Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
External Laboratory Practices
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Questions will be resolved in person or by videoconference with the corresponding academic tutor.
If necessary, please make an appointment with the work experience coordinator: Dr Sara Hernández (shernandez@uic.es)
Introduction
The external research internships in a laboratory are designed for students to acquire and consolidate their practical knowledge of everything learned so far and achieve the final competency levels required to qualify for the research specialization.
During these internships, students will develop a research project under the supervision of an experienced researcher, gaining knowledge not only about the techniques used but also about the state of the art in the project's field and the critical analysis of the obtained results.
Pre-course requirements
To enroll in external internships, students must have successfully completed the first and second years in full and at least 80% of the credits from the third year. Additionally, it is recommended that they have taken and passed the following courses:
- Cell Biology I
- Cell Biology II
- Molecular Biology
- Integrated Biomedicine I
- Integrated Biomedicine II
- Integrated Biomedicine III
- Biochemistry I
- Biochemistry II
- Genetics
- Genetic Engineering
- Microbiology
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology
- Biomedical Analysis Techniques I
- Biomedical Analysis Techniques II
Objectives
- Guide the formulation of a hypothesis and the planning of the necessary experiments to test it.
- Encourage research practice within the planned guidelines, from applying different techniques to learning from both positive and negative results.
- Facilitate independent work, argument defense, and problem-solving.
- Ensure compliance with safety, handling, sterilization, waste management, and ethical requirements in the laboratory.
- Foster critical and reflective analysis of results.
- Promote strong communication skills within the laboratory, both in interactions with others and in the written and oral presentation of results.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN14 - Identify the principles of biomedical sciences related to health, as well as the basic concepts and tools that have an impact on Biomedical Sciences and allow them to work in any of its fields (biomedical companies, bioinformatics labs, research laboratories, clinical analysis companies, etc.).
- CP05 - Apply biological foundations in the search for practical solutions to health problems, following ethical standards and scientific rigour and respecting fundamental equal rights between men and women, and the promotion of human rights and the values inherent in a peaceful society of democratic values that includes inclusive, non-discriminatory language without stereotypes.
Learning outcomes of the subject
At the end of the course, students must:
- Demonstrate autonomy in the research laboratory, appropriately using vocabulary, tests, reagents, and other workplace resources.
- Show independence and critical thinking in interpreting scientific information.
- Recall the fundamentals of planning, organizing, and managing their assigned workload.
- Develop a professional attitude suited to the work environment.
- Work in the field of biomedical research, applying tools that enable proper selection and interpretation of the literature, as well as effective integration and participation in research group activities.
- Properly use scientific, technical, or specialized vocabulary, as well as the specific bibliography of the host group or company for the external internships.
Syllabus
The content of external internships depends on the destination and the type of project proposed in the work plan. The contents and internship period must be specified in the work plan and agreed upon with the tutor. The work plan will be evaluated by the internship coordinator and must be approved before the internship begins.
Internships must be part of an agreement between the university and the research center or company as a curricular requirement. It is not possible to start accredited external internships within the study program without an established agreement.
During the internship period, students are allowed to take other academic courses to complete their curriculum. However, it is their responsibility to balance different obligations, ensuring that academic activities do not interfere with their internship duties.
In the first semester, students must choose the type of external internship they wish to undertake:
- Internships in a national or international laboratory combined with the final degree project in the same institution.
- Internships in a national or international laboratory, independent of the final degree project, which will be conducted at UIC Barcelona.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Fully in-person classroom modality
- Internships in biomedical research laboratories: These internships involve participation in a professional project at national or international centers in the field of biomedical research. They are in-person and mandatory, requiring students to complete at least 480 hours of experimental practice. Before starting the external training, students must receive approval for their work plan.
The distribution of internship hours is flexible and must be agreed upon with the host laboratory. Internships must begin in the second semester and preferably be carried out full-time. It is not possible to validate previous external internships without having established a work plan and followed the evaluation systems and criteria.
- Individual tutoring: Students must attend three mandatory tutoring sessions, with a maximum of 10 hours with their academic tutor to ensure proper monitoring and continuous evaluation throughout the internship. These sessions can be in-person or online, depending on the availability of both the tutor and the student, while respecting class schedules as much as possible.
- Independent work may vary among students. They are expected to conduct bibliographic research to support their project and write a brief report on their internship experience.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Fully In-Person Classroom Modality
The evaluation methods are based on a series of assessment reports from the external tutor and the internship report evaluation by the academic tutor.
- 20%: Mid-term evaluation of the internship. The external tutor will issue a report when the student has completed approximately 50% of the internship hours. This will allow for adjustments in strategy if necessary and an assessment of the work completed so far.
- 40%: Final evaluation of the internship. The external tutor will issue a final report at the end of the internship hours, assessing the student's overall performance and professional and technical progress.
- 40%: Internship report. The student will prepare a written report summarizing the results obtained and including a critical reflection on the relevance of these results to biomedical research and their contribution to the project. The academic tutor will evaluate this report.
To pass the course, students must attend at least three tutoring sessions with the academic tutor.
The mid-term evaluation is intended as feedback for both students and academic tutors and serves as a basis for improvement for the remainder of the internship.
The internship report is prepared exclusively by the student and serves as evidence of the knowledge acquired during the internship, as well as their understanding of the laboratory environment. Additionally, it includes a critical reflection on the added value of a biomedical researcher within the project or the overall strategy of the organization.
Important Considerations:- A minimum score of 5 is required on the internship report to pass the course.
- Plagiarism, copying, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in a zero for that evaluation component.
- In the second exam session, students cannot obtain the highest grade ("Matrícula de Honor"); the maximum possible grade will be "Excellent".
- Exchange students (Erasmus and others) and repeat students are subject to the same conditions as all other students.
Bibliography and resources
Internal regulations for internships in companies and institutions of the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya https://web.uic.es/intranet/web/veure.uic?id=95053&anyo=2022&huic=77de787d0e6fdff136fde03da5157100