Graduate Administrative Intern Program - Summer 2027

Northwestern Medicine; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwestern Medicine offers a 12-week paid Graduate Administrative Internship designed to provide hands-on experience in healthcare administration and leadership. Interns are paired with a director or department leader to work on a project aligned with organizational goals and strategic initiatives.

Interns engage with management teams, clinical leaders, and cross-functional partners across multiple departments.

Qualifications

• Required: Graduate interns must be enrolled in an accredited graduate program (e.g., M.P.H., M.H.I., M.H.A., M.H.S.A., MBA or equivalent (M.P.A.)).
• Preferred: Excellent communication skills (oral & written) and strong quantitative/analytical abilities.

Responsibilities

• Complete the assigned internship project.
• Participate in program activities including orientation sessions, shadowing opportunities, and management meetings.
• Collaborate with project sponsors, department leaders, and key stakeholders.
• Submit a final project presentation summarizing outcomes and recommendations.
• Complete all program evaluations and feedback activities.

Job description

Description

The Graduate Administrative Intern reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Memorial, 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 Administrative Internship presents a valuable opportunity for graduate students (e.g. M.B.A., M.P.H., M.H.A., M.H.I., M.P.P., etc) to gain experiential education and for Northwestern Medicine to benefit from the service, skills and knowledge that graduate students can offer.

The internship is a 12-week paid summer program designed to provide experiential learning and exposure to healthcare administration and leadership. Graduate Administrative Interns are paired with a director or department leader to complete a project aligned with organizational goals and strategic initiatives. Throughout the program, interns engage with management teams, medical leadership, and cross-functional partners while gaining exposure to various aspects of healthcare operations.

Interns may be placed in a variety of departments across Northwestern Medicine based on departmental internship requests, organizational needs, and project availability. Placement areas may include, but are not limited to:

• Project Management Office (PMO)
• Strategy
• Quality
• Operations and Performance
  • Supporting: Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech and Language Pathology, Social Work, Spiritual Care, Clinical Nutrition, Patient Relations, Interpretation Services, Environmental Services (EVS), Patient Transport and Food Services.
• Performance Improvement
• Other administrative and operational departments

Because interns are placed in a variety of departments, project work, responsibilities, and day-to-day experiences will vary depending on the assigned department's objectives and needs. Interns may contribute to projects involving strategic planning, operational improvement, process optimization, project management, quality initiatives, data analysis, performance metrics, stakeholder engagement, research, and other healthcare administration functions. Regardless of placement, all interns gain meaningful exposure to healthcare leadership and play an active role in supporting initiatives that advance organizational performance and patient care.

The internship program includes orientation sessions, mid-point and final feedback meetings, networking opportunities with senior executives, management meetings, community service activities, shadowing experiences, and executive presentations. These experiences are designed to enhance professional development, build leadership skills, and provide insight into the complexities of healthcare management.

The Graduate Administrative Intern is responsible for successfully completing all program requirements, including but not limited to:

• Completing the assigned internship project
• Participating in program activities, including orientation sessions, shadowing opportunities, management meetings
• Collaborating with project sponsors, department leaders, and key stakeholders
• Submitting a final project presentation summarizing project outcomes and recommendations
• Completing all program evaluations and feedback activities

Application Deadline: November 29, 2026 at 11:59pm CST

Program Start Date: May or June 2027

Qualifications

Required:

• Graduate Interns must be enrolled in an accredited graduate program. Programs can include Master's degrees in Healthcare Administration (M.P.H, M.H.I, M.H.A., M.H.S.A., etc), Business Administration (M.B.A) or equivalent (M.P.A.).

Preferred:

• Excellent communication skills, written and oral, including presentation skills.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.

Equal Opportunity

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) 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.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Benefits

Internship roles are not eligible for benefits