BIOL3939: Biology Internship

1. BIOL3939: Biology Internship  Which biology students should participate? What are the academic requirements? What is the process? What is the academic rigor? How do I get started? Examples of Opportunities & Student Testimonials

2. Which biology students should participate? • Students that are highly motivated andenthusiastic • Students that have a strong desire to enter a biology-related career post graduation • Students that want to determine if a particular career path is a good fit prior to entering into the ‘real world’ • Students that want to enhance their resume pre-graduation • Students that want to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to a hands-on, real-life biological experience BIOL3939: Biology Internship

3. What are the academic requirements? • GPA of > 2.75 • Biology major of junior or senior rank • A minimum of 15 credit hours at CU Denver with at least 12 credits in biology • - General Biology I & II are required • - Additional courses may be required at the discretion of the site supervisor BIOL3939: Biology Internship

4. What is the process? • Meet with Experiential Learning Center (ELC) Advisor • Fulfill ELC requirements and register as an intern • Work with an ELC Advisorto find an internship • Apply for a position, interview with the site supervisor, complete the Learning Agreement outlining duties and responsibilities of the position • Meet with Dr. Bernardto obtain approval for credit through the Department of Integrative Biology • Begin hands-on, real-life biological experience! BIOL3939: Biology Internship

5. What is the academic rigor? • Several academic assessments designed to: • increase biological knowledge relevant to the internship • to improve oral and written communication skills • Detailed lab notebook or daily journal documenting the techniques and/or biological knowledge acquired • Two review-style papers on a biologically appropriate topic relevant to the internship experience • Powerpoint presentation in class at the end of the semester BIOL3939: Biology Internship

6. What are some examples of opportunities? • Denver Office of the Medical Examiner • Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office • Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes • Denver Zoo • CU Anschutz Medical Campus Department of Neurology, Radiology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Cardiology, and more • Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center • Swedish Medical Center Neurotrauma Department • CU Children’s Hospital Department of Pediatrics & Emergency • IGES Inc. - Intermountain GeoEnvironmental Services, Inc BIOL3939: Biology Internship

7. Student Testimonial – Physician Assistant I would highly recommend this experience to students who would like a more competitive application for graduate programs or medical school because it demonstrates the drive to expand your education beyond general coursework. • My internship was a valuable tool through hands-on experience and mentorship, in confirming my decision to continue a career in physician assistant studies. • The liberty to choose my own research topics for course-related assignments was an amazing opportunity to promote self-directed learning. Meili Madrigal

8. I highly recommend an internship to anyone that wants to gain scientific experience outside of the classroom. • The course assignments challenged me in my research and writing abilities by leading me to seek out more primary research articles for my sources. Student Testimonial – Radiology Department • The ability to read and understand primary literature is a valuable skill to have, and I owe it to this internship for making that possible for me. • Academic internships provide students with real-life experience, improvement of writing and public speaking skills, and a greater understanding of biological systems through practical work. Jared Colon

9. Student Testimonial – Neurology Department This course greatly improved my scientific writing skills as well as my presentation skills.  What I have gained through taking this course is going to help me in my future career more than I could have ever imagined. April Rempel April Rempel • I have gained so much knowledge about biomedical research and learned many lab techniques that are vital for any individual interested in a health career to know and fully understand. • The skills I gained and the connections I have made through my internship have been a paramount experience in my path to becoming a physician.

10. Student Testimonial – Dental Clinic • Overall, the knowledge I have gained from this internship is irreplaceable and the experience has confirmed my decision to follow a career path into dentistry. • I highly recommend an internship to students who want to challenge themselves in a fun way within a field they desire to learn more about. • This internship course was an exciting and well-rounded educational experience that gave me the opportunity to network with professionals. • The course curriculum challenged me to seek out a wide variety of information, which contributed to a higher degree of understanding of dental diseases and prevention Desmond Zoller

11. Student Testimonial – Molecular Genetics My internship in a molecular genetics lab was the highlight of my undergraduate education - one of the most informative experiences I have ever had. Everyone should participate in an internship before they finish school. • My internship has been an intense experience but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a real eye-opener to the inner-workings of a research laboratory and the rigors involved in research. • I have several marketable skills now as a lab tech and reinforced knowledge on genetics and molecular biology.After graduation, I can take these skills to any lab I want and get a job. Jordan Spalding Jordan Spalding

12. Student Testimonial – Children’s Hospital ER • Successfully completing an internship can help set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate that you have experience in your desired field and are passionate about pursuing it. • Working with an expert in a particular field and being able to ask them questions is truly a privilege. • Internships have an academic aspect that serves to help understand the biology underlying the intern’s work. • Biology internships improve your research, writing, and public speaking skills. Writing academic review papers exposes interns to the world of research while simultaneously increasing proficiency as a scientific writer. Kirsten Risley

13. Student Testimonial – Maternal Fetal Medicine The biology internship proved invaluable in both the academic and career settings as I gained confidence in both my professional endeavors and myself. • The internship provided me theopportunity to work directly with an active research team while interacting with nurses and physicians at the University of Colorado Hospital. • Through the course assessments, presentations and scientific writing, I acquired the skills necessary to translate the importance of scientific knowledge to diverse audiences. Anne Mailhot

14. Student Testimonial – Neurosurgery Lab • My BIOL3939 experience was invaluable as it allowed me to network with professionals in my field of interest, which led to opportunities to further my research career. • The internship experience allowed me to apply my traditional classroom education - facts became concepts. • The experience gave me direction and has opened doors to build my CV to make me a competitive applicant for graduate school. • The academic requirements for the course should not to be over-looked. After this course I was able to read and write journal articles and stand in front of group of my peers and coherently present scientific data. Jason Karimy

15. My internship was an amazingly helpful experience in that it brought classroom information to life in a hands-on way. • My internship experience also gave meextensive one-on-one time with the person teaching me – my site supervisor. Student Testimonial – Radiology Department • My supervisor was immensely helpful in explaining protocols, providing background research, and walking me through all steps of the scientific process. • The academic assessments required by Dr. Bernard were exceedingly helpful to me. The familiarity with scientific publications that I gained as a result of my internship experience has put me ahead of my peers in other upper division science classes. Heather Hanke

16. Interested? • Check out the ‘Biology Internship’ link on the CU Denver website • Contact Dr. Aimee Bernard in the Department of Integrative Biology to learn more • Aimee.Bernard@ucdenver.edu • Make an appointment with an Internship Advisor at the Experiential Learning Center to register as an intern and access opportunities on ‘Intern Link’ • Get started today! BIOL3939: Biology Internship