The Johns Hopkins Pharmacy Internship Program was established to offer pharmacy students with a structured learning experience intended to provide a comprehensive exposure to health system pharmacy practice. Approximately 20 students are hired for the summer at one of our locations—The Johns Hopkins Hospital, East Baltimore campus, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and Johns Hopkins Care at Home. Based on their assigned location, student interns may require a vehicle for transportation.
The objectives of the Pharmacy Internship Program are to:
- Provide student interns with an overview of the current health care environment.
- Expose student interns to current standards of care and policy driven pharmacy practice unique to hospitals and health-systems.
- Provide student interns with the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally, through interaction with health care professionals, presentation and project processes and advancement in oral and written skills.
- Provide student interns with opportunities to become an integral part of the staff in the area they have been assigned.
The start date and completion date for each student intern varies based on the academic calendar for their respective College of Pharmacy. However, the latest start date is the first week of June. Student interns typically work 40 hours per week and must complete a minimum of 9 consecutive weeks. The preceptor determines the scheduled hours and days worked.
The internship program is structured to provide experiences that supplement formal didactic training. The program supports and guides the student intern while allowing them to progress at their own pace, based upon their experiences and interests. Unlike academic programs, no grade is given although meetings are scheduled with preceptors to discuss their progress to assure value for the student intern and the Department of Pharmacy. The intern’s enthusiasm and interest in the program will, in part, determine the value of their experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 Update: The safety of our patients, employees and learners are our priority. To provide a safe learning experience and comply with the policies of The Johns Hopkins Health System and the state of Maryland, changes to the traditional structure of the internship program were necessary. Interns and preceptors worked together to determine the best work structure for their position that would be safe and effective, yet still provide optimal learning opportunities. For example, some preceptors and interns worked mostly from home, some continued to report daily to work on campus, and some coordinated a hybrid model with time both on and off campus. Additionally, virtual forums were utilized for social and professional activities and events.-
You must be able to complete a minimum of 9 consecutive weeks. Usually, students start 1-2 weeks after the academic school year ends and finish 1-2 weeks before the academic school year begins. All IPPE or APPE rotations must be completed before or after the internship program. Although the minimum of the internship program is 9 consecutive weeks, we highly encourage the intern to consider as much time as their schedule permits to ensure that they receive a quality experience.
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On average, the intern class is ~ 20 pharmacy students.
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Yes, this is a paid internship. Pay rate is based on your professional year in school and will be shared during the interview process.
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Since you will become an employee of the Johns Hopkins Health System, you must complete pre-employment health screening and physical. More information regarding timeline will be provided when you are offered a position.
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Once you receive notice that you have been accepted into the internship program, you should apply as soon as possible. This process is expected to take approximately 8 weeks, but may take longer. You must be registered with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy prior to your start date. If not registered, you cannot start the internship program, including orientation. Upon acceptance into the internship, more detailed information will be sent on how to become registered. For more information regarding the application process, including fingerprinting with the CJIS, visit the following web site: https://health.maryland.gov/pharmacy/Pages/intern.aspx
** Your application to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy should be submitted no later than the end of March to ensure that it is processed in a timely manner.** -
The position is a full time position—40 hours/week. Your specific schedule will vary depending upon your assigned position, however, you may be required to work evenings, weekends and/or holidays. You may ask your preceptor for “days off”, however, they may deny your request at their discretion or require you to work extra day(s). All questions regarding your schedule should be directed to your preceptor.
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There is no “typical” day; however, there are common activities that may occupy your day
- Internship related activities, i.e. shadowing sessions and pharmacist discussions and presentations
- Continuing education luncheons
- Departmental meetings
- Time to work on projects, assigned by your preceptor
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The projects largely focus on work that will ultimately improve the pharmacy department’s workflow & operations, optimize medication delivery and patient safety, or enhance patient care and clinical services. The preceptor identifies projects for the intern to work on throughout the course of the summer – not all projects will be completed before the internship ends. At the end of the summer, each intern will present a short summary to the pharmacy department regarding one of their projects. Furthermore, interns may go on to present a poster for ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and, rarely, a publication. For examples of previous projects, please look under the “Clinical Practice Opportunities” section from the left-hand navigation pane.
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Any requests for time off during your internship must be approved by your preceptor. This will not be paid time off. You may be required to make up this time, based on the discretion of your preceptor.
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There is limited work space in the pharmacy areas. In most cases, you will have more than one designated work area or desktop and several work space options. It is possible that your work space will change often during the internship. You may also share work space with other student interns, APPE rotations students, pharmacy staff and/or your preceptor. In light of these variable circumstances, please bring your personal laptop with you to allow for flexibility.
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You are responsible to find your own housing; we do not provide any assistance. However, once you are accepted, we will provide you with some materials to assist you in your search.
When searching, we strongly encourage you to consider the following:- Take time to investigate the different neighborhoods online
- Use reputable resources (i.e. use caution when using Craigslist or Air BNB postings)
- Hire a realtor (typically, you do not pay a fee; the rental property pays the realtor fees)
- Check out the place before committing (i.e. confirm the location when you visit for your physical)
- Talk to previous interns and your fellow Maryland interns and ask them for their recommendations
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Your position will be at one of three different sites so you may require transportation.
- The Johns Hopkins Hospital, East Baltimore Campus
- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center*
- Johns Hopkins Care at Home
Parking on campus: paid parking options are available at the hospitals.- For interns working on the hospital campus, you can pay monthly. You will register during hospital orientation.
- Students working for JHHCG, your parking is reimbursed.
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We are looking for highly motivated, independent, hard-working, personable and well-rounded candidates.
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You should ask someone you have worked with closely and knows you well and can speak about your professionalism and work ethic. Ideally, this should be someone in the profession of pharmacy but can be an individual that has worked with you closely, i.e. undergraduate professor, community leader, volunteer coordinator, etc.
All reference letters should be emailed directly by the individual writing the letter to Danielle Neal no later than the second Monday of November. -
Upon review of all application materials that are received, each candidate will be notified via email by the end December.
If you are selected, phone interviews will start the first week of January.
Final selections will be made no later than beginning of March.
Please note: We understand that this is a later timeline than other programs, however, this is a very busy time for us! Resident and new pharmacist applications are also reviewed during this same period. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding. -
Applicants must be enrolled in a Doctorate of Pharmacy program in a College of Pharmacy that is ACPE accredited or seeking accreditation. Use link to check the status of your school https://www.acpe-accredit.org/shared_info/programsSecure.asp. Must have completed 1 year of professional pharmacy education (i.e. you must be IN your 2ndyear in a 4 year program or 4th year in a 6 year program) when applying.
Contact Information
Sujin Weinstein, PharmD, MEdHP, BCPP
Pharmacy Summer Internship Coordinator
Department of Pharmacy
Email: [email protected]