Maximizing the potential of internships in gerontology and geriatrics

Internships and similar applied opportunities have long been valued for providing students with opportunities for practical experience, career preparation, and personal growth. The need for applied experiences in gerontology and geriatrics is particularly salient. Creating and sustaining effective internship experiences, however, requires careful attention to a variety of concerns. Using examples and illustrations from an ongoing gerontology internship component (undergraduate and graduate) this article examines ways to anticipate and address the challenges that are common to a broad range of internship experiences, as well as those that are unique to applied learning in gerontology and geriatrics.