Students from Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine are on site at Eli Lilly and Company corporate headquarters in Indianapolis working alongside healthcare professionals in the pharmaceutical industry.

Lilly announced that the summer pilot programme will also include collaboration with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Indiana Family & Social Services Administration (FSSA) helping students gain insights on access to healthcare and a broader understanding of how various segments of the healthcare industry work together for patient care.

The medical student interns at Lilly will visit Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where they will learn about interactions between insurers and providers of healthcare, patient coverage and benefits and contracts that providers have with insurers.

"We're excited to be a part of this unique partnership with Lilly," said Dr. Joseph Fox, medical director for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. "It's rare for medical students to be given this perspective during their education, but we believe that understanding the relationship among patients, payers and healthcare providers is a vital part of productive interactions in the medical, pharmaceutical and insurance industries."

The collaboration with Indiana FSSA will include an overview of how state government administers healthcare to people who have limited means. The session will cover various topics related to Medicaid, from eligibility requirements to physician reimbursement, as well as timely subjects such as the Affordable Care Act and Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0. Students will also review the process of creating healthcare policy, including how policy makes its way through the General Assembly.

"We appreciate that this programme goes beyond the traditional medical curriculum," said Joe Moser, Medicaid director at the Indiana FSSA. "With the healthcare landscape on both the state and federal level continuing to evolve, we look forward to helping to provide these future physicians with the insights to better understand healthcare public policy."

"Lilly recognises the importance of external partnerships in scientific and medical research, and education is no different," said Yolanda Johnson-Moton, director of external relations, US Medical Division, Lilly. "Providing students a broader view of the healthcare system offers them real-world insight into how access to quality care and medicine helps improve health outcomes for patients."

The 10-week internship programme with Marian University students runs through August 2014.