Sarasota Memorial Health Care System: Opportunities for Growth Through Internships and Career Development

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMHCS) stands as one of Florida's largest public health systems, renowned for its commitment to providing first-class care and fostering a supportive environment for its employees. Anchored by a facility recognized for its extraordinary leadership, mission, infrastructure, and people, SMHCS offers a wide array of opportunities for individuals seeking to advance their careers in the healthcare sector. With a campus poised for significant expansion, SMHCS is dedicated to the professional growth of its team members.

A Commitment to Excellence and Employee Well-being

At Sarasota Memorial, the dedication to becoming the best community hospital and healthcare system is reflected in the comprehensive benefits provided to its people. These benefits include:

Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Offering confidential counseling services, life coaching, and support for financial and legal issues.
Tuition Reimbursement: Supporting ongoing training and education for employees.
Child Care Centers: Two on-site child care centers providing daycare services for children aged six weeks to five years.

Allied Health and Technical Careers

Ensuring a massive healthcare system runs like clockwork is no small task. Yet, our strong network of professional and technical people is always ready to meet the challenge. SMHCS has a robust network of professional and technical staff who are always ready to meet the challenges of ensuring the smooth operation of the healthcare system. The system is continually expanding its Allied Health team, with positions for:

Medical Technologists
Physical Therapists
Pharmacy Technicians

SMHCS seeks individuals who can channel their passion into a progressive setting.

Hospitality Careers

Sarasota Memorial is the only hospital in Florida to receive a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services when it comes to quality and safety. Everyone on the team has played a vital role in that success, including our people building careers in Hospitality.

Read also: Launch Your Career with BNY Mellon

Sarasota Memorial Cardiovascular Training Program (SMCTP)

The Sarasota Memorial Cardiovascular Training Program (SMCTP) is an accelerated honors program designed to provide students with comprehensive training in cardiovascular technology.

Program Structure and Duration

The SMCTP is an accelerated honors program. Students are accepted into a cohort once a year, with classes taking place from the fall of one year to the fall of the next. The program is divided into four quarters. Including holidays and short breaks between the quarters, the program lasts approximately 13 months. The program is divided into four quarters and typically lasts approximately 13 months, including holidays and breaks.

Admission and Enrollment

The number of students accepted annually varies based on the space available at clinical sites. For the 2024-2025 inaugural cohort, there were three students in the invasive cardiovascular technology specialty and two students in the adult cardiac sonography specialty. In the 2025-2026 cohort, there were five students in the invasive cardiovascular technology specialty and two students in the adult cardiac sonography specialty. The number of applicants will exceed the number of spaces in the Cardiovascular Training Program. Therefore, in addition to the academic prerequisites below, well-qualified candidates will be scheduled for interviews with the admissions committee, typically including the Program Director, Director of Cardiovascular Services, Instructor(s), and Clinical Site leadership. Interviews will cover academic achievement, interpersonal skills, and applicable prior experiences. The program admits a limited number of students each year, with the exact number depending on the availability of space at clinical sites. Admission is competitive, with well-qualified candidates undergoing interviews with the admissions committee. The interviews assess academic achievement, interpersonal skills, and relevant prior experiences.

Educational Requirements

The minimum education level for these cardiovascular professions is an associate degree. We are required to ensure that students have at least this level of educational attainment. Since we are a hospital-based program and not associated with a formal academic institution, we require students to obtain this education elsewhere. Applicants are required to have at least an associate degree, as this is the minimum education level for cardiovascular professions. Since the program is hospital-based and not affiliated with a formal academic institution, students must obtain this education elsewhere.

Program Cost and Financial Aid

SMHCS/SMH is providing the cost of the program and a paid internship to remove common barriers to higher education and professional development. To participate in the training and compensation, students must complete the SMHCS “Student Employee Training, Internship, Residency and Reimbursement Agreement” prior to the program’s start date. Part of the agreement does contain an associated work commitment. For questions regarding this agreement, see the Director of Cardiovascular Services. Due to generous support from the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation and Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, currently, there is no tuition for the Cardiovascular Training Program. However, there are supplies that the student will need to pay for, including but not limited to:· Scrubs (white top and maroon bottom): cost varies· ACLS card fee for Invasive Cardiovascular Technology students only: $10· Payment for the specialty’s credentialing exam(s) taken in the last quarter of the program: Varieso Adult Cardiac Sonography credentialing exam: $365.00 - $525.00o Invasive Cardiovascular Technology credentialing exam: $365.00· There is no refund policy for the Cardiovascular Training Program. The program is currently tuition-free, thanks to support from the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation and Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. However, students are responsible for the cost of supplies, including scrubs and credentialing exam fees. The Adult Cardiac Sonography Program and Invasive Cardiovascular Technology Program award a professional certificate and do not award college credits. These programs also do not currently charge tuition. Because of these reasons, no financial aid is offered or accepted. Department of Education. Financial aid is not offered or accepted because the programs award a professional certificate and do not grant college credits.

Application Process

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are closed. Applications for the 2026-2027 are expected to open in March 2026 and remain open through April 2026. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Highly qualified applicants will be selected to participate in face-to-face interviews, which will be conducted in person and last approximately one hour. Applicants of the Adult Cardiac Sonography Program must shadow in an SMHCS Echocardiography Laboratory before acceptance into the program. Applicants to the Invasive Cardiovascular Technology Program must shadow in an SMHCS Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory before acceptance into the program. Applicants will be notified in writing if they have been accepted into the program. If accepted, the applicant must confirm or decline by the date stated in their acceptance letter. Accepted applicants who do not wish to attend should notify the Program Director immediately. The application process involves submitting a complete application, participating in face-to-face interviews, and shadowing in the relevant SMHCS laboratory. Applicants are notified in writing of their acceptance status and must confirm or decline their acceptance by the specified date.

Certification and Licensure

The SMCTP is a non-degree-granting, certificate-level program. Upon successful completion, graduates will obtain a certificate of completion. Like many states, Florida does not offer licenses for sonographers or invasive cardiovascular technologists. Instead, individuals demonstrate competency in these professions through a specialty credential. Students will be qualified to sit for the national credentialing examination through Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) and/or the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). Graduates of the program receive a certificate of completion, which qualifies them to sit for national credentialing examinations through Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) and/or the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). Florida does not offer licenses for sonographers or invasive cardiovascular technologists; instead, competency is demonstrated through specialty credentials.

International Transcripts

International transcripts must be verified by a credentialing company endorsed by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Retired versions of TOEFL will also be accepted with the following scores: Paper-Based Test with results of 500 or higher or Computer-Based Test results of 173 or higher. This requirement will be waived for those who have successfully completed (i.e. grade of “PASS” or “C” or better) college coursework taught in English from an accredited institution OR successful completion (i.e. grade of “PASS” or “C” or better) of high school coursework taught in English from an accredited institution. International transcripts must be verified by a credentialing company endorsed by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). TOEFL scores are also accepted, and the requirement may be waived for those who have completed coursework in English from an accredited institution.

Internships

The SMHCS summer internship program will provide its participants with relevant skills and networking opportunities within the healthcare industry. SMHCS offers summer internships that provide participants with relevant skills and networking opportunities within the healthcare industry.

General Internship Information

No previous work experience is needed.
It is the expectation that interns can work for the majority of the 8-week program.
If you are a minor below 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian must be present for the Employee Health screening and drug test appointment.
Registration/Intake Sessions will take places at both Sarasota Memorial Hospital - Sarasota Campus and the Sarasota Memorial Hospital - Venice Campus on Tuesday, May 31st.
Interns must have a bank account in order to be paid, as they will be paid via direct deposit on a biweekly basis.
Interns will only be permitted to work a maximum of 40 hours weekly.
You must have transportation to and from their shifts. There is a SCAT bus stop stationed across the street from the SMH-Sarasota campus.

Internship Extension

While an internship extension is not guaranteed, it is possible that you maybe asked to stay on after the program ends.

Read also: Publishing Internship Programs

Required Documents

Interns will need to show proof of 2 MMR, 2 Varicella, and the Hepatitis B Vaccine Series, as well as a tuberculosis test. Proof of immunity for MMR, Varicella, or Hepatitis B may also be acceptable.
If the intern is over 18 years of age, 2 PPD tests are required within the past year, with one dose within the past 90 days. If the intern has no previous PPD test history, 2 PPD skin tests will be given 1 week apart.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice

With the opening of Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice in Fall 2021, SMHCS is able to provide south Sarasota County residents convenient access to the same level of care and 5-Star physicians, staff and systems available at our SMH-Sarasota Campus. Join our SMH Venice Team NOW!

Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute

Sarasota Memorial's latest addition to its Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute is also the expanding cancer care program’s cornerstone: The 8-story inpatient and surgical Oncology Tower elevates the art and industry of cancer treatment in Southwest Florida. The tower provides patients with the full continuum of modern cancer care - from diagnosis and intervention to survivorship care - under one roof. The Cancer Institute will offer a comprehensive treatment center staffed by Sarasota Memorial’s widening range of fellowship-trained oncology specialists and subspecialists and support clinicians with groundbreaking innovations and research. Anchoring our world-class healthcare system is a facility that's recognized for its extraordinary leadership, mission, infrastructure and people. With a campus that has the capacity to expand almost double in size, your career is well poised to grow in this brand-new facility. Brian D. The top physicians, nurses, specialists, researchers and therapists have all come together in this $193 million, eight-story cancer institute, serving as the front line in the battle against cancer.

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