At Foundation Medicine, our work to transform cancer care spans across many different functions and teams. From our colleagues working to process samples in the lab, to those working directly with physicians, biopharma partners and patients, it takes an entire, multi-talented team for us to make our impact. Our efforts would not be fully accomplished without the time, effort and passion that our interns bring to each of our teams. 
 
We’re privileged to have several interns joining us this summer, working across many of our departments. We caught up with some of our interns and asked them what brought them to Foundation Medicine this summer and what they have enjoyed and learned from their internship thus far. 

Soumya, Automation Engineering Intern 

“I came to Foundation Medicine this summer because the opportunity to work at this organization seemed so unique in its field. The passion and drive at Foundation Medicine is contagious and I was able to catch on to it as early as my interview. The work being done here is groundbreaking and I wanted to be a part of an organization that was at the forefront of cancer genomics. I picked Foundation Medicine because I knew, even as an intern, I could have the opportunity to directly help improve patient sample processing. I have greatly enjoyed the amount of collaboration across teams and departments. It is so important for people from all areas to come together to create seamless processes and hearing those conversations has been so educational to me. Learning the amount of work that goes into the patient sample journey is astonishing and as an automation engineering intern, learning how automation plays a key role in this journey is vital to my work here. Knowing that the work I do will help real people is very rewarding and a true motivation to put my best foot forward. Patients, innovation, passion, and collaboration are at the top of every conversation here. I am incredibly grateful to be working alongside people who are transforming the field of cancer care every day.” 

Savannah, Laboratory Operations Intern 

“I decided to join Foundation Medicine for my 2023 summer internship because the program was offering practical and useful laboratory experience and knowledge of molecular techniques and processes that can be used in a variety of laboratory and research settings going forward, including opportunities to shadow almost all departments involved in sample journey! I’ve really enjoyed working for Foundation Medicine! It is very inclusive and encouraging, and it’s clear that the team genuinely wants us interns to grow and learn from this experience. Everyone has been so welcoming to us and has been willing to jump in and lend a helping hand when the interns need support or guidance. I have learned so much about a sample’s journey through processing and testing and the impact of these processes on patients’ lives, as well as how to ask quality questions to help myself and my peers learn.” 

Ibrahim, Software Engineering Intern 

“I decided to join Foundation Medicine for the summer because it’s a young company with an ambitious mission statement that it really stands up to. So far, I’ve enjoyed being able to work with my fellow interns on our summer project. It’s been fun getting to know them and having the opportunity to work together in a self-led group. On top of that, I’m given tickets on the engineering team I’m in within the company and I’m able to learn about the software that makes certain company functions work. My team gives me information on how the different software components work with each other and they give me hands-on work to learn about the architecture and make changes within it.” 

Charlynne, Strategic Initiatives and Process Excellence Intern 

“Deciding to join Foundation Medicine for my 2023 summer internship was one of the best decisions I've made. What drew me to Foundation Medicine was not just the company's reputation or the scope of work it does. But also, its underlying values, passion, and impact to society. I wanted to be part of a community that shares strong values, drives innovation, and is passionate about making a positive difference in society. From the very first day of my internship, I have been warmly welcomed and have had countless opportunities to grow. Every day has been different, full of learning and discovery. The culture here at Foundation Medicine is unlike anything I've experienced before and the unique, well-thought-out structure of the internship program stands out to me. Everyone I've worked with seems genuinely invested in ensuring that I'm not only enjoying my time here, but that I'm also gaining invaluable knowledge and skills. While I didn't have a background in healthcare, I've been diving into it headfirst and loving every moment.” 

Anirudh, Lab Operations Intern 

“While sifting through summer internship opportunities, I came across Foundation Medicine’s Lab Operations intern opening. Within five minutes of reading through the company’s core values and job role, I was convinced that this was where I needed to be for the summer. Learning the entire patient sample journey and understanding each department’s role has been an amazing experience. It has provided me insight, not only into Foundation Medicine’s workflow, but how biotech companies operate. Understanding how accessioning communicates with the histology department and extraction portion of lab operations, why certain processes are in place and how everyone shares this constant mindset of optimization are small things that I would not have picked up in any other environment. Additionally, the resources within the company are amazing. I have been able to reach out to so many people in different departments that interest me and spend dedicated time understanding the work they do and how they got to where they are.” 

Anjali, Software Engineering Intern 

“This is my second summer as an intern at Foundation Medicine and there are two things specifically that influenced my decision to come back. The first is how much I was able to learn and grow last summer through the projects I was given. As a software engineering intern, I was given challenging projects that helped me learn so many new technical skills. All my tasks allow me to be directly involved with the team, so I’ve been getting to work on code that my team is working on, participate in stand ups, and sprint planning. Something that I think is really unique about a technical internship at Foundation Medicine is that we have the opportunity to work 50% on projects given by our manager and 50% on a shark tank project. In the shark tank project, the tech interns work together to further develop a project inspired by an idea from the annual company hackathon. We then get to pitch our idea and present our progress every few weeks. I really enjoyed this project last year and am excited to do it again this year because it helps us immerse ourselves into the company. The second reason as to why I came back to Foundation Medicine is the people. Everyone at Foundation Medicine is extremely knowledgeable and I’ve had the opportunity to hear and learn from individuals across different jobs, departments and how they work together. As interns, we’re constantly encouraged to keep asking questions and to keep exploring. I knew coming back this summer I was going to be further challenged in my work and given some more incredible opportunities to grow.” 

Dev, Information Technology Intern 

“Choosing Foundation Medicine for my 2023 summer internship was a decision influenced by several factors, especially since I had an amazing experience last year. I was deeply moved by Foundation Medicine’s values and their genuine care for both their employees and patients, something I had the privilege to witness firsthand during our patient advocacy meetings. The real-world impact of the intern projects, presented at the annual hackathons, demonstrated the company's commitment to innovation and continuous learning, which I found inspiring. My internship has been an enriching experience, with the opportunity to delve deeper into Azure AI and large language models, broadening my technical skills and giving me a glimpse into the future of AI in healthcare. I've enjoyed the camaraderie among the interns at intern events and community initiatives. I’m beyond thankful to have such an amazing experience!” 

Priyanka, Reimbursement Intern 

“I decided to come to Foundation Medicine for my Summer 2023 internship because I can see myself growing professionally in this position. Working for an organization that is helping to bring access to targeted therapies to people is extremely crucial. In the team I am working under, the goal is to get Foundation Medicine’s tests to vulnerable populations which is something I am very passionate about. I have really enjoyed my internship so far and have learned so much. Everyone I work with has a unique expertise base and it’s been such a valuable experience to learn from them. The collaborative and innovative approach and strategy for decisions made have been one of the most interesting parts of the internship.” 

Bringing in Fresh Perspectives and Pursuing Our Passion Together 

Our 2023 intern class brings together individuals with various perspectives and expertise that have only added to our Foundation Medicine community. Through intern events at our office sites, our goal is to help foster a community and space for our interns to bond, gather and connect with each other outside of the workplace.  
 
We hope that our interns have a great rest of their summer and continue learning and growing with us as we all continue working together in our mission to transform cancer care.  

Interns at our Research Triangle Park site bonded at an escape room outing  

Our Boston site interns gathered together for a Duck Boat tour around this city and the Charles River