Pre-medical internships

Pre-Health Internship Description:

Moon River Senior Care, in partnership with Moon River Nursing Careers in Ashburn, VA, is offering internships for recent college graduates who want to gain patient care experience. Becoming a Nurse Aide or CNA (certified nursing assistant) opens the door to thousands of jobs in healthcare. It will enhance your application to medical school or Physician Assistant School. We welcome applications from: 

a)   Individuals in the gap year before Medical School or Physician Assistant School

Interns receive a full scholarship to take the Nurse Aide course ($2,150 value), providing they can commit to work at least 500 hours in home health with Moon River Senior Care following the training.

b)  We also consider undergraduate pre-med. or health related majors who can work weekends during the academic year and on school breaks.

If your career path is Pre-med, Nursing, Psychology, Health Administration or other healthcare career path, this unique internship will be personally and professionally rewarding. 

Internship Requirements:

●       Attend the 140-hour licensed Nurse Aide training course.  The course includes 70 hours of online instruction, 30 hours training in the skills lab, 40 hours clinical experience. The accelerated course can be completed in less than six weeks.

 The internship starts with the Nurse Aide training. Those who are already CNAs (certified nursing assistants) will be able to start working with patients while the other interns are getting the necessary training to work as aides. The internship experience includes:

Complete a minimum of 500 hours of direct care to older adults being served by Moon River Senior Care, a licensed home health agency. Interns assist with the Activities of Daily Living, providing personal care assistance to help older adults maintain the best possible quality of life.

Students need to be available at least 16 hours per week. Additional home health hours are encouraged, and the stipend is increased after 200 hours of direct care has been provided. All patient care hours worked will be included in your letter of recommendation.

●      Interns provide care for older adults residing in Ashburn, Leesburg, and surrounding communities. Shifts may be days, evenings and/or weekends. The interns  must be available to work weekends and/or evenings. Time off may be requested with advance notice.

Other requirements include:

• Participate in monthly ZOOM internship meetings and training sessions scheduled one evening a month from 6 p.m. -8 p.m.
• Select a healthcare topic and lead a 20-minute presentation to the internship class.
• Complete a 3-7 page reflection paper about your experience as an intern.

Terms of the Internship

●       Moon River Nursing Careers, affiliated with Moon River Senior Care, will provide the Nurse Aide training to students selected for the internship. This class is the pre-requisite to take the state exam to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

●      An intern who elects to become licensed as a CNA is responsible for the $140 fee to take the state exam. The CNA exam is not required to work in home health care, but interns are encouraged to pursue this credential.   

●       Students are required to be CPR certified to participate in the internship. Those who are not already CPR certified can take this course at Moon River Nursing Careers for the discounted price of $50.00. They also must show proof of Covid vaccination.

●       Interns provide their own black scrub pants. Moon River Nursing Careers will provide one set of scrubs for the clinical rotation. Moon River Senior Care will provide a polo shirt with the agency name that will be worn with the black scrubs for the home health assignments.

We are accepting applications from the a) College graduates in the gap year who can work at least 16 hours per week, with priority given to those who can work evenings and weekends, b) Undergraduates attending school in Northern Virginia who are available to work part-time while in school.

Responsibilities of Interns:

*Attend all training sessions and actively participate in discussions

●       Follow the Plan of Care developed by a Registered Nurse

●       Provide medication reminders

●       Provide personal care services including bathing, oral care, shaving, dressing, feeding, restroom assistance, incontinence care and transfers

●       Report observations regarding skin breakdown

●       Monitor vital signs and changes in communication or cognition

●       Demonstrate charting and proper documentation

●       Gain understanding of infection control, confidentiality and privacy

●       Simple meal preparation, such as making a sandwich

●       Assist with daily tasks

●       Provide a listening ear, companionship and engage in activities

●       Schedule medical appointments for client, if requested

●       Accompany to medical appointments, as needed

●       Crisis intervention; communicate with RN supervisor

●       Accompany client to physical therapy session

Benefits to Students pursuing careers in Healthcare

●       The internship includes s scholarship for the Nurse Aide training course. 

●       Successful completion of the Nurse Aide course prepares an intern to take the Virginia Board of Nursing exam to be licensed as a Certified Nursing Assistant. A CNA license in the state of Virginia is an important credential that opens doors to jobs in hospitals, clinics, medical offices, assisted living and memory care, nursing homes, Hospice, and home health.

●       Interns learn about many different medical conditions and gain insight into the challenges that patients and family caregivers face in the home on a daily basis

●       During team meetings, interns learn from the expertise of healthcare professionals and have an opportunity to interact with other interns.

●       Students with patient care experience have a competitive edge when applying to nursing school, medical school, and other healthcare advanced degree programs. We write very strong letters of recommendation that have resulted in acceptance to medical school or physician assistant school. 

Who should apply for this internship?

This internship is recommended for a college student who is passionate about a career in healthcare and motivated to achieve his/her goals. This is a great internship for a student planning to attend Medical School or pursuing a career in Nursing, Social work, OT/PT, Psychology, Pharmacy, Public Health, or Healthcare Administration. 

Applications are reviewed as they are received. Please include a cover letter and your resume to Cathy Ahrendsen at cathy@moonriverseniorcare.com. Include the word “Internship” on the subject line. Qualified candidates will be scheduled for a Zoom interview. Compensation range is $16.50-$18.50 per hour and based on previous experience in patient care and availability to work evenings and weekends.  Applications are reviewed on a weekly basis and interns will be accepted until the class is full. 

www.moonriverseniorcare.com                              www.moonrivernursingcareers.com