HIMSS Career Services offers a variety of supporting tools in support of our members’ growth in the health IT profession.  One of these is our new offering called Health IT Internships on our Career Services website. 

Health IT internships offer a chance to learn and discover different elements of interest and may also be a deciding factor on whether you would be satisfied in pursuing a future in health IT. Often, only until you actually experience the job responsibilities, will you then know what would be expected of you in that career path and whether you really want to pursue that particular pathway long-term.

The health IT job market is now becoming highly competitive, even more so now, as candidates have to use various skills to ensure the many processes are met in the delivery of healthcare. 

Here are several rationale to consider when going the internship route. Often, after degree or certification completion, a position might not be available, and thus, some consider furthering the learning curve by seeking internships. 

• Internships can sometimes help accentuate other skill sets to help a person stand out among his or her peers.
• Students who have completed internships sometimes obtain employment more quickly than perhaps others, because of the added visibility in the work place, and, finally, 
•  Internships look fantastic on a resume.

So, while many times internships become routine, they also are a valuable opportunity to gain real-world experience.  Internships also support that important step for networking that otherwise might not be practical or available.

And another point to consider, some positions are not advertised and some internships provide a fantastic environment to network. 

So, take the time to investigate possible internship opportunities because they might  increase your chances of receiving professional references for future employers.  The adage, “It’s not just what you know, it’s who you know,” might play into this as well. 

Along with being a HIMSS member and engaging in your local chapter, networking from other various vantage points, such as an internship, can only add to your visibility for  employment. 

With that in mind, visit our Career Services site called Health IT Internships.  Visit the site often because we continue to populate it with more health IT internships as we become aware of them. 

HIMSS has a strong foundation and history of educating its membership on the many healthcare industry topics of today, and this is just one more example being offered to our members.

And remember…Be passionate about your career path and strive to make a difference and learn, learn…learn.  Technology is only the enabler; individuals will be the “transformers” of health IT in the years to come!

Author’s note: This blog first appeared on Aug. 29, 2011, in Healthcare IT News.