Atrium Health is proud to offer student placement programs for education and training with a rich environment for learning opportunities across the system.
Learn More About:
What Type of Student Are You?
There are several kinds of students based on the program you are studying and/or the nature of the experience.
- Medical & Advanced Practice- these students are enrolled in schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse anesthesia programs, and PharmD students.
- Clinical Students- (typically includes nursing, therapy students and other Allied Health students) These students are in college programs that will have direct contact with patients or visitors. These students will have a college-based instructor who will arrange their clinical experience/rotation at Atrium Health. Atrium Health does not provide placements for students attending schools that are not included in the Atrium Health Clinical Education Affiliation Agreement or who do not have college-based instructors to make their arrangements. Clinical students are students who are already enrolled in a healthcare related program that requires a clinical experience/rotation as a requirement for graduation or completion of their academic program.
- Non-Clinical Students- These students are enrolled in college programs that are typically in office settings or in areas where there aren’t any patients. Some programs that are considered non-clinical are: Business, Healthcare Management, Finance, Marketing, Communications, Health Information/Health Management Technology, and Information Technology
- Job Shadows: Refers to an experience where an Atrium Health teammate or volunteer follows and observes a current Atrium Health teammate for the sole purpose of learning more about their job and to explore career paths.
- Student and Physician Observers: High school or college students requiring observer hours for career exploration or to apply for a clinical program (e.g., medical school, dental school, physician assistant school, etc.). This category also includes visiting physicians from outside Atrium Health who are on-site to observe medical procedures/processes.
- Currently, Atrium Health is only offering shadowing or observation experiences to individuals who attend educational institutions that have a Clinical Education Affiliation Agreement with Atrium Health (see link above in Clinical Students), Atrium Health teammates or participants of an existing Atrium Health Workforce Development program.
Identification of a qualified preceptor is the responsibility of the student, not the Student Placement Office. It is strongly recommended that students who seek an experience at Atrium Health work through your school/education provider to make arrangements. Each school/program has a different set of requirements for the educational experience.
Summer Internships (Non-Clinical)
The Summer Internship Program provides a unique opportunity for students to gain project-based learning experience. The program is intended to bring both college (undergraduate and graduate level) and high school students to Atrium Health. High school interns are placed through the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program (MYEP) in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and The Senator Scott Opportunity Internship Program in Clover Schools and through select Career Counselors throughout school districts surrounding Mecklenburg County.
Internships include:
- Formalized structure, including SMART goals to be achieved by the end of the internship
- Bi-weekly report of training and projects, to be completed by the intern
- Weekly, Friday Experiences will be held as virtual meetings with Atrium Health leaders across the organization to gain further understanding of the system and the many different career opportunities in health care
- Critical skills training to support a successful internship (high school students)
How Students Apply for a Summer Internship (non-clinical)
Atrium Health Summer Internship Program application cycle for students is Feb. 3 - May 30, 2025.
Starting in February, students can apply below or on the Atrium Health Careers site by searching “Student Intern/Summer Term (Workforce Strategy)”.
- High School students (who are NOT Charlotte Mecklenburg School students), college students and college graduate students interested in a non-clinical summer internship may apply above or apply via the Atrium Health Careers Site.
- Charlotte Mecklenburg (CMS) High School Students who are MYEP (Mayors Youth Employment Program) students must apply through their high school.
- MYEP and Senator Scott Interns are selected by internship program coordinators
- MYEP Interns must work a minimum of 24 hours each week
- MYEP and other High School Internships will last seven weeks
College internships last approximately 7-10 weeks for non-clinical, full-time and part-time paid opportunities.
2025 Summer Internship Application
The application deadline is before Friday, May 30, 2025.
Hear From Leaders What They Love About the Program
"Our VAT nurse was very impressed with our intern. The nurse never would have guessed she was a high school student. The intern was professional, very interested our work, and always introduced herself to the patients!
- Christina Villa – Nurse Manager
"Phenomenal program!! Can't wait until next summer to host more interns. (Our interns) were amazing! Such an amazing group of students and future leaders!"
- Francisco Medina, Team Lead, Myers Park Pharmacy
"Hosting interns allows me to connect back to purpose. Someone helped me so, it’s only right that I pour the same efforts back into our future generation."
- Janelle Willis, Manager, Material Resource Management
Past projects from our Summer Interns:
- Quality Management / Length of Stay (LOS): Interns examine patient charts in Epic and shadow different departments to find a care delay, lack of communication, or something unnecessarily keeping the patient at the hospital. Interns presented their ideas/changes to leadership.
- Shadowing: Interns shadowed different teammates and verbally interacted with patients. Even without hands-on patients care, interns were able to put a smile on patients’ faces.
- Patient Registration and Coordination: While interning in MSKI, interns registered patients and assisted with patient coordination.
- Inventory/Greet Guests/Prepare and distribute patient education materials: Our interns worked in Outpatient Surgery within the Pre-Op and Post-Op areas, stocking bays, doing linen changes, stocking warmers and fluids, organizing supplies needed for the following days and wiping down stretchers. Interns organized patient education packets that included information about medications and costs.
Shadowing and Observation
For experiences at Atrium Health Navicent, Floyd and Wake Forest, please contact the respective Student Placement teams.
For the Greater Charlotte Region Only:
If you would like to shadow with a department or a department that would like to host a shadow, please see the updated policy on PeopleConnect. Go to PeopleConnect > Policies> All Policies, then search Shadow and Observation and carefully read the Guidelines and Experience Requirements below.
The new shadowing/observation process will be managed by the Volunteer Services Department, however the departments who are hosting shadows and observers are responsible for oversight of individuals participating in the experiences. This includes assigning an individual or team responsible for processing the required paperwork and verification that the observer has a sponsoring physician or APP (if applicable).
If you need additional information about shadowing, please send your questions to cmclchvolunteerservices@atriumhealth.org for assistance.
Guidelines
- Job shadowing must be done in partnership with an Atrium Health teammate. Individuals who are shadowing/observing are not allowed to perform any work.
- Shadowing and Observation applicants are responsible for seeking out their own contact within the host department.
- The host department is responsible for processing the required shadowing and observation paperwork and ensuring all required steps are met before the shadowing or observation experience begins.
- Job shadows for career exploration experiences are for Atrium Health teammates and Atrium Health volunteers only.
- Student and Physician Observers are allowed within Atrium Health. The student or physician observer must always be accompanied by the sponsoring physician or Advanced Practice Provider (APP). The sponsoring physician or APP is responsible for the observer and must ensure adherence to the Atrium Health code of conduct and privacy policies.
- Where applicable, Observers must be introduced to the patient as an Observer and the patient must give their verbal consent for the observer to be present for the clinical interaction. The patient has the right to exclude the observer from any part of the clinical interaction at any time.
- Observers will not receive any academic credit for a clinical observer experience and will not be classified as an official student, resident, or medical staff member of Atrium Health.
- Observers do not receive compensation or have an Atrium Health network or email access.
Experience Requirements – 8 Hours or Less
Each hospital or ambulatory practice is responsible for ensuring appropriate oversight of student and physician observers. This includes assigning an individual or team responsible for processing the required paperwork and verification that the observer has a sponsoring physician or APP (if applicable).
The following requirements must be completed prior to the observer starting their observation experience if they will be onsite for one (1) day or less in total for the calendar year (January to December):
- Student observers must complete the Atrium Health Greater Charlotte Job Shadow Form (see below).
- The Atrium Health Greater Charlotte Job Shadow Form will be saved for 3 years per the Retention policy.
Experience Requirements – More Than 8 Hours, (Up to 25 Hours Max)
The following requirements must be completed prior to the observer starting their experience if they will be onsite for more than one (1) day in total for the calendar year (January to December) whether it is continuous or over an extended period. Each hospital or ambulatory practice is responsible for ensuring appropriate oversight of student and physician observers. This includes assigning an individual or team responsible for processing the required paperwork and verification that the observer has a sponsoring physician or APP (if applicable).
- Completion of the Atrium Health Greater Charlotte Job Shadow Form
- Vaccinated for seasonal Flu vaccine or must obtain an approved vaccination exemption
- Criminal background check
- Atrium Health Compliance and Privacy training, including signed confidentiality agreement
- Safety training as needed based on the location of the shadowing experience
- Health screening, including TB testing
Academic Required Clinical Hours
For students enrolled in an academic program requiring clinical hours to complete their coursework, students should verify that their educational institution has a Clinical Education Affiliation Agreement (CEAA) with Atrium Health, or its affiliates, prior to entry of students into Atrium Health facilities.
Atrium Health Greater Charlotte Market - Students can verify if their school is listed by using the CEAA link above in the “What Type of Student Are you?” Section above
New Shadowing and Observation Form
New Shadowing and Observation Form
Allied Health Student Placement
Allied Health Student Placement Programs are work-based learning opportunities for student participants to develop practical skills that will enhance future healthcare careers and bridge the gap between formal education and practical work experience. This is also an opportunity for Atrium Health to participate in the educational process while receiving valuable work contributions from the student participants, as well as developing essential skills of our own leaders and teammates.
Allied Health Student Placement Programs include instructor-led experiences with education institutions who have an established Clinical Education Affiliation Agreement* with Atrium Health and consist of the following areas:
- Radiology Technology (Rad Tech)
- Medical Assistants
- Phlebotomy
- Exercise Science
- Social Worker
- Behavioral Health
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- Laboratory
- Pharmacy
- Recreation Therapy
Medical Education Student Placement
Medical Education Student Placement Programs are work-based learning opportunities for student participants to develop practical skills that will enhance future healthcare careers and bridge the gap between formal education and practical work experience.
This is also an opportunity for Atrium Health to participate in the educational process while receiving valuable work contributions from the student participants, as well as developing essential skills of our own leaders and teammates.
Medical Education Student Placement Programs consist of the following areas:
- 3rd Year Medical Students
- 4th Year Medical Students
- Advanced Practice Provider Students (For those looking for NP/PA rotation placement, please contact appstudent@atriumhealth.org)
- Army Personnel
- GI Apprenticeship
- International Visitors
- PATCH Student Program
- United Arab Emirates Fellowship
Nursing Student Placement
Nursing Student Placement Programs are work-based learning opportunities for student participants to develop practical skills that will enhance future healthcare careers and bridge the gap between formal education and practical work experience.
Nursing Student Placement Programs consist of the following areas:
- Nurse Aide
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Pre-Licensure (ADN, BSN)
- Graduate Nursing (MSN and DNP) and CEAA affiliated schools
Requesting Student Placement
Very important: To be considered for a clinical rotation, there must be an active Clinical Education Affiliation Agreement (CEAA) on file between Atrium Health and your educational institution.
Who to contact If you are a college/education provider-based representative:
