Ad Mgmt Student, Divya Prasanna, Tackles Medical Advertising in Med Spa Internship
By: Jay Thiebaut Bachman
Working in medical aesthetics, Divya Prasanna learned that advertising isn’t always about selling a product but can also involve surgeons, skin lasers and the specialized demands of medical advertising. When Prasanna, a junior studying advertising management at Michigan State University, began her internship with the Skin and Vein Center, she immersed herself in the world of cosmetic care and learned that creativity, precision and strategy all intersect far beyond traditional agency settings.
Eager for experience, Prasanna says she was curious to see how her classroom knowledge could be applied in a real-world environment. She joined Skin and Vein Center as a hybrid marketing intern, working some days remotely and others in person as she rotated between its three Michigan locations in Fenton, Sterling Heights and Livonia.
Her interest in the internship began through a personal connection to the company. A close friend who had interned there a year prior shared how fascinating it was to see the intersection of marketing and medicine.
“The connection got my foot in the door, and I was fortunate to have a meeting with the world-renowned surgeon, Dr. Seiger, where everything clicked. The call went great and I knew it was an opportunity I wanted to be part of,” Prassana said.
She was hired for the position after her sophomore year, before she had started most of her core advertising classes. For most students, classes prepare them for internships, but for Prasanna, it was the other way around.
“The internship actually prepared me for my advertising management classes I’m taking now,” said Prasanna.
Returning to campus as a junior, she said she felt she had an advantage over her peers.
“Now that I’m in more major-specific courses, everything connects much better. I actually understand how these concepts apply in the real world,” Prasanna said.
Throughout the internship, Prasanna’s responsibilities ranged from content creation and graphic design to data organization. Classes like ADV 375: Consumer Behavior help students like Prasanna see the connection between their passions and their career aspirations.
Working in a medical setting also taught Prasanna about the variations of ethical advertising.
“There were so many rules,” she said. “I couldn’t use the color red in my designs because in the medical field, it would remind people of blood. There’s so much you have to consider that you wouldn’t think about in other industries.”
As she continues her journey through MSU’s advertising program, Prasanna carries the lessons from her internship with her.
“Every project and connection built my confidence,” she said.
For students looking to blend creativity and advertising, the Advertising Management program opens that door.
