Allison Smith was a Health and Benefits Actuarial Intern at Mercer in Kansas City. She did her internship in the summer of 2017.
How did you get your internship?
A Truman Alum, David Rothermich, came and gave an actuarial presentation for Mercer. He collected resumes after the presentation, and then I got called for an interview. I went through a 4-5 hour interview process with multiple people and about a week later, I received an offer for the position.
What sorts of things did you do during your internship?
Throughout the summer, I was able to work on many client projects. I mainly did experience reports, underwriting, and Incurred But Not Paid (IBNPs).
The summer is also known as “Pricing Season” for H&B, so I was able to create multiple plan variations for clients that differed from their current plan(s) and was able to create exhibits to show how the clients would benefit from changing their medical plan(s).
How did you benefit from the internship?
I was able to work with multiple FSA and ASA actuaries. I got a feel of the field and confirmed that this was the career I wanted to pursue.
My internship was a true learning experience. I was able to see how actuarial exam topics were used in calculations and excel macros. Being able to apply what I’ve learned, and getting a peek at some new actuarial topics, was an amazing experience.
I was also lucky enough to receive a full-time offer from Mercer and have been a H&B Actuarial Analyst since June 2018.