Ninety-five Caymanian high school and college students have joined the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA) for its highly competitive Summer Student Internship Programme.
The internship, which runs from June to September each year, attracted a record-high 332 applicants for the 2026 intake. The placement gives students exposure and practical experience in professional fields across various departments, including medical and allied health services, over a period of four to six weeks.
For many participants, the programme provides a vision of their future careers while serving as an essential link between professional practice and academic theory. This year's cohort comprised students motivated by both clinical interests and business strategies that maintain healthcare operations.
During orientation, interns participated in fire safety, hand hygiene, customer service and CPR training, for which they were awarded certificates.
Laboratory intern Madison Douglas enrolled with the intention of obtaining an insider’s view of a workplace where she hopes to build her career. "I was very interested in science during high school, so I decided to pursue a career path in the lab," she explained. She also sees it as an opportunity “to help me understand whether or not this is something I can see myself doing in the future”.
Other students are taking the opportunity to develop their passion for serving others. Shayla Ebanks, a nursing intern, stated, "I decided to do the internship at HSA because it is one of the major hospitals in the Cayman Islands. This chance will increase my interest in working with patients.”
Behavioural Health Intern, Kheara Ramsahoi, said her choice to participate in the programme was based on the HSA’s tertiary-level healthcare services and the insight it could provide for her career in psychology. “I’ve always had a ground-level knowledge of what healthcare looks like, but I feel like with the HSA, I can get more direction and get to network in a hospital where I can be employed in the future,” she noted.
Students with non-clinical aspirations also see the programme as a way to combine their administrative role with their passion for caring for people. “While I might not be dealing with direct patient care like a doctor or nurse, finance plays a critical role in ensuring that health care services can operate effectively,” noted Finance intern Joshua Elliott.
HSA’s Chief Human Resources Officer Samantha Bennett stated, “We are contributing to the development of future generations of business and medical leaders in our islands by introducing talented Caymanian students to highly qualified medical professionals.”