Internships are meant to provide hands-on learning, but many interns complain about overwork, long shifts, and low or no pay. Supporters say it builds discipline; critics call it exploitation.
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During my internship, I observed that the program seemed to involve unpaid work and potentially long hours.
Internships work best when they’re structured with clear learning objectives, mentorship, reasonable hours, and fair compensation. Discipline and resilience can be built without pushing interns to burnout. The line between training and exploitation depends on whether the program invests in the intern’s growth or simply extracts their labor.
I feel, the current internship structure in Indian medical education often leans more towards being exploitative than educational. It loads the interns with overwork and also treats them as low-cost substitutes for hospital staff rather than observing them as “learners”. Besides , there exists lack of structured mentorship and feedback loops as well and this compels the interns to navigate the critical responsibilities with very minimal supervision and this also inhibits their full-fledged growth. Moreover, the rotation system that exists, though it has been designed to expose the interns to various departments, is highly mismanaged and this turns their valuable learning time into just a labor. The disconnect between the academic intention and hospital reality is very huge thar it dilutes the transformative potential of an internship making it more of a service than a training.
an intern in the Indian medical system, I often feel the balance tips more towards exploitation than education. The internship is advertised as “hands-on learning,” but in reality, much of it becomes cheap labour for overburdened hospitals. We are expected to work long, often unsafe hours, covering for staff shortages, with minimal guidance from seniors. Learning opportunities are irregular and dependent on luck rather than structured mentorship. Many tasks are repetitive clerical work or errands unrelated to skill-building. The stipend, if given, is shockingly low compared to the workload and responsibility we shoulder—often risking our own health and well-being. While real-world exposure is essential, the absence of clear learning goals, fair hours, and proper supervision turns this vital training year into an endurance test rather than a bridge to competent practice. Without reform, the “internship” risks being more about survival than professional growth.
I feel internships should help us learn and grow, not just make us work like full-time employees. Long hours and no pay can be really discouraging, especially when we’re trying to balance studies too. Discipline is important, but it should come with respect and proper guidance. If interns are treated well, they’ll be more motivated to learn. Learning should be the main goal, not just doing tasks. A fair internship helps build a strong future.
Internships are supposed to help us learn by doing, but many times it feels more like free labor. While some say it teaches discipline, others feel it’s unfair when there’s too much work and no pay. A balance is needed learning should never come at the cost of burnout or feeling used.
Internships definitely add value to our resumes. But if we can also learn something meaningful alongside the work, that makes the experience even more worthwhile. The internship I did in college was a paid one and that little reward really motivated me to push further. It was also filled with various activities that helped us build confidence and develop skills
Sadly, when internships turn into endless hours with little guidance or pay, the “learning” often gets in the form of unpaid labor and that’s when they lean more toward exploitation than education.