Pre-PA Gap Year Internship 2025-2026

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you’ll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

                      APPLICATION WILL CLOSE FRIDAY, JANUARY 17th, 2025

The Pre-PA Gap Year reflects the mission, vision, and values of NMHC, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Pre-PA Gap Year Internship Program places exceptional pre-Physician Assistant students into clinical environments for 13 months to work and shadow.

This program offers the valuable opportunity to be part of a team of knowledgeable and caring clinicians who are committed to providing world-class care in a premier academic medical center. Through the program, you will also be immersed in a network of other Pre-PA students. This is a paid benefits-eligible role.

Responsibilities:

Gap year interns work for 40 hours a week. Eight hours are spent in a variety of shadowing experiences. For the remaining 32 hours, they work in a patient support role, such as:

• Clinic assistant
• Technician (motility tech, emergency tech, rehab therapy tech)
• Immediate care assistants 
• Patient liaisons 

In addition, the gap year intern will participate in mock interviews and various social and community service events. When you apply, you can indicate your position-specific preferences, such as location, role and specialty. While subject to change, we offer pre-clinical intern roles (including the Pre-PA program) in a variety of clinical areas across Northwestern Medicine, including:

• Orthopedics
• Primary care
• Cardiology
• Hospital medicine 
• Dermatology
• Immediate care
• Pediatrics
• Neurosurgery 

Program Start Date – Wednesday, June 25th, 2025

Orientaion will take place on June 25th, 2025, at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus in downtown Chicago. 

Program Time Commitment: 1 year duration

Pay rate: $20/hr.

Required Documentation for Application Submission – uploaded as a PDF: 

1. Resume
2. Unofficial transcripts
3. You must also attach a one-page statement, in a Word Document or PDF format, addressing the following:

• Describe why you have an interest in a career as a Physician Assistant
• Describe an obstacle you’ve faced when working towards your academic, career, or personal goals and how you’ve worked to overcome it (including lessons you’ve learned through those experiences and how they will help you be successful in your career as a physician)
• Where you currently stand in your gap year               

Please note, to be considered for this role, you must submit ALL attachments after you apply.  After you apply, you will receive an automated email to set up an account.  Once your account is set up, you can log back into your application, please navigate to the upload section and press the “+” sign to submit additional attachments. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

Required:

• Recent graduate of a Bachelor’s program.
• Minimum 3.4 GPA (exceptions made on a case-by-case basis).
• Completion of relevant coursework (or efforts toward completion underway).
• Demonstrates intent to apply to medical school.
• CPR BLS certification through the American Heart Association.

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.