by John E. Paul, PhD, Division Director, RTI-Health Solutions, Research
Triangle Park, NC, USA
OVERVIEW
Currently only a few students have the valuable opportunity to participate in
internship programs in pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research. In order to
understand existing programs better, and to encourage others to develop
internship opportunities, the ISPOR Institutional Council, in cooperation with
the ISPOR Student Council, conducted a web-based survey during September and
October 2002 of industry, research organizations, and consultant company ISPOR
members. Solicitations for responses were sent by e-mail to all non-academic
affiliated ISPOR members.
The survey had two goals:
- Gather data and characterize existing student
internship programs in pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, and outcomes
research; and
- Raise awareness of student internships as an
important way of encouraging and nourishing the field, with the goal of
increasing the availability of such opportunities.
Additionally, information from the survey will
help ISPOR determine the best way to encourage and support internship
opportunities among ISPOR member institutions.
For the purposes of the survey we defined an internship as a short-term,
experiential on-the-job training program (generally 8 to 10 weeks in the summer
or during a semester). Internships differ from fellowships in that they tend to
be more informal in their arrangements, and more ad hoc in the way they are set
up and run. Fellowships tend to be longer, involve more formal relationships
with universities or training sites, and focus more on post-doctoral training (PharmD,
PhD, or MD).
Internships, however, generally offer a great “win-win” situation for students
and employers alike. From the student’s perspective, internships provide a
better understanding of the demands of real-world jobs, and help ground their
ongoing education with real-world experience. From the employer’s perspective,
interns, who are generally energetic and well trained -- even if inexperienced
-- provide a great temporary source of manpower. Interns also offer a pool of
potential employees who could “hit the ground running” if permanent
opportunities with the company become available. Finally, even if the intern
takes employment elsewhere, a contact has been made, and the employer’s network
is expanded.
SURVEY RESULTS
Survey responses were partitioned into two groups: (1) those respondents whose
organizations have current student internship programs; and (2) those
respondents whose organizations do not currently have student internship
programs, but who are contemplating establishing such programs.
There were 44 respondents overall: 34 with current programs and 10 contemplating
establishing student internship programs. The universe of possible ISPOR
organizational respondents is about 100; only three companies were reported more
than once.
Organizations with Existing Internship Programs
Some of the key characteristics of the existing internship programs in
pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research include the following:
- More than half of the companies offering
internships have them US based only.
- The number of interns per company having
interns was between one and five, with the mean number being two.
- Internships are no longer summer only, with
over three-quarters of the companies accepting interns any time during the
year.
- In terms of recruitment, less than one-quarter
of the companies post opportunities on the company’s external web site;
however, over two-thirds of the companies would be interested in having them
posted on the ISPOR web site.
- About half the companies said they would be
interested in having ISPOR help coordinate a process to match prospective
student interns with possible internship sites.
- Interviews for intern positions are typically
required, and predominately done onsite at the company. Most companies will
reimburse for travel required for the interview.
- There are few opportunities for student with
less than master’s level training.
- Over half the existing student internship
programs are through established and ongoing arrangements with universities.
- Almost all current programs assign student
interns a mentor, or have special supervision and guidance for the interns.
- Over two-thirds of current internships are
paid; however very few companies reimburse for temporary relocation or housing
during the internship.
- The exposure of student interns appears broad
and comprehensive in terms of tasks assigned and outcome areas addressed.
Organizations Contemplating Internship
Programs
With respect to the 10 respondents representing companies interested in
internship programs in pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research but not currently
having them, there are some interesting differences:
- These companies tend to be US-based only and
have much smaller outcomes research departments than the companies with
current internship programs.
- They are almost unanimously interested in
ISPOR assistance in the identification, recruitment, and intern matching
process.
- Although interviews would be required as for
companies with current programs, the companies contemplating programs appear
more willing to have the interviews at mutually convenient sites, such as
ISPOR US/Europe meetings, as well as other venues, rather than exclusively at
the company site.
- There also seems to be a higher willingness
among those companies contemplating internships to reimburse for temporary
relocation during the internship.
CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS
The survey revealed considerable interest in internship programs in
pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research among ISPOR members. The next stage will
require moving from the description of “typical practices” as revealed through
this survey, to “best practices” as might be constructed by looking across the
range of responses. These “best practices” will then be used to support the
design and implementation of new student internship programs, which hopefully
will be increasingly offered by ISPOR organizational members.
There is also a complementary effort by the ISPOR Student Council to develop
student feedback and evaluation mechanisms for internship experiences that will,
in turn, further inform the “best practices” of the employer sites.
A clear supporting role for ISPOR is evident for (1) supporting organizations
wishing to establish internship programs; and (2) facilitating the
identification of interns and internship opportunities. One option would be
through the recently announced Intern-Professional Recruitment Assistance
Program (I-PRAP). I-PRAP is an on-line service available to ISPOR members where
students have the opportunity to search for available internship positions and
post their CVs/resumes, and employers have the opportunity to post their intern
positions and access CVs/resumes from interested students. For more information
on I-PRAP, see
http://www.ispor.org/iprap/index.asp.
The ISPOR Institutional Council hopes this survey and subsequent follow up
efforts will encourage the establishment of further internship opportunities in
pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research. If you have any questions, comments or
suggestions, please send them to
internship@ispor.org.
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