aging, and/or Health Disparities:
- Active Brains (NIA R01): Deliver virtual group mind-body activity interventions to older adults with mild cognitive impairment and chronic pain.
- iHOPE (R01/R33): Deliver mind-body activity interventions (in English or Spanish) to older adults experiencing chronic musculoskeletal pain from a community health center.
- Comorbidity of Chronic Pain and Early Cognitive Decline Among Older, Community-Based Black Adults (PCORI): Deliver culturally adapted mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and physical activity interventions for older Black adults with chronic pain and depression.
Geropsychology:
- Spaulding Nursing and Therapy Center Brighton: Serve as the lead behavioral health clinician in a post-acute/subacute rehabilitation setting for medically complex older adults.
- Caregiving Clinic: Deliver outpatient evidence-based psychological treatments for care partners and dyads managing neurodegenerative conditions.
Acute Injuries and/or Illnesses in Medical Settings:
- Recovering Together (NINR R01): Deliver brief resiliency interventions for patients with acute brain injuries and their family caregivers.
- Toolkit for Optimal Recovery (NCCIH U01/R01): Deliver individual mind-body live video interventions with patients with orthopedic acute pain at risk for chronic pain.

Research Opportunities

Interns receive protected time to complete dissertation projects, write manuscripts, and prepare small grants, with support to develop new research collaborations.

Mentoring and Supervision

Effective mentoring is a key component, with interns receiving career planning and additional mentoring in specific areas of research.

Postdoctoral Training Opportunities

Outstanding interns may have the option to transition to a clinical research postdoctoral fellowship. Lifespan Health interns have also been successful in securing T32 postdoctoral fellowships.

Alumni Success

Graduates of the program have secured postdoctoral fellowships at CHOIR, NIH T32 fellowships at HMS/MGH, staff/faculty positions at MGH/HMS, MASS-ENVISION RCMAR pilot funding, NIH diversity supplements, NIH Loan Repayment Awards, and K23 Early Career Development Awards.

Healthcare Policy and Research Internship

The research intern will be an integral part of the HPRIR team, and they will work under the supervision of study Principal Investigators and Project Managers. This position is an excellent opportunity for those interested in gaining experience in the conduct of clinical research, particularly the areas of cancer survivorship, mind-body interventions, and health psychology.

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Administrative Internships

Massachusetts General Hospital offers administrative internships for master’s degree students interested in hospital leadership.

Program Structure

Department Placement: Interns are assigned to a specific MGH department for the summer.
Preceptors: An Administrative or Executive Director serves as a preceptor, providing learning opportunities based on departmental priorities and the student’s interests.
Regular Meetings: Interns meet regularly with their preceptor(s) to discuss their progress.

Application Process

Timeline: Zoom interviews are conducted in late November, final panel interviews in mid-December, and offers are sent by early January.
Start Date: The internship begins the day following Memorial Day.
Duration: The minimum internship length is 10 weeks.
Required Materials: Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume.

Internship Experience

The program fosters camaraderie among interns through meetings, program events, networking opportunities, and social outings. This strengthens their peer professional network and builds a tight-knit community.

Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery (CEMS) Summer Academy Program

The CEMS offers a Summer Academy Program for undergraduate and medical students studying biology, biomedical engineering, pre-med, and related fields.

Program Focus

Application-Oriented Research: The program provides students with the chance to perform application-oriented, cutting-edge research.
Increased Competitiveness: It aims to increase students' competitiveness for future education.
Supervision: Every intern is assigned to a post-doctoral fellow for supervision.
Interaction and Presentation: Interns are expected to attend meetings and present their results at the end of the internship.
Journal Club: Weekly journal club meetings are conducted, where interns prepare and present on topics of their interest under the supervision of fellows.

Selection Process

Selected applicants should be prepared for in-person interviews where prospective mentors meet with candidates.

ATP-Bio Engineering Research Center Internship

ATP-Bio, a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) co-led by the University of Minnesota and Massachusetts General Hospital, offers internship opportunities focused on biopreservation.

Research Focus

Engineering research in ATP-Bio aims to eliminate or mitigate the challenges of biopreservation: ice formation, cryoprotective agent (CPA) toxicity, and slow/non-uniform rewarming.

Eligibility

Currently enrolled students in a 4-year university or community college planning to major in a science discipline (engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or related fields) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply.

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