Clinical Internships and Shadowing Opportunities at Wofford College
Wofford College’s policy on clinical internships and shadowing opportunities for students seeking credit specifies two options:
(1) a structured Clinical Internships Interim course taking place at contractual hospitals in the Spartanburg/Greenville area (Spartanburg Regional, Bon Secours, and St. Francis) requiring extensive pre-requisites and limited spots.
(2) a more flexible Learning Work Interim for shadowing outside the above mentioned hospitals in Spartanburg/Greenville or with non-physician professionals.
The policy emphasizes that only these two Interim opportunities offer college credit due to legal complexities involving contracts with healthcare providers. Credit is not awarded for external programs, and Wofford will not create new contracts for student participation in outside opportunities. Students should plan ahead, especially those studying abroad.
Common Student Questions
What criteria determine Wofford’s clinical internship credit eligibility?
Answer: Wofford College has specific criteria that determine whether a student is eligible to receive college credit for a clinical internship.
- Clinical Internship Interim and Learning Work Interim are the only two ways at Wofford College that award credit for shadowing healthcare professionals in a clinical setting. Wofford has contracts with Spartanburg Regional, Bon Secours, and St. Francis in Greenville, which enables Wofford to award credit for shadowing at those hospitals.
- Learning Work Interim proposals that require a legal contract between Wofford and a healthcare provider will not be approved. Students can only propose shadowing or observing healthcare professionals at hospitals or clinics that do not require a contract with Wofford College.
- Wofford College will not sign any contracts or liability waivers for students to participate in programs outside contractual relationships, including programs at other universities and hospitals. Wofford will not award college credit for participation in these types of programs.
The main reason for these policies is legality: Extensive contracts between Wofford and the hospital are often required to grant students credit for shadowing at a hospital.
2. Where can students shadow healthcare professionals outside Spartanburg/Greenville contractual hospitals?
Answer: Students can shadow healthcare professionals outside of Spartanburg/Greenville contractual hospitals through the Learning Work Interim program, which is available through the office of the Interim Coordinator. However, Learning Work Interim proposals that require a legal contract between Wofford College and the healthcare provider will not be approved.
For example, a student could apply for a Learning Work Interim to shadow a physician in Charleston, SC. However, if the hospital in Charleston required Wofford to sign a contract or liability waiver, the proposal would not be approved.
3. What GPA is required for the Clinical Internships Interim?
To be eligible for the Clinical Internships Interim, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.3. Priority is given to students with a 3.4 GPA or above who plan to apply to medical or PA schools.
4. What locations are covered by the Clinical Internships Interim?
The Clinical Internship Interim covers the contractual hospitals mentioned above in the Spartanburg/Greenville area. Students in this program spend at least 110 hours shadowing physicians and/or physician assistants in this area.
5. When are applications for the Clinical Internships Interim available?
Applications for the Clinical Internships Interim are available in the early fall semester.
**Click View Resource below for more information.**
If you have further questions, please contact Dr. John Moeller
Interim Lead Health Careers Advisor, Professor of Biology, and Chair of Biology
EMAIL: moellerjf@wofford.edu
PHONE: 864-597-4627
OFFICE: 203D Roger Milliken Science Center
