Held every summer, the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Summer Internship Program (SIP) provides opportunities for a diverse group of Oregon high school or early college students to gain experience in the disability field, develop transferable skills, and learn about various career paths in health care. Interns will receive training on disability justice, advocacy and career options.  Interns will participate in professional development sessions and in person tours at OHSU labs, clinics, and facilities.

Interns will participate approximately 24 hours per week in a project at one of the Institute on Development and Disability centers, gaining knowledge in research, clinical care, information dissemination, or community programs. Interns also have an opportunity to network with other interns, as well as OHSU staff and faculty. At the end of the internship, interns present their summer experience to their cohort, internship supervisors and IDD faculty and staff.

This internship is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a career in health care, with an emphasis on disability.

2025 Summer Internship Program Details: 

• Internship placements for SIP 2025 will be hybrid, with some telework and in-person activities
• Internship Application acceptance period: December 2, 2024 to January 10, 2025
• Internship dates: June 16 through August 8, 2025
• Intern hours: 24 hours per week during regular business day hours
• Internship stipend: Each intern will receive a stipend for participation
• Housing provided: No
• Work experience disciplines: Our internship placements change each year. Past years' disciplines have included public health education, sexual health education, assistive technology, policy and advocacy, physical therapy, psychology, diversity and inclusion, and social work.
• Past Summer Internship Placements: This document has examples of placements from past internships that may be offered in the future

Tentative selection timeline

• January through early February: Applications reviewed by the program committee
• Week of February 17th: Applicants selected for first-round interviews
  • Those not selected will be notified
• Week of March 3rd: Applicants selected for a second interview
  • Those not selected will be notified
• By March 31st: Eight applicants selected for an internship
  • Those not selected will be notified

2025 Internship Requirements: 

To qualify, applicants must-  

• Be 16 years of age or older on or before the first day of the internship up to undergraduates in their first two years of college
• Be able to participate during summer break from high school or undergraduate college or university 
• Be available to participate the entire 8 weeks, 24 hours per week, during business hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• To experience all the internship has to offer, interns cannot have a planned absence longer than one week 
• Be able to attend weekly OHSU Portland on-campus events 
• Be able to attend a one day in-person orientation on June 16 at the Portland OHSU campus 
• Any student, regardless of immigration status, who meet the above requirements are welcome to apply 

If selected, interns must- 

• Complete and submit required internship paperwork (called onboarding paperwork) at least 8 weeks before the start date of the internship  
• Complete 3-5 hours of online training before the start of the internship  
• COVID-19 Policy at OHSU: In compliance with Oregon law, OHSU’s COVID-19 Immunization and Education policy went into effect Oct. 18, 2021. Visitors and volunteers who have an in-person experience at OHSU must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (14 days after last dose). Please be prepared to provide proof of vaccination, or to receive a Covid-19 vaccination, as a requirement for onboarding for your in-person experience at OHSU

The following students are strongly encouraged to apply:  

• Students who have a disability  
• Students with siblings or family members with a disability  
• Students who self-identify as a member of the LGBTQI2S+ community 
• Students from historically underrepresented groups in the health and science professions 
  • * Underrepresented racial or ethnic minority defined in the OHSU Fact Book as: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Korean, Vietnamese, or any 2 or more races with at least 1 classified as underrepresented racial or ethnic minority   
• Students who are a first-generation college students

UCEDD webinar series: Bridging Your Knowledge in Disability Careers

Each of these webinars included conversations with medical professionals' who have careers in the disability field. The panelists discussed why they chose their profession, the required schooling, what work looks like day to day and provided examples of a road map to their career.

This 2020 webinar series was brought to you by the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

Watch recorded webinars:

Watch Webinar 1: Disability Studies and Disability Justice/Advocacy

Watch Webinar 2: A Career in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Recreational Therapy

Watch Webinar 3: A Career in Mental and Behavioral Health

Watch Webinar 4: Disability Careers in the Outdoors

Watch Webinar 5: Careers in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Watch Webinar 6: Careers in Public Health