Health sciences senior Kathryn Katz aspires to become a physician assistant, and she’s using her time at UCF to learn how to better assist the special populations she’ll encounter as a healthcare professional.
“I chose CECO mainly because I’ve never worked with kids with special needs before,” says Katz, who is spending her spring semester interning at the Conductive Education Center of Orlando, or CECO. The Center provides educational and life-skills programs for individuals with neurological motor disabilities. Katz works alongside staff there to teach daily living skills and help build mobility and independence.
She shares her experience on Knight Life @UCFCHPS, a video series that provides an inside perspective on student life at the College of Health Professions and Sciences by highlighting internships, research, study abroad, specialized courses, student organizations and other high impact practices in place to help students succeed.
Katz is one of 107 students in the health sciences major who participated in an internship for credit during the academic year. Health sciences students can select from 30 different community partners that offer a total of 50 internship opportunities with companies that range from healthcare providers to wellness nonprofits to community foundations.
The number of internship positions available for students in health sciences has grown by 20% over the last year, says Erin Rolle, who serves as the internship experiences coordinator. “Internships help students develop valuable hands-on experience, start to apply knowledge learned in the classroom and offer the chance to network with professionals in the field,” says Rolle. “For many students, this experience will help shape their career.”
Interns must complete at least 80 hours at the assigned internship site and course assignments to earn three credit hours. Applications for Fall 2023 internships are currently open and being accepted through May 15.
