Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Work Placement

Work Placement
20
14026
4
op
Main language of instruction: Spanish

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

 

 

  • CB01 - Students must demonstrate that they have and understand knowledge in an area of study that is based on general secondary education, and it tends to be found at a level that, although it is based on advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that involve knowledge from the cutting-edge of their field of study.
  • CB03 - Students must have the ability to bring together and interpret significant data (normally within their area of study) to issue judgements that include a reflection on significant issues of a social, scientific and ethical nature.
  • CB04 - That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  • CB05 - That students have developed the necessary learning skills to undertake subsequent studies with a high degree of autonomy.
  • CE19 - To be aware of the principles of biomedical science related to health and learn how to work in any field of Biomedical Sciences (biomedical companies, bioinformatics laboratories, research laboratories, clinical analysis companies, etc.).
  • CG07 - To incorporate basic concepts related to the field of biomedicine both at a theoretical and an experimental level.
  • CG10 - To design, write up and execute projects connected to the field of Biomedical Sciences.
  • CG11 - To be aware of basic concepts from different fields connected to biomedical sciences.
  • CT01 - To develop the organisational and planning skills that are suitable in each moment.
  • CT02 - To develop the ability to resolve problems.
  • CT03 - To develop analytical and summarising skills.
  • CT04 - To interpret experimental results and identify consistent and inconsistent elements.
  • CT05 - To use the internet as a means of communication and a source of information.
  • CT06 - To know how to communicate, give presentations and write up scientific reports.
  • CT07 - To be capable of working in a team.
  • CT08 - To reason and evaluate situations and results from a critical and constructive point of view.
  • CT09 - To have the ability to develop interpersonal skills.
  • CT10 - To be capable of autonomous learning.
  • CT11 - To apply theoretical knowledge to practice.
  • CT12 - To apply scientific method.
  • CT13 - To be aware of the general and specific aspects related to the field of nutrition and ageing.
  • CT14 - To respect the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, and the promotion of human rights and the values that are specific to a culture of peace and democratic values.

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:

  1. Internships in a national or international laboratory combined with the final degree project in the same institution.
  2. 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:
  1. A minimum score of 5 is required on the internship report to pass the course.
  2. Plagiarism, copying, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in a zero for that evaluation component.
  3. In the second exam session, students cannot obtain the highest grade ("Matrícula de Honor"); the maximum possible grade will be "Excellent".
  4. 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

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