By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

After a great experience last year as an intern at Pinnacle Treatment Services, Hallie Smith was ready for another internship this summer.

This year, during a speed dating-style setup with her major, the 21-year-old Taylorsville native got interested in UK HealthCare’s Office of the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs. It seemed to mesh quite well with her major in the College of Health Sciences’ Clinical Leadership and Management program.

“I got this internship by speaking with Jill Hunter, who was representing the EVPHA Office at the CLM Speed Dating Internship Fair,” she said. “I demonstrated interest in the internship and emailed Jill. From that point, I was interviewed and waited a few months until I got the email from Jill saying I got the internship!”

Each week of the six-week long internship focuses on a different area within UK HealthCare.

“This internship has been very educational and experiential for me,” said Hallie, who will graduate in the Class of 2024. “Each week I am with a different department/area within UK HealthCare observing leaders in their everyday work lives.”

The days have included:

• sitting in on meetings
• having deep discussions about healthcare issues
• getting a closer look at how a large healthcare system runs 

“I also was able to attend the Kentucky Medical Professions Placement Service Summer Mixer at Kroger Field and help with this event,” she said. “I have been able to network with many different leaders within UK HealthCare, including the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Kentucky Children's Hospital; the Strategy and Business Development Departments; the HMO team; the Healthy Kentucky Initiative and the EVPHA office.” 

Students say interning in CLM is just another way that getting your degree in the College of Health Sciences sets you apart. And it gives further proof why those who intern go on to have further success in the future. 

“This has been the most educational and beneficial experience I have had in regards to Healthcare Administration,” she said. “I have loved this opportunity as it has allowed me to meet so many people and dive into so many different areas in healthcare.

“I have been able to listen to various meetings and truly learn how this system works,” she continued. “Everyone I have worked with has taken me under their wing and allowed me to ask questions when needed and also offered help in the future as well. I think getting to dive right in and be so involved and welcomed helped me to learn and be my best. Every team I worked with at UK Healthcare was so helpful and so open to allowing me to watch and learn from them.”

And even though the internship was unpaid, Hallie thinks she now made the right choice to do it.  

“I had my reservations,” she said, “but I truly believe it has been the most beneficial internship of my life. I believe that the networking relationships I have made, the knowledge I have gained, and the experience I am leaving with truly outweighs the unpaid aspect and will benefit me heavily in the future. Internships allow you to truly look at an experience from an educational perspective and not just work for each dollar but truly gain knowledge which, if you have knowledge, you have true wealth.”

Each week we'll feature another student who is participating in a summer internship.