Government Relations Internship Program

Program Overview

The Department of Medical Student Services, in conjunction with the Washington, D.C., office of the American Medical Association, is pleased to offer assistance to students seeking to increase their involvement and education in national health policy and in the national legislative activities of organized medicine. The Government Relations Internship Program (GRIP) provides stipends to assist selected students who are completing summer health policy internships in the Washington, D.C., area.

Medical students report that their credibility as AMA-sponsored interns allows them to pursue issues in depth, and in many cases, become experts on a specific topic. Similarly, internship sponsors welcome the enthusiasm and unique perspective that medical students bring to discussions about issues that require medicine's point of view.

All students selected to participate in GRIP will receive a stipend. Additionally, GRIP participants will benefit from attendance at weekly seminars conducted at the AMA Washington Office. These seminars are designed to increase the continuity of the internship experience, promote camaraderie among medical students working in health policy, and facilitate continuing education on important political issues. Upon completion of the program, all GRIP participants will be required to complete and submit a report on their internship experiences.

Internships should be arranged for a six- to eight-week period, June through August 2010.

The GRIP application deadline is February 15, 2010. However, late applications (through April 15) will be considered on a rolling basis if space remains.

Eligibility and Internship Requirements

To be eligible for the GRIP program, students must be AMA members who have secured policy internships in the Washington, DC, area during the summer. Eligible internship sites include:

For additional ideas, see where past GRIP participants have completed their internships. Please note that internships with narrowly focused lobbying organizations or with specialty organizations that are not seated in the AMA House of Delegates are strongly discouraged.

A limited number of pre-arranged internships are also available. Pre-arranged internship sites include:

Please refer to the GRIP application for information on applying for these pre-arranged positions.

Apply for GRIP

Application materials

Note: Internship placements, with the exception of pre-arranged internships, must be arranged prior to applying.

Submit completed application materials to:

American Medical Association
Department of Medical Student Services
515 N State St.
Chicago, IL 60654
Fax: (312) 464-5845

Deadline: For fullest consideration, application materials must be received by February 15, 2010. Applications received after April 15 will not be considered. If you have any questions, please contact Keith Voogd, MSS Policy Analyst, in the Department of Medical Student Services at (312) 464-4745.

Other GRIP Resources

Internship resources
Learn more about designing your own internship experience.

Testimonials
Learn what other GRIP applicants have to say about their experiences.

Washington, D.C. housing and city information
Learn more about Washington, D.C. housing options for MSS GRIP interns.