Student Perspective: Internship Allows MSIS Student to Test the Waters

HPU Graduate Student, Chris Beach was focused on finding an opportunity to apply what he was learning in his MSIS program in a healthcare information systems internship. Hunter Praywell, HPU Alumnus and former CIO of Queen’s Health System, was assigned a special project to recruit 100+ employees as QHS converted from its outsourcing to insourcing of IT personnel. Returning to his alma mater, Hunter conducted two HPU recruitment sessions in March 2016 in an effort to attract top notch talent to fill the IT positions at QHS. Chris jumped at the opportunity and was offered an internship in the summer of 2016.

Seeking a career as an IT analyst in the healthcare industry, Chris credited his QHS internship as the “… perfect opportunity to test the waters and gain some valuable experience.” Through is QHS internship, Chris was able to take some of the abstract concepts learned in his MSIS program and apply them to a real-world context at Queen’s.

Here are three learning outcomes from Chris’ internship at QHS:

·         Healthcare Industry – Lacking a background in healthcare was challenging, but by asking questions and not relying on assumptions, Chris “… was able to gain valuable exposure to clinical environments and communicate using the language of the healthcare industry.”

·         Organizational Structure – In the College of Business, Chris learned about complex hierarchies and structures in larger organizations. At QHS – an organization with over 7,000 employees – Chris learned how to interact and collaborate with a wide range of different teams.

·         Team Communication – Even when working somewhat autonomously, Chris learned that team communication was necessary to avoid wasted time and duplicated work.

What particular service from the Career Services Center did you find most helpful?

“Providing access and notification for career fairs and recruiting events.” These services are offered every semester for HPU students and alumni.

What advice would you give to other students considering an internship?

“Take whatever opportunity becomes available, even if it does not immediately seem like something you are interested in. Pretty much every internship will allow you to develop some transferrable skills which can help you pursue your long-term goals.”