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Student internship vs clinical externship

The differences between student interns and clinical externships can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a clinical externship has an average salary of $35,831, which is higher than the $31,256 average annual salary of a student internship.

The top three skills for a student internship include patients, student intern and physical therapy. The most important skills for a clinical externship are patients, mental health, and patient care.

Student internship vs clinical externship overview

Student InternshipClinical Externship
Yearly salary$31,256$35,831
Hourly rate$15.03$17.23
Growth rate4%9%
Number of jobs55,57863,061
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age4445
Years of experience-4

What does a student internship do?

Student interns are student trainees in a company. They undergo on-the-job training as it may be required by their degree program in order to graduate. They are assigned to departments in companies that are related to the field of their degree program. Student interns are expected to get enrichment from the experience while also applying what they have learned in the classroom. They are usually given activities or tasks that will help expose them to the professional sphere of their chosen careers and the bigger world outside of the university. They may join company events and activities that will help acclimate them. Student interns should be responsible and diligent.

What does a clinical externship do?

A clinical externship is a short medical student program directly mentored by professionals within their chosen career path in healthcare. Clinical externs work in various settings such as hospitals, a doctor's office, or clinics and work directly with patients to apply the knowledge and skills they acquired in the classroom. They will be graded and must pass the program to be able to graduate from medical school. Externs must request a letter of recommendation from their site supervisor when applying for jobs.

Student internship vs clinical externship salary

Student interns and clinical externships have different pay scales, as shown below.

Student InternshipClinical Externship
Average salary$31,256$35,831
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $44,000Between $25,000 And $51,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MAAlameda, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyMicrosoftGenentech
Best paying industryFinanceEducation

Differences between student internship and clinical externship education

There are a few differences between a student internship and a clinical externship in terms of educational background:

Student InternshipClinical Externship
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common college-California State University - Long Beach

Student internship vs clinical externship demographics

Here are the differences between student interns' and clinical externships' demographics:

Student InternshipClinical Externship
Average age4445
Gender ratioMale, 35.3% Female, 64.7%Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 8.4% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage6%15%

Differences between student internship and clinical externship duties and responsibilities

Student internship example responsibilities.

  • Lead weekly groups about DBT skills training, behavior chaining, and personal goal-setting.
  • Spearhead companies launch into social media, including creating and managing firm's first twitter account.
  • Help veterans and their families learn to manage symptoms of PTSD through education, self-awareness, and becoming aware of triggers.
  • Help troubleshoot public computers according to directions and also manage database of library.
  • Manage a web-base graphical interface that utilize a SQL database to better track fabrication lab operations.
  • Promote health and support patients in bedside monitoring , 12 lead EKG, and Bennett 7200 ventilators.
  • Show more

Clinical externship example responsibilities.

  • Set up and manage new medical transcription department.
  • Manage large scale TMF inventory/file cleanup projects in preparation for FDA and EMA inspections.
  • Manage difficult or emotional patient situations, with compassion and professionalism.
  • Participate in multiple studies managing CTM activities for various therapeutic areas simultaneously including oncology, urology, transplant, and immunology.
  • Monitor EKG's, assess blood pressure, palpate heart rates, safely progress patients in exercise.
  • Perform manual data entry in CTMS, TMF, CRF imaging and various departmental databases.
  • Show more

Student internship vs clinical externship skills

Common student internship skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Student Intern, 14%
  • Physical Therapy, 7%
  • Patient Care, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
  • Mathematics, 3%
Common clinical externship skills
  • Patients, 32%
  • Mental Health, 7%
  • Patient Care, 5%
  • Crisis Intervention, 4%
  • Vital Signs, 4%
  • Substance Abuse, 4%

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