PQA Summer Executive Internship

Overview
The PQA Summer Executive Internship is a competitive, paid summer executive internship that provides experience in non-profit association management with an emphasis on healthcare quality and a focus on:

• Member Communications
• Education
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Medication Use Quality Strategic Initiatives

Executive interns participate in an 8- to 12-week summer program that takes place in person at PQA headquarters located in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area or remotely. Hybrid approaches to the interns’ location are also possible. PQA's strategic location provides an opportunity for interns to engage in current healthcare events and meet with pharmacists and other professionals in the healthcare quality field.

Internship activities vary depending on current initiatives and priorities. PQA works with each Executive Intern to align the experience with desired career goals and interests.

Transportation, housing, and all other costs of living are the responsibility of the student.

“I am grateful to PQA for broadening my perspectives through the Summer Executive Internship. My project in the SDOH resource guide exposed me to real-world solutions to reducing healthcare disparities and gave me the opportunity to discuss these with leaders in the area. I am leaving the internship with a deepened understanding of the need for pharmacy services to be tailored to the patient and quality-based.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                        - Fay Hussain, PharmD Candidate 2024; PQA Executive Intern 2022

"The PQA internship has allowed me to experience and participate in creating quality patient centered care. I had the opportunity to achieve my goal of learning more about pharmacy policy and the behind the scenes of creating and assessing quality measures. In my Capstone Project, I learned the importance of diversity inclusion and will continue to implement the principles I had learned in the future."

-Bryan Weaver, PharmD Candidate 2025; PQA Executive Intern 2022

Application Information
Students actively enrolled in a healthcare-related undergraduate or graduate program or have a relevant degree or study concentration, such as health policy. Candidates are required to submit the following materials through an online application platform accessible via the PQA website:

1. One-page cover letter describing:
1. Interest in the program
2. Career goals & major areas of interest
3. How you envision this fellowship meeting your goals
4. Why you believe you are a good fit for the program
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Unofficial transcript from academic institution(s)
4. One letters of recommendation*

*For applications to be considered complete, one (1) letters of recommendation from faculty, dean, and/or employer must be e-mailed separately and directly from the recommenders to Education@PQAalliance.org by the application deadline using the following subject line: “PQA Summer Executive Internship – Candidate Name”.