Are you a student or recent graduate eager to explore various health professions? NYU Langone Health’s Rusk Rehabilitation is proud to present the Health Career Opportunity Program (HCOP), a comprehensive and career opportunity program designed to provide you with invaluable insights into the healthcare field. This program offers a unique chance to gain hands-on, observational clinical experience across a range of medical specialties.
The HCOP, a fully funded initiative by the DeWitt Wallace Foundation and rooted in the vision of Dr. Howard A. Rusk, has been a stepping stone for over 6,000 students for more than half a century. It’s a free, four-week internship program open to college students, recent college graduates, and even high school seniors aged 18 and above, making it an accessible career opportunity program for individuals at different stages of their academic journey.
Immersive Internship Experience: What to Expect
As an HCOP intern, you will be fully immersed in a single medical specialty for the duration of your four-week session. This voluntary program is designed for learning, and while it is unpaid, the experience gained is truly priceless for anyone considering a healthcare career opportunity.
Internships are conveniently located across several prestigious NYU Langone Health facilities, including Tisch Hospital, NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, NYU Langone Orthopedic Center, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and NYU Langone Ambulatory Care Center East 38th Street. All program-wide activities are centralized at Tisch Hospital, ensuring a cohesive experience for all participants in this career opportunity program.
The program begins with a comprehensive orientation, providing you with a detailed overview of your responsibilities, professional dress code, and essential hospital protocols, including HIPAA regulations, fire safety, and the NYU Langone Health code of conduct. You’ll also receive a program jacket and photo ID, and potentially scrubs or a lab coat depending on your assigned department. It’s important to note that all provided items must be returned at the end of your session, maintaining the program’s resources for future participants in this vital career opportunity program.
A typical day in the HCOP starts between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM and concludes around 4:00 PM, though some departments may have earlier start times. Your primary focus will be observing healthcare professionals in action, gaining firsthand understanding of their roles within your chosen specialty. Each afternoon at 3:00 PM, you’ll join fellow interns for enriching lectures and seminars. These sessions cover diverse topics, from various branches of rehabilitation medicine and health professions to Princeton Review seminars and engaging Q&A panels with healthcare experts. Weekly conferences are also held, encouraging interns to delve into discussions on medical ethics and the challenges faced by individuals with mobility impairments, adding depth to this comprehensive career opportunity program.
2025 Internship Schedule and Specializations
Plan your career opportunity program experience with the 2025 session dates:
- Session One: Monday, May 19 – Friday, June 13, 2025
- Session Two: Monday, June 16 – Friday, July 11, 2025
- Session Three: Monday, July 14 – Friday, August 8, 2025
- Sessions One and Two (Research Focus): Monday, May 19 – Friday, July 11, 2025
- Sessions Two and Three (Research & Emergency Medicine Focus): Monday, June 16 – Friday, August 8, 2025
Each session culminates in a final exam to assess your understanding of the material covered. Successful completion of the exam earns you a personalized certificate, signed and acknowledging your 140+ hours of observation and instruction at NYU Langone Health, a valuable credential to add to your resume as you pursue your healthcare career opportunity. Furthermore, depending on your academic institution, you may be eligible to receive school credit for your participation in this enriching career opportunity program. Consult your school administrator to explore this possibility.
Summer Housing Options
For interns needing accommodation during their session, information and application details for Summer Housing at NYU are readily available. NYU summer housing is accessible for all three internship sessions, and the HCOP typically reserves a dedicated floor in an NYU dorm. Applying for housing early upon acceptance into the career opportunity program is highly recommended to secure your place and increase the chance of rooming with fellow HCOP interns, enhancing your overall program experience.
Connect With Us
Do you have questions about this exceptional career opportunity program? Reach out to us via email at [email protected]. We are here to help you take the first step towards your future in healthcare.
