Responsibilities

The primary purpose of the Undergraduate Bioethics Internship is to provide an intern with the opportunity to work on a particular research project for the summer under the direction of a faculty mentor. Students will participate in a biomedical ethics summer curriculum, which includes educational sessions on bioethics research methods and meetings with members of the program faculty. The intern is responsible for observing the functions and processes of the assigned work unit. In addition, the intern may be given selected work assignments to reinforce the learning experience, to assess the performance levels and to provide benefit to the work unit. The intern will be responsible for completing all internship-related assignments and reports for both Mayo and the participating educational facility. The duration and timing of the internship will be arranged with the intern and the sponsoring educational facility.

Additional Information can be found at: Summer Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Ethics Research

Applications must be received by January 19, 2026 at 11:55pm (MST), and must include the following items:

• A cover letter describing your career goals and how biomedical ethics research relates to those goals;
• A resume/CV that includes your major and relevant courses, honors, and experiences;
• A 5-10-page writing sample (such as a course paper), preferably on a topic related to biomedical ethics;
•  A current, unofficial college transcript;
• Two letters of recommendation from a professor or research mentor. Address letters to Dr. Richard Sharp, Program Director. Letters should be emailed directly by the professor/mentor to bioethics@mayo.edu

Top applicants will be invited to participate in a brief phone interview to discuss specific skills and areas of interest. Final decisions will be made in part based on applicants' interests and availability of appropriate mentors.

Please note: All applications must be submitted directly to Mayo Clinic and not through the Handshake platform.

• Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
• Authorized to work in the United States for the entire duration of the internship
• Currently enrolled in school as a full-time student
• Compensation will be a fixed rate based on the intern’s education level (e.g. undergraduate, graduate)
• Prior research and/or healthcare experience preferred
• Prior internship experience preferred

Students that do not meet these criteria do not qualify. Applicants who are graduating need to be enrolled in a graduate program to be eligible.

Successful Applicants Will Be:

•    Committed to pursuing career in which they will engage topics in biomedical ethics
•    Able to work independently
•    Proficient in written and verbal communication
•    Highly motivated to learn new research methods