Career exploration offers high school and college undergraduate students exposure to career options at Mayo Clinic through a variety of real-world learning experiences and programs to help students discover a life-changing career.

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High School Unpaid Internship provides high school students in the 11th and 12th grades with the opportunity to learn and work in a professional environment while earning school credit. The student spends a minimum of 60 hours (not to exceed 20 hours per week) over the course of a semester (2 quarters) working alongside a Mayo Clinic Host (and support staff) as they learn more about that field. We do require the student and parent/guardian to sign a confidentiality agreement. Essentially the student would act as an assistant as they learn on the job skills, learn from Mayo staff what drew them to their career, what training they received to pursue their career, what they can do now in school to prepare to pursue that career path. 

Program Highlights

  • No patient contact or access to confidential information
  • Confidentiality agreement and Compliance Training required before applying
  • No access to surgical areas or virtual surgical viewing

Summer Internship Eligibility

Summer participation is only available to students who:

  • Live 1+ hour away from campus
  • Live out of state or out of the country
  • Are continuing from a spring internship

Internship Information and Process

**Arizona and Rochester, MN are the only sites that run unpaid internships for credit. Florida and the Health System in Wisconsin does not take part. Complete the Workforce Development Contact Form for the internship program available to Mankato and New Prague, MN high school students.

How to Apply for the Unpaid High School Internship for Credit

  1. Student and Education Coordinator (teacher or counselor), if applicable, must find a Mayo Clinic
    employee that will be willing to serve as the Host.
  2. Student reviews the Compliance Training.
  3. Once a host has been identified, the student completes the Confidentiality
    Agreement before they complete the application with the help of the Education
    Coordinator, if applicable.
  4. Once the application has been received, Education Coordinator, Host, and
    Supervisor will receive an email with a link to complete their agreement for the
    internship.
  5. Once the agreements have been received, the applicant’s information will be
    uploaded into the Non-Employee Access System and the student will receive two
    emails. One is to complete the self-registration form, and the other is to virtually
    verify their identity.
  6. Once the applicant has been cleared, all parties will receive a clearance email with
    instructions on how to onboard the student.