Goals
Internship Goals
Goal 1: Gain experience in a leadership position and develop leadership skills.
In order to reach this goal, I have accepted a leadership position at my internship. This was the first step in developing my leadership skills. I have also taken an online career development course about teamwork that explained the role of a leader within a group setting. Additionally, I have been able to observe leaders in action at my internship, school, and in the community which has helped me identify some important strategies for leading.
This internship allowed me to develop my leadership skills by coordinating and facilitating group communication for the Kids Healthcast Podcast, discussing topics for and reviewing podcast scripts, leading discussions at my internship and in classes, and searching for other leadership opportunities outside of my internship.
Over the next few years, I would like to take on more leadership roles within the community. This primarily concerns positions within volunteer/nonprofit community organizations.
Goal 2: Learn about advocacy in healthcare.
This internship provides a great learning opportunity to get firsthand experience in pediatric healthcare advocacy. With this internship, I have the opportunity to participate in activities that will expand my knowledge on healthcare and community issues and I plan to take full advantage of these opportunities. In learning about the issues affecting my community, I will have a better understanding of how I can advocate for others. Additionally, I plan on completing a policy studies minor that will help me understand how to be of use to the community when it comes to state/local policies concerning health. In the future, I would also like to apply the skills I learn in healthcare advocacy to other issues I am passionate about.
Goal 3: Learn about and develop new communication skills and how best to apply them.
As a Communications major, I love learning about new communication disciplines and skills! In editing the Kids Healthcast podcast, I will receive hands-on learning in mass media communication. I have taken a class about mass media communication and its forms, so this is a great opportunity to apply my knowledge and practice conveying messages to a large audience. I am also looking forward to the opportunity to learn about and participate in health communication and its importance within the community.
I will be pursuing a Master's degree in Applied Communication with a concentration in Health Communication in order to expand my communication skills, especially as they relate to Health Communication.
Career Goals
My internship experience has helped me find a career path and form clear goals. Following my undergraduate education, I plan on pursuing a graduate degree in Health Communication and entering the field upon graduation. Starting in Fall of 2022, I will begin working toward my graduate degree through IUPUI's accelerated 5-year BA/MA program for Applied Communication with a concentration in Health Communication. In order to accomplish this goal, I will have to take summer courses and carefully plan my final year of undergraduate studies to accommodate the extra time and effort required for graduate level courses.
I will need experience in the field of health communication or related fields in order to successfully pursue a career in that field. For this reason, I will need to take advantage of any internship or volunteer opportunities that may provide valuable, hands-on experience. This may include internships, part-time/on-campus jobs, and volunteer positions. In order to accomplish this goal of gaining relevant work experience, this month, I will have to search and apply for Summer positions that align with my goals. By the end of the semester, I will likely have to interview for positions and will, hopefully, secure a position. I will have to repeat this process later in the Summer and Fall semesters to ensure I am getting as much experience as possible. Additionally, I will have to continually update my resume to reflect my experiences. By this time next year, I hope to have gained at least one more experience in the field of health communication and expanded my professional network.
This internship experience has led me to the career path of health communication. This has made my career goals clearer which has allowed me to set out a plan. I know what my next steps will be after this internship, namely pursuing a graduate degree in Applied Communication with a concentration in Health Communication at IUPUI. This experience has also allowed me the opportunity to engage in self-reflection. For this reason, I feel very confident in my self-knowledge and ability to use this to make career-related decisions. I now know what type of work I enjoy, the environment I need to perform at my best, and how to set achievable and clear career goals.