What is an Externship?
This is a career exploration program that provides students with a snapshot of a particular career environment, enabling them to gather information that will influence their career decisions. Students have the opportunity to shadow an alumnus or friend of Duke University for 1-5 days during Spring Break or after commencement in May. Externships often include overviews of the career, informational interviews with professionals and short term projects.
A short-term (typically 1 day to 1 week) volunteer job shadowing opportunity which allows students to observe work, investigate a career field, and experience a typical day (or week) on the job. How do organizations benefits from hosting an extern? • No cost – Students provide their own housing and transportation and are NOT compensated for time spent with their sponsoring organizations. • A great recruiting tool – An externship provides you with the opportunity to meet and identify candidates early in the recruiting process. • Expose your organization and industry to students – Many students have misconceptions about career fields. They have no idea what a particular career job entails…only what they see on T.V., hear from their friends, and learn from their parents. An externship gives students the chance to develop a first-hand understanding and see for themselves. • Help a “Dawg” – A great way to give back to the University is with your time and experience. An externship provides
An externship is an opportunity for a student to engage in practice based learning, by actively participating in a field of interest. It is very similar to an internship, but is generally of a shorter duration. Externships also tend to be less extensive than internships, and students may or may not receive academic credit for them, depending on the institution they attend. The term “extern” is also used to refer to a medical professional who is associated with a facility, but is not considered a full time member of the staff. The term arose in 1945, when the idea of trying out a career before plunging into it began to be more widespread. In an externship, the student typically trails an experienced member of the company while he or she performs daily tasks. The extern may also participate, generally closely supervised. The externship is usually brief, and focuses on giving someone a taste of a potential career. Unlike an internship, there is less focus on job training, as the extern ma
An externship usually involves an off-campus placement for one semester in judicial chambers, a government agency or a public interest law firm. Most externships range between three and six units. Externs are usually involved in all aspects of a placement’s practice, including legal research, client contact and courtroom observation.
An externship is an excellent way to learn about the day-to-day work life of a professional in a career field of your choice. It offers you the chance to “test” a career without the risk of long- term commitment and can help you get your foot in the door for a competitive internship program or job.
