Acute Care Internships
The acute care internship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania provides competency-based learning in the acute care setting for physical therapy students, beginning in the last year of academic instruction. The internship was developed in 2005 and has grown to include several universities.
The goal of the acute care internship is to develop clinicians who demonstrate excellence in clinical decision making, clinical care and an awareness of research opportunities in the adult acute care setting. The pre- and post-graduation educational model is unique to acute care learning/mentoring, which includes opportunities to work through rotations in the academic medical institution.
The acute care internship program bridges the final clinical education experience (pre-graduation phase) with the first three months of initial employment (post-graduation phase). This model allows the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to partner with academic programs to offer a unique experience pre-graduation, which is continued and enhanced at a post graduate level.
The pre-graduation phase takes place while the intern is a student and requires successful completion of the clinical education experience.
Following graduation, the intern returns to the facility for mentoring and work related experiences. The intern is hired as an employee and completes 20 hours per week of paid employment and 20 hours a week of mentor time. Mentored clinical experiences in oncology, neurology/neurosurgery, ICU, general medicine and cardiac medicine and surgery are offered to the intern.
At the end of the pre-and post-graduation phases, the new staff member has gained advanced acute care skills and competency.
Our faculty and leadership are committed to providing new graduates with unique opportunities for mentored learning and professional development using the best available evidence in patient care.
Are you interested in learning more about the acute care internship? Contact your adviser or academic coordinator of clinical education for more information.
Contact Information
For questions related to the Acute Care Internship, including the application process, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, please email Joe Adler.