It has been relatively uncommon for graduate students in the life sciences to complete internships, but given the fact that more than 80% of life science PhD graduates enter careers outside of academia it is something we encourage our Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) students to consider.
Arguably, the best time to intern is during the summer of your first year, before you have immersed yourself in a research project, but later may work as well. Just be sure to discuss it with your advisor.
Below you will find some resources to help you navigate the process of finding and applying for an internship as a graduate student. Internship positions are commonly posted in the fall for the following summer, but not all positions are advertised.
CMB students interested in internship opportunities should contact Jean Peccoud or Carol Wilusz for further guidance.
View Ten Simple Rules for Internship in a Pharmaceutical Company by Bin Chen, who completed five internships during his PhD at Indiana University, and is now an Assistant Professor at University of California San Francisco (UCSF).