I applied through university. I interviewed at St. Jude Medical (Atlanta, GA) in Sept 2016
Interview
St. Jude Medical held an information session at my school and basically chose the people they were going to interview that night. I received notice at around midnight that I would be interviewing the following day. The first interview was a behavioral interview with 3 people. Standard behavioral interview with a lot of emphasis on why you want the job. They asked me what other types of positions I was interviewing for and which one was my first choice. I had previously interviewed for their Quality Rotational Program, so I was honest about that but apparently that wasn't what they wanted to hear and made them question my desire for this position. I did not get a second round interview, but, from what I hear, the second round consists of observing a surgery at a local hospital and writing an essay on what you learned. My guess is that your personality and interaction with not just the St. Jude people but also the physician and the hospital staff is the final determinant. I did not get the intern program, but I was hired separately as a direct hire for the same position. These are my tips:
1) The company spends a large amount of money training employees in this position and therefore wants to make sure you will not leave the company in the middle of the process. Make sure you express why and how much you want this job.
2) The position requires very fast learning and initiative on your part, so make sure you demonstrate that you are a fast learner and capable of picking things up very quickly.
3) In this position, you would be in direct contact with the physicians and the hospital staff, and your relationship with them directly determines and affects the success of the company. Make sure you demonstrate your great communication skills, people skills, and ability to sell yourself.
If you get an offer, make sure this position is truly what you want to do. If you accept the offer and start working but realize it is not what you want to do, you will have to pay a LOT of money to get out of the program.