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API Internships Clinic

API has developed an innovative program, the API Internships Clinic, that provides quality and affordable multidisciplinary R&D consulting and internships. This approach was inspired from the popular and proven teaching hospital model, where affordable quality services are provided to patients by teams of medical interns, under the supervision of medical professors. Medical interns get the necessary practical experience and training, while the patients benefit from more affordable quality care.

How Does it Work?

API Internships Clinic program is designed to benefit both partner companies and interns in several fields of science and engineering. Projects are defined and developed by API after consultation with a partner company, as follows:

        • Compagnies are invited to discuss engineering and technical problems they want resolved. The solutions to these problems could involve the development of a hardware and/or software.
        • API analyzes those problems and proposes a project plan to develop an appropriate solution.
        • Following approval of the project by the partner company, API will identify a team of qualified interns from its database to work on the project. and appoint a project manager who will define the scope of the project, manage the project, and mentor and advise the team of interns.
        • The interns (selected from among qualified junior and seniors engineering students, or graduates) will be hired by the company to work onsite on the project.
        • The partner company may appoint a liaison who will interface with API and the project team
        • Under the guidance of API project manager, the team will develop alternative designs and solutions and submit and present a proposal to the company discussing alternative solutions, functional requirements, required equipment and budget, and a project plan and schedule
        • Following approval of the proposal by the partner company, the team implements the project
        • The team will consult with various API multidisciplinary experts as needed.
        • The end result of the project is a tested optimal and timely solution and, when applicable, development of working prototype and potential IP.
        • The team presents and demonstrates the final results in a final report and presentation

Projects will generally involve a combination of the following:

        • Market research
        • Patent search
        • Development of alternative solutions
        • Feasibility studies
        • Mathematical modeling and simulations
        • Development and testing of prototypes (hardware and/or software).

Project team

        • API project manager
        • Interns: 1 - 5 depending on the scope of the project
        • Company liaison

Role of the project manager

        • The involvement of an API project manager greatly benefits the projects by providing management, technical, and organizational expertise.
        • Consultations between the project manager and interns will take place via email and videoconferencing and interns submit weekly memos on their progress at consultation videoconference sessions twice a week.
        • The project manager will go on site when needed and will review progress reports and attend presentations every three or four weeks.
        • Upon completion of the project, the project manager and the liaison will both evaluate the interns

Role of the company liaison

The company can appoint a liaison who will interface with API and the interns. This liaison will provide feedback needed by the API Project manager and the team, and will be informed on a regular basis of progress, evaluate progress, as well as ensure that the solution developed by the team is the most suitable for the company.

If a company employee is interested in pursuing continuing education through an API certificate, he or she can play a role in managing and monitoring the progress of the project as well as be the interface between the company and API. In this case, the employee will use this project to satisfy the capstone project requirement of the certificate.

Project Deliverables

The principal benefits to the partner company come in the form of the project deliverables, which might include:

        • Design proposal
        • Research summary
        • Feasibility study
        • Proof of concept
        • Systems analysis
        • Prototype of a piece of hardware and/or software or a device or program to be put into actual production or use.

We expect most projects to result in inventions and potential patents. API offers attractive options to the companies regarding Intellectual Property.

By the end of the project, the company will have the opportunity to hire one or more interns who are already well trained, tested, evaluated and highly familiar with the company's work environment.

How partner companies benefit

The company will benefit in various ways by getting involved in our program, including:

        • Timely solution for a technical engineering problem that will result in faster product development and increased revenues.
        • Lower cost than traditional consulting as much of the work is performed by qualified interns under the guidance of an API project manager and multidisciplinary team of API experts.
        • Attractive IP potential
        • Possibility for long-term affordable consulting
        • More effective hiring process
            • Substantial cost saving in finding and hiring, and training qualified engineers
            • partner company can hire from an experienced, trained and tested team of interns resulting in substantial savings on new hires training