Internship



Master’s Applied

The Master’s (Applied) program offers an internship aimed at providing students with an opportunity to apply their skills in cellular biology, molecular biology, proteomics, bioinformatics and general biotechnology in a concrete research setting. The Master’s program is a mix of lecture and laboratory courses with a research project component that includes the internship. The internship can be done in the public sector, university research labs, university-affiliated organizations and hospitals, governmental research agencies or in the private sector (biotech or pharmaceutical companies). The internship starts in the summer for a minimum of 4 months and can last up to 8 months. Students will earn 16 credits for this research project and will have to satisfy specific course requirements. In addition to accomplishing research goals in the laboratory placement, students will be required to write a project proposal including a literature review, submit a progress report, and at the end of the internship, give a seminar on their work and submit a final report.

Important Note: International students MUST obtain a CO-OP WORK PERMIT in order to do their internship. The co-op work permit can be obtained during the first year of the program with the assistance of the McGill International Student Services or it can be requested at the same type you apply to the Study Permit. The type of permit to obtain is "co-op" and it is free of charge.

Note that internships are not remunerated and students are expected to work a minimum of 35 hours per week. It is therefore the responsability of the student to make sure that he/she are self-sufficient during the internship period.

 

 


 

Testimonies

I haven't seen myself grow faster in any point in my life than in these 16 months of the master's. An excellently organized program. The first two semesters have a range of lecture courses to study from, and two laboratory courses to develop skills in. I could actually see myself applying that same knowledge in my intersnhip project; that made me more confident and independent. My internship project then not only helped me obtain hands-on skills but also helped me develop a passion for research; encouraging me to pursue a PhD. Aside from academics, my experience in organizing the first BioConnect Symposium has been exhilarating. It was a project on its own and to watch it become a success was more than rewarding.
2009-10 Cohort

I believe that with the ever expending knowledge and the advancement in technology used in biotechnology, there is somewhat of a gap betwen the undergraduate and graduate level. I feel strongly that this program bridges this gap by providing more theory based courses, as well as providing additional hands on lab training in molecular biology and proteomics techniques that one would not have at the undergraduate level. As an added bonus, you have the opportunity to apply your skills in the internship component of the program, which in my case, was a challenging and rewarding endeavor that I did not expect. Overall, my experience in this program has exceeded my expectations and I feel more confident about working in industry or perhaps pursuing a PhD program as a result.
2008-09 Cohort

Fast-paced and challenging, the program taught me many valuable skills, the internship exposed me to science outside of academia, and to top it off, the faculty and staff were truly exceptional!
2007-08 Cohort

Not only was the internship an invaluable scientific learning experience, it was also an opportunity to establish contacts within the biotech industry and get a foot in the door - an otherwise difficult task for those coming from academia.
R.A. Pollock, MSc.A., 2007

My internship at MethylGene gave me not only hands-on experience in cancer biology and pre-clinical drug development, but also valuable insight as to the career path I needed to pursue to advance in the field. The problem-solving strategies I learned during my 8-month internship have allowed me to hit the ground running in my current PhD in Molecular Genetics.
J. Olsen, MScA, 2007

I tremendously enjoyed the Internship Program, it gave me an insight into the pharmaceutical industry and some hands on experience in clinical research.
D. Maktabi, MScA, 2006

I must say that I had a great time at the Macdonald Campus and at McGill University mainly for their great services, their international diversity, their open mind, and the facility to reach the teachers. The Biotech Certificate program allows you to learn so much in so short time period; it gives you the basis but also has a vision on what the industry is looking for. It’s a well organized program opening to you great opportunity.
E. Legros, Certificate, 2000

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