Writing Internship Description

The Philip and Rita Rosen Department of Communications and Public Affairs (DCPA) is responsible for all aspects of internal and external communications at Einstein, including media relations, social media, branding, marketing, creative services, communications, publications, community and governmental relations and the Einstein website.

The department works closely with all of Einstein’s academic departments, centers and institutes, as well as with Montefiore Medical Center—the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein—to disseminate Einstein’s scientific findings to the media and supervise all other external communications regarding the College of Medicine’s educational and clinical research missions.

Description of Internship

This is an unpaid position. The intern will receive varied writing assignments in order to produce content for Einstein’s intranet or website (features and other content) and thus gain hands-on science and general writing experience. The intern also will learn about the breadth of research and clinical medicine at Einstein as well as how to write in a variety of styles and story formats. While hours are flexible, requiring approximately two to five hours of time commitment per week when working on an assignment, deadlines are hard and firm.

Skills and Requirements

• Understanding of basic medical and scientific concepts
• Flexibility in interview situations
• Ability to write clearly and concisely
• Ability to translate scientific language into simplified lay terms

Internship Tasks

• Meet with the editor to receive assignment and discuss the required content.
• Before interviewing your subject, read about any interviewees (who may be a researchers, faculty members, alumni or students) and the assigned topic. Reading materials can include previously published materials—journal articles, Web items, etc.—and materials provided to the intern by the assigning editor.
• Submit a question list to the assigning editor if requested.
• Interview your subject(s) as appropriate and as discussed with the assigning editor.
• Transcribe the interview tape or type up interview notes.
• For event coverage, attend event as necessary.
• Write the item to the space/word and deadline requirements of the assigning editor.
• Submit the item and, if requested, the interview transcript.
• Be available to answer questions or rewrite sections that are unclear or need restyling.

Eligibility

• Students in the Graduate Division of Albert Einstein College of Medicine must have passed the qualifying exam and completed all courses, and must obtain written permission from their mentor. Graduate students must complete the Request for Co-curricular Activity Form.
• Postdoctoral fellows in Einstein’s Belfer Institute for Advanced Biomedical Studies must obtain written permission from their mentor.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the deadline for applying to this internship?

There is no deadline. This is a rolling internship with no starting line or endpoint. It is designed to work with student/postdoc schedules and availability.

What kinds of articles will I be writing?

The DCPA offers a variety of assignments. We will assign pieces that will provide you with well-rounded writing experience. Types of assignments include:

Science writing, such as research briefs on research and grants on our Research web page (see the Research Briefs section).

Non-science briefs reflecting students and faculty honors, notable presentations, and participation in professional events on our Current Students web page (see Student Spotlight) and Faculty web page (see Academic Honors).

General campus events (see Around Campus updates on the website).

Web features on science and non-science topics (see Features).

How long will the articles be?

Articles will vary in length:

100-200 words for research/grant briefs and student/faculty honors.

300-600 words Around Campus items.

600-1,000 words for web features.

How often will articles be due?

The DCPA has a constant flow of assignments, for which deadlines will vary. We will try to give you assignments whose deadlines work with your schedule and availability. When we give you the deadline for an assignment, it will be a firm timeframe agreed upon at the time of assignment. Some pieces may require quick turnaround, within the same week, and others will offer more time for completion. These deadlines, and the requirements for the piece, will be discussed so that you can fully assess your ability to complete a given assignment before accepting it.

How much time will the writing take?

We estimate 2 to 5 hours a week. We will make assignments based on how much time we believe you’ll need to write the item/piece. Your participation in the internship will be based on your availability, with the understanding that the research you do in the laboratory should always be your priority.

Does my writing sample have to relate to my current work?

No. The purpose of the writing sample is for us to see what your writing style is like so we can match you to suitable assignments. You can use published or unpublished work as long as the words are yours, and that they are not scientific papers. If you wish to submit a piece that involves science or medicine, it must be written in lay terms for a general audience, and demonstrate your ability to simplify complex information into terms that a non-scientific audience can understand.