Cleveland Clinic interns present medical research results

CLEVELAND - It was a different type of science fair Friday for one group of students. Instead of presenting about solar systems and volcanoes, a group of 150 Cleveland Clinic interns shared the results of their medical research.

They were chosen from over 600 applicants to work this summer on medical research projects at various clinic facilities.

"They work a 40-hour week,” said Rosalind Strickland, Senior Director of the Cleveland Clinic Office of Civic Education. “They are treated like professionals, as part of the Cleveland Clinic family. The students actually conduct a research project during the nine weeks."

The students are paid $7.75 an hour, Strickland said, and research is conducted in the fields of nursing, science, pharmacy, medical lab technologies, respiratory therapy, radiology, and creative learning.

The program is in its sixth year, and dozens of past students have published this important work in medical journals – sometimes even presenting them at conferences.

"This isn't busy work,” Strickland said. “This is hands on learning. This is bridging what they do in the classroom and seeing how it applies in the health care field… What we're really doing is preparing the next generation of health care professionals.”

The Cleveland Clinic tells NewsChannel5 that over 50 past interns have published or presented their research in various medical forums.

Here is a link for information on the Science Internship Program.