Learning Goal #1: I hope to gain some more research experience and build more on what I already know about research.
There are many different opportunities to build on this, being that interns in this site get a variety of studies to choose from. The supervisor is involved in a lot of things and encourages the interns to get involved as well.
Interns are not just limited to one study. If I were to finish my work on a specific study in a quick manner, I am able to jump onto a different study. This will allow me to dip my toes in the water.
Dr. Fodstad allows for remote independent work time. This allows interns to learn as they work and makes time for independent learning, encouraging meeting your own goals at your own pace.
Update: I feel that I have learned much more about how research is done. I have learned the ins and out of the beginning, middle, and end of conducting research, being that our site deals with many studies at the same time.
Learning Goal #2: Strive to build professional relationships that will allow me to learn more about my future career and gain experience in that aspect.
Dr. Fodstad encourages interns to stick with her site subsequent to LHSI, allowing interns to work with her for a longer period of time.
Along with this, she also takes time out of her schedule to learn more about your goals and tries to connect you with people she may know that can further benefit each unique goal.
Many of her former interns have gone on to conduct their own research at their own unique study. She encourages interns to tie in aspects of their own interests to the information they may have learned from her site.
Update: I have spoken to Dr. Fodstad about working with her in the near future, even after my LHSI year is over. This is one professional relationship I feel that will benefit me greatly in the future. I feel comfortable communicating with her about my plans and appreiate that she is always willing to help me gain experience. I plan on applying to a few research internships in the summer, allowing me to build on the relationships I previously have.
Learning Goal #3: Building on my skills of thinking critically and solving conflicts without stressing out too much.
The group is required to attend weekly meetings where we will discuss any issues and how to solve them, along with anything we could be bettering in the workplace.
We all share a OneDrive and it is encouraged to look over some of the work of one another, to ensure that we are all on the same page.
Dr. Fodstad emphasizes the importance of prioritizing any issues that may arise and makes it known that it is okay to make mistakes.
Update: This is still something I struggle with. I feel that some goals will always be harder to achieve than others, but that doesn't make it impossible. I have always been the type of person that gets absorbed in the work, causing me to stress out more than others. I have gotten better than before, but I still plan to work on this and get to a point I can be proud of. I feel that this can only be achieved by going easier on myself and not pushing myself to the point of exhaustion. The mindset of "if you're not tired, you're not working hard enough" is only beneficial to an extent. It is important for me to give myself breaks in between my work in order to prevent exhaustion.
While I am certain about pursuing post-secondary education subsequent to my undergraduate degree, it is difficult for me to pinpoint what exactly I want to do. Dr. Fodstad is focused on leading me in the right direction, allowing me to explore different options. I have decided to take on several other internships as well, in hopes of figuring out my preferences. As of right now, I am interested in working with children and neurodevelopment disorders. I have chosen this path in light of my experience as a behavior technician. Working in ABA left me feeling fulfilled. If this is a path I choose to pursue in the future, I hope to receive more educational training, allowing me to work at an administrative level.
What is a big thing that you need to do to succeed in your career path? This goal could be something like applying to graduate or professional school or landing a job after graduation.
It is important for me to educate myself on the requirements of getting into the specific program I want to get into. This will help me set myself up for success for when I actually start applying.
What will you do during winter break?
I looked into opportunities that will help me gain research experience. For example, I plan to apply to two internships over the summer.
What will you do this spring?
I plan to start studying for the GRE.
What will you do by this time next year?
It is important for me to begin applying to graduate schools. I have been researching specific Psy.d programs for clinical psychology, as this is a path I want to move forward in. I plan to stay close to home, so I am only looking at neighboring states.
For the rest of the school year and summer, I am focusing on studying for the GRE. This is a very important step toward applying to graduate school and I am working very hard to accomplish this. Dr. Fodstad actually helped me get started on taking this application process seriously. She gave me some study tips, as well as informed me on her own experience on applying. Knowing I have an experienced mentor to rely on made me a little more confident in achieving my career goal.