Practicum & Internship Requirements

Health Information Management Professional Practice & Internships

During the fall and spring semesters of your senior year, HIM students spend several hours each week rotating through two professional practice experience sites selected from area hospitals.

You should purchase a red/black polo shirt with the name of the college and program. Khaki slacks must be worn with this shirt.

Management Internship

During the spring semester, senior students participate in a management internship in order to gain additional administrative experiences. This four-week internship consists of a two-week period of learning supervisory and managerial skills in a healthcare setting, plus two weeks of experiences. 

The third week of management internship will provide exposure to a non-traditional setting, such as a physician’s office, billing company, consulting company, etc.  The fourth week consists of various activities such as guest speakers, online activities, and meetings.

This internship is designed to complement the two professional practice experience courses and further prepare you for entry into the working world.

Students are responsible for all costs associated with the management internship. This includes transportation to and from the management internship hospital, lodging, meals, and any other costs incurred. We highly recommend that students financially prepare for internship early.

Health Services Administration Internship

During the Spring semester of the senior year, Health Services Administration students spend two days per week during regular business hours at a health care facility to complete the requirements for the internship experience course HSA 409: Capstone Seminar.

During your internship, you are introduced to the health care environment and daily responsibilities of a health care professional. You will work very closely with management/administration of a facility shadowing employees, going to meetings, working on projects, etc. 

Ideally, you’ll work at your internship Tuesday and Thursday each week, however, depending on the preceptor and site location, those days could change. You are required to complete all Internship Experience scheduled hours on two days per week. You are responsible for all costs incurred with the Internship Experience such as transportation, meals, parking, drug screen, background check, etc.  Students are also responsible for any costs incurred while on field trips to area facilities.

Students can intern at a variety of health care sites.  Including, but not limited to:

• Hospitals
• Physician Offices
• Health Care Staffing agencies
• Medical Billing companies
• Not-for-profit Foundations
• Free Health Care Clinics