Clinical Internship Performance and Outputs of Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology Students: The Case of a Private HEI in Makati

Abstract

Clinical internship is a critical component of Medical Technology education because it enables students to apply academic knowledge, technical competencies, professional values, and analytical skills in actual laboratory settings. This study evaluated the clinical internship performance and outputs of Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology students in a private higher education institution in Makati based on the assessments of graduates and industry partners. A descriptive-comparative design supplemented by qualitative data was employed. The respondents consisted of 124 graduates and 12 industry partners selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered using an expert-reviewed and pilot-tested researcher-developed questionnaire, supplemented by open-ended responses and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, and independent-samples t-tests, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings indicated that the interns were generally assessed positively in communication, work ethics, core competencies, and institutional graduate attributes. Work ethics emerged as the strongest performance dimension, whereas analytical skills, particularly error recognition, troubleshooting, and clinical interpretation, received comparatively lower assessments. Internship outputs were likewise rated favorably, particularly in comprehensive reporting, documentation compliance, and record traceability, although critical analysis and evidence-based application remained areas for improvement. Significant differences were found between the assessments of graduates and industry partners across the major performance and output dimensions, with industry partners consistently providing more conservative ratings. Qualitative findings further identified workload pressure, limited technical exposure, confidence concerns, documentation challenges, and inconsistent supervision and feedback. The study underscores the need for stronger academic-industry alignment, structured competency assessment, simulation-based preparation, and systematic supervisory feedback in clinical internship management.