Undergraduate Summer Internships for Aspiring Genetic Counselors
The application for summer 2023 opens on December 1, 2022.
The Warren Alpert Summer Scholars Genetic Counseling Program at the University of Pennsylvania is designed for undergraduate students from diverse populations who are interested in careers in genetic counseling.
| Full-time, paid summer internships (40 hours per week for six weeks @ $15/hour = $3,600) |
| From Monday, June 12 through Friday, July 21, 2023 |
| Shadowing with genetic counselors at Penn Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia |
| Exposure to a broad range of clinical genetics specialties |
| Seminars, conferences and case conferences |
| Research and laboratory work |
| One-on-one interactions with genetic counselors and current students |
| Networking opportunities with other genetic counseling interns |
Applicant Qualifications
Applicants must:
- Be undergraduate students (rising sophomores, juniors and seniors) from communities/populations that are under-represented in the field of genetic counseling.
- Have a keen interest in health professions and genetics.
- Have a GPA of at least 3.0 and have completed some college-level coursework in biology, chemistry and genetics.
- Be able to successfully complete criminal background checks and provide the immunization records (including for COVID-19) that will be required for clearance by the clinical sites.
- Have access to housing in Philadelphia for the in-person components of the internship.
Internship Timeline
| Thursday, December 1, 2022 | Applications Open |
| Wednesday, February 1, 2023 | Application Deadline |
| Beginning on March 15, 2023 | Results Announced |
| March 2023 | Interns Apply for Clearances |
| Monday, June 12, 2023 | Internships Begin |
| Friday, July 21, 2023 | Internships Conclude |
Internship Application
Four parts are required:
1. An online application form
Toward the bottom of the application form there are links for uploading the three attachments listed below.
Note: You can view the form at any time, but you will need to have all three attachments ready to upload when you complete and save the form. Saving = submitting.
2. Responses to two prompts (250 words each):
a. Explain your interest in a career in genetic counseling
b. In actively helping to diversify the field, what may be some ways to promote the inclusion of underrepresented voices in genetic counseling in the future?
3. A current résumé or CV
4. An unofficial transcript from your college or university
