Securing an Internship Site

Step 1: Self-Assessment

What types of internships are available for sports and exercise science majors? Completing a self-assessment of your interests, circumstances and career goals can help you to narrow down your options in order to secure an internship that more closely aligns with your specific needs. The majority of students (95%) who complete their internship are offered employment. Therefore, the internships you look into should meet both short-term and long-term goals. Also consider how far you are able to travel to your internship in comparison to time needed to complete course work for other courses, accommodate work schedule or to address other obligations. Although uncommon, there are instances where an internship is posted as a paid position. These can be important factors to consider as you focus on your options.

Field of Study, Internship Opportunities

A variety of professions in the field of sports and exercise science are provided below. A database with information regarding approved internship sites that relate to each of those subfields is available to students upon request (see capstone instructor). Students are encouraged to meet with other department/university faculty to include use of career related services to help identify potential internship sites. Students may also request an internship site that is not listed in the database.  However, approval for such requests are evaluated on a “case by case” basis.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

This internship prepares the student to work in a cardiac rehabilitation setting with patients that arerecovering after having a heart attack and/or recovering from an angioplasty or bypass surgery, however the patients are still at a high risk of secondary disease. Depending on the site you choose, different experiences are appropriate and are reflected in the internship goals and objectives. The experiences may include patient education, dynamic and static ECG interpretation, exercise prescriptions, graded exercise stress testing, and Phase I, II, and III leadership and education. The education needed to be able to work in this environment is a strong knowledge of ECG skills, blood pressure assessment, and exercise prescription. Upon completion of this internship you should be prepared to take the ACSM Certified Exercise Specialist Exam.

Chiropractic

This internship gives the student an in‐depth view of the chiropractic occupation. The student will observe spinal manipulation. In addition, the intern will observe and participate in patient evaluation and set up for manipulation, office management, and depending on the location additional experience such as x‐ray interpretation or sport performance evaluations. This experience will help a student determine if chiropractic is an appropriate career choice.

Clinical Exercise Physiology

This internship gives the student the possibility of a variety of clinical experiences. The student will be able to work with a variety of populations. These may include patients with COPD, cancer, diabetes, heart disease (some cardiac rehab), multiple sclerosis, obesity, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease, etc. The population will depend on the site the student selects. The skills the student should develop during this opportunity are exercise prescription for clinical populations, adaptation of exercise testing, exercise progression, and exercise leadership for the particular population. After this internship the student is prepared to take the ACSM Certified Exercise Specialist Exam.

Sports Performance/Strength & Conditioning

This internship is similar to community fitness/personal training, but focuses on sport strength and conditioning for athletes. This internship can be done in a college/school setting or private facility. The internship should prepare a student to work as strength and conditioning coach for a professional sports team, a university, or a private facility. The experiences and skills acquired working in this setting are exercise testing and prescription for athletic performance enhancement. At the conclusion of this internship the student should be prepared to take the NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Exam.

Medical Fitness Facilities

This internship is similar to the community fitness/personal training and clinical exercise physiology. Hospitals are providing fitness facilities and programming for their community but with the advantage of a medical staff available to the members when necessary. The internship will provide experience in exercise testing and prescription for clients ranging from apparently healthy to a variety of clinical patients. They will also be assisting with daily facility operations, program development and implementation, facilitating health education classes and assisting with employee and community health fairs and screenings. Some facilities also serve as the wellness program for all hospital employees along with the community programming.

Community Fitness/Personal Training

This internship prepares the student to work in a job with relatively healthy children, adults, or seniors as a Personal Trainer. This internship can be accomplished in a for‐profit fitness facility, a not‐for‐profit facility such as CU’s Aggie Recreation Center, or a community organization such as the YMCA. The skills developed by the student should include fitness assessment, exercise prescription and programming, body fat analysis, coaching behavior change, and development of interpersonal relationship skills. After this internship the student should be able to take a Personal Training Certification exam including those presented by ACE, ACSM and NSCA.

Health Promotion Planning

This internship provides the student with experience planning, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs in a variety of different content areas. Content areas may include: fitness, nutrition, environmental health, lung health, HIV/AIDS, and Senior Health. Interns may work in a hospital, private facility, non‐profit agency, or regional health agency. Experiences may include: conducting needs assessments, researching best practices, attending coalition meetings, marketing programs, and program evaluation. Students will also develop skills working in groups and communication.

Nutrition Education/Programming

This internship provides the student with experience working with children or adults. Internships are available in the schools and non‐profit organizations teaching children basic nutrition education and cooking skills. Community internships are available working with healthy adults and adults with diabetes. Experiences may include assisting with program planning, marketing, and evaluation. Interns may also assist with teaching nutrition classes and coordinating nutrition campaigns and activities.

Wellness Coaching

This internship gives students experience working individually with clients on improving personal wellness. This may include helping clients reach their goals regarding: stress management, nutrition, time management, and physical fitness. The experiences may include: weekly meetings with clients, goal setting, program planning, marketing, and program evaluation. The skills needed to work in this environment include goal setting and motivational interviewing. Interns also need to have knowledge in personal and community health.

Worksite Wellness/Corporate Fitness Instructor

This internship gives students experience in working with a variety of worksites with emphasis in wellness and benefits packages. The package benefits range and are coordinated by the worksite wellness supervisor run from health promotion, to corporate fitness facilities/programming to medical management of the health benefits package. It can be facilitated within the facility or be managed by an outside entity such as a YMCA. There is more emphasis on health promotion programs for employees within the company, i.e., programs like stress management, blood pressure screening and watching of cholesterol levels, or smoking cessation just to name a few. Often the focus will be assessing the Return on Investment (ROI) of the employee health benefits package. If the facility includes an onsite fitness center the intern will also be exposed to exercise testing and prescription for the employees who participate. This internship should prepare a student to work in a worksite wellness program.

Step 2: Research and Network

Once you determine what type of internship you are looking for, search for those opportunities by researching specific career-related links to review company profiles.  Additionally, networking with faculty and career services may help you to secure an internship that isn’t posted or to secure a new internship position.

Step 3: Gather Information

When researching company profiles who may not provide information about potential internship opportunities, you should contact their human resources department to ask if they offer internships.  At that time, let them know that you are interested in the company and ask if it would be possible to set up an informational meeting (i.e. email, phone or in person).  If no internships are available, keep in mind that the majority of companies are not willing to create a new internship position due to the amount of work and commitment required by the site supervisor. This is one instance where networking is important as a few of those companies will make exceptions based on recommendations from employers they trust.

Additional information that may be needed to secure an internship includes the following:

• Cover letter and resume
• Application
• Interview (phone/in-person)
• Require professional references (faculty, work etc…)

Step 4: Preparation

Since the internship experience is considered one of the most important steps in professional preparation of graduates in transitioning directly into the workforce, internship sites and site supervisors must receive a met rating on all of the following criteria in order for the student to receive approval to complete internship experience at the requested site. This includes your understanding of the internship process and your responsibility in providing the potential internship site/supervisor with the documents needed, Internship Manual, Site Supervisor to make an informed decision (i.e. expectations, requirements and time commitment).

Internship Site

1. The site must have a desire to participate in an educational program for the purpose of improving the preparation of health, sports, or fitness promotion personnel.
2. There must be evidence of sound professional philosophy in the site’s operational policies and procedures.
3. The site must have sound administrative procedures including adequate financial budget and personnel policies.
4. The site must have adequate facilities and equipment to conduct a broad and varied program.
5. The site must have capable staff qualified through both education and experience to supervise student interns.
6. The site should provide the student with a desk and/or work space.
7. The site is not required to pay a monetary stipend to the intern; however, due to the small supply of students versus the number of potential internship sites, a stipend would be a very helpful recruiting tool.

Site Supervisor

The site supervisor will serve as a site-based facilitator who offers instruction, guidance, constructive feedback, and overall supervision to the intern while utilizing the site’s facility to further enhance the student’s professional competence.

1. Challenge the student with meaningful and appropriate experiences which meet both the student and site needs.
2. Work with the student on his/her learning goals and sign each learning goal after it is completely finished.
3. Inform the student of all personnel policies and procedures.
4. Serve as a liaison between the Cameron University, Sports & Exercise Science Degree Program and the internship site.
5. Monitor the student to protect and enhance the quality of services provided as well as the student’s well-being and safety.
6. Schedule periodic conferences with the student to discuss schedules, work performance, and future assignments.
7. Evaluate and review with the student his/her performance and submit the results on the forms provided (see Appendix E for mid-term and Appendix F for final evaluation forms).
8. The internship site supervisor may 1) request a conference with the capstone instructor, and 2) outline and administer disciplinary action including requesting removal of an intern if necessary.
9. Provide the student reasonable freedom to participate in staff meetings, activities, projects, and programs.
10. Assist the student in determining a program or project for which he/she will be responsible for planning, conducting, and evaluating.
11. Provide an opportunity for the student to learn and if possible gain experience in the following areas:
12. Administration- (policies & procedures, legal issues, advisory board and/ or staff relations, budgeting, record keeping, personnel and supervisory practices)

Practicum Student

1. Accept responsibility for all duties, commitments, and arrangements outlined with the site supervisor
2. Become familiar with the regulations pertaining to the internship site and conform to them
3. Accept the philosophy, methods, leadership, and programs of your internship site. Offer constructive suggestions when asked.
4. Construct mutually satisfactory goals and objectives with the site supervisor.
5. Plan thoroughly and in advance for all assignments.
6. Notify the site supervisor when it is necessary to be absent from work.
7. Prepare for periodic conferences with site supervisor and be ready to ask questions and present constructive ideas.
8. Dress appropriately for all assignments and maintain a well-groomed appearance.
9. Be tactful, friendly, courteous, and respectful to everyone which includes projecting a professional image not only to staff but participants and patrons as well.
10. Consult with the site supervisor when confronted with problems that cannot be resolved.
11. Express your appreciation to the site staff for providing an opportunity to participate in the internship experience.
12. Complete and submit assignments to the capstone instructor as scheduled.

Practicum Instructor

1. Assist the student in selecting an internship site which will meet his/her career needs and interests.
2. Keep an updated file of internship sites.
3. Review internship sites and give final approval.
4. Conduct a pre-internship seminar to inform students of responsibilities, requirements, and reporting procedures.
5. Provide the internship site with information concerning its responsibilities as a participant in the internship program.
6. Supervise the student’s experiences and be available for consultation with student and/or site supervisor.
7. Schedule periodic visits and conferences with the student and the site supervisor to observe procedures and programs. If a student cannot be visited on-site due to travel distance, the supervisor will monitor the student’s progress by telephone, or electronic mail.
8. Remove the student from a site when the internship site supervisor or the practicum instructor feels that a different assignment would be in the best interest of the student (department chair approval).
9. Serve as a resource for the cooperating site and the student.
10. Evaluate all assignments and submit final grade for student.

Step 5: Follow Up

Once you provide the site supervisor with the appropriate documents to review, best practice is to include your contact information and availability so that all questions are addressed within a timely manner.  Additionally, it is the students responsibility to ensure that all documents are completed correctly to include signatures for all parties involved as to avoid any delays in the approval process for securing an internship site