Questions for every stage of an internship
Internships are short, so the questions that matter are about what you will actually do, who will teach you, and what happens when it ends. There are sets here for the interview, for weighing an offer, for your first weeks, and for the people who hire and supervise interns.
A few to start with
What are the next steps, and what's the best way to follow up with you?
A plain closing question that gets you a timeline and a channel. Note the date, and if it passes without word, one polite message referring to what they told you is entirely reasonable.
What do new hires in this role find hardest in their first month?
You are asking about the job you hope to hold a few months from now. The answer is seldom the technical skill your course drills. More often it is pace, phone manner, or keeping track of several things at once. Ask to be put where that pressure is for part of a shift.
Will I be asked to sign an NDA, IP assignment or anything restricting later work, and can I read it first?
Reading it beforehand is reasonable and rarely refused. Pay attention to any clause covering work you do outside the internship, which can affect a side project or a thesis you were already working on.
How does the year begin: is there an orientation before the first rotation?
A week or two of charting practice, case reviews and site paperwork makes the first rotation far less of a shock. If interns go straight to a site, ask what the preceptor there is told about where you are starting from.
Could we pick one skill for me to be noticeably better at by the end?
Finishing tasks is not the same as leaving with a skill. Agreeing on one, whether it is presenting, a particular tool or writing for clients, lets your manager steer the right work toward you. It also gives them something definite to say about you afterwards.
Would I be able to use this work in a portfolio or talk about it in interviews?
Small companies are often more relaxed about this than large ones, but you need it agreed rather than assumed. Ask what would need to be left out.