As a third-year pharmacy student, it's been an interesting time "in limbo" as I finish off my classroom training and prepare for APPE rotations. During this time, I have been reflecting on the activities and experiences I have been a part of throughout the last two years and which ones have helped me to mature as a student pharmacist. Of all the various things that I have participated in, my internship this past summer jumps out at me. I strongly believe that participating in an internship program is a truly unique and valuable experience that all students should take advantage of. Being immersed in an internship program is one of the best opportunities to apply your classroom knowledge to the outside world and to explore your future as a pharmacist.
When deciding which internships to apply to, it's important to use all of your resources! The SSHP chapter at our school has created an internship directory with information from older students about their internship experiences- if your school does not have this resource, don't be afraid to ask older students as well as faculty. There is such a diverse array of internship programs that pharmacy students can engage in- from community to hospital to research to industry- so be sure to do your own research and look around at what opportunities are out there.
Once you've narrowed down which programs you are interested in, here are some tips for your application:
1. Seek out letter writers ASAP! For P1s, it's ok to reach out to people from your undergraduate career like research mentors, professors, employers, etc. but if you've already made solid connections in pharmacy school, then definitely use those to your advantage. Ask your letter writers well before the deadline so that they have plenty of time and do not feel rushed.
2. Polish your CV. Be sure that you are always consistently editing your CV so that when you have to turn it in for something like this, you don’t have to force yourself to go back and remember everything you did.
3. Recruit proofreaders to read over your letter of intent, essays, CV, etc. The more set of eyes, the better! Make sure you format your letter of intent correctly- letters of intent can be foreign to younger students, so look at examples before you dive in. Always remember to not only talk about how the internship will benefit you but also how YOU will benefit them and why their internship program in particular is a great fit for you.
4. Ask older students who have completed an internship to do a mock interview with you. A lot of programs do phone or Skype interviews, which can be scary if you have never done one before, so make sure you practice!
Most of all, be confident in what you've accomplished! You are in pharmacy school for a reason- your school found something unique and great about you, so don't be afraid to sell yourself and show internship programs why you would be a great addition to their program.