The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Buckeye Pathways Summer Internship

Program overview

The Buckeye Pathways Summer Internship is a 10-week paid summer enrichment program in which six undergraduate interns are paired with executive directors from across the organization to work on high-level projects and participate in weekly professional and personal development sessions focused on strengths assessments, networking, and building a professional and personal brand. In alignment with the Wexner Medical Center’s strategic commitment to delivering world-class care for every person, every time — and being the best place to learn and work — interns will also gain exposure to initiatives that promote health access for all and strengthen community engagement.

• Start date: June 1, 2026     
• End date: August 7, 2026

Applications now closed

Application materials

• Completed BPSI Application via Workday
• Resume
• Brief written response (no more than one paragraph) to the following prompt: What personal goals or passions motivate you to apply for the Buckeye Pathways Summer Internship Program?

Why Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center?

As one of America's top-ranked academic health centers, Wexner Medical Center’s mission is to improve lives through innovation in research, education and patient care. Students selected for the Buckeye Pathways Summer Internship will experience and participate in that mission every day.

Buckeye Pathways Summer Internship eligibility criteria

• Must be currently enrolled as a junior in a bachelor's degree program who seeks to support the mission of our program.
• Must be in good academic standing and have a minimum overall college GPA of 3.0.
• Students must major in Business, Healthcare, Public Health, Psychology, or other health care related majors.
• Students must be available for 38 hours in-person per week.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• This program is open to all students who meet the above criteria. It is particularly well-suited for those who have demonstrated an interest in public service, health access for all, and/or community engagement. We also encourage applications from students who may not have had previous exposure to healthcare leadership and are eager to explore the field further.

What is the program like? 

Each of the six interns will be paired with an Executive Director who serves as a mentor throughout the internship. In addition to leadership mentoring, each intern will have the opportunity to work on meaningful projects, participate in personal and professional development, job shadowing and volunteer opportunities, in addition to lunch and learns with hospital executives throughout the summer.

Internship projects

The Buckeye Pathways Summer Internship project focus areas include, but are not limited to: Hospital Administration, Operations, Human Resources, Ambulatory Services and Mental and Behavioral Health. 

What makes this program unique?

The Buckeye Pathways Summer Internship offers comprehensive and unprecedented access to multiple senior leaders and functional areas at one of the top-ranked academic health centers in the country. Wexner Medical Center is accustomed to working with learners and will help connect students’ interests with tangible career opportunities in health care.

Students will have the opportunity to work in one or more of the following Ohio State hospitals during their internship:

• Ambulatory centers like  Ohio State Outpatient Care Dublin and Ohio State Outpatient Care New Albany
• The Ohio State University East Hospital
• The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute
• The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital
• The Ohio State University Hospital