My Goals
Internship Goals:
Learn the process of conducting research in an academic/institutional setting.
I will complete this goal by completing the CITI training, participating in research projects as instructed, and completing assigned tasks as a member of the research team. I have been participating in the recruiting process of research studies, as well as learning how to manage the RedCap database system we are using for this particular project.
I have completed this goal through working on research, analyzing the data and being able to work with others on the team to continue with a successful project. I have been hired on as a research assistant and will continue my work on the project after LHSI.
Use science as a tool to bring change in policies and to protect vulnerable populations.
I will complete this goal by participating in events or activities like the IU Health Pride Passport events at IU Health, attending and participating in ECHO meeting, and attending and participating in the LGBTQ+ Leadership meetings. I have also been working towards this goal by attending the ACLU policy meetings that have been tracking legislature through the state governance.
I have been able to complete this goal by partcipating in the different programs described above and have been able to learn more about how I can relate science to policy and when changes need to be made.
Enhance my skills with technology and communication.
I will complete this goal by completing tasks assigned with research, data input or recruitment, creating and designing educational content as instructed, and creating advertising content for events, panels, and services as instructed. I have been learning how to use RedCap, Canva Microsoft Teams, and Skype for Business as tools in research and content creation.
I have been able to enhance my skills in technology by using the platforms previously discussed, and have improved my content creation skills, microsoft use, and data software use.
Career Goals:
Graduate from IUPUI with my Bachelor's in Psychology.
Attend Graduate School to become a Child Life Specialist.
Work in adolescent care, specifically with those in the LGBTQ+ community, the deaf community, or both.
My current career and academic goals include graduating from IUPUI with my Bachelor's of Science in Psychology, attending graduate school either in Indiana or out of state, obtain my Master's Degree, and sit for the Certification Exam to become a Child Life Specialist. I have these goals because I want to continue helping people, and I want to do something in psychology besides being a clinical psychologist. I am sure of these goals because they fit both my strengths and interests. I am interested in helping families, children, and adolescents. I want to be able to provide care or relief to those in the hospitals, while also being able to use my knowledge of psychology.
My goals have changed since I applied for LHSI last year, because when I applied, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after college. I had just changed my major, and was in a very difficult place in my life. I knew I wanted to do something in psychology, but I did not know what path I wanted to go down, or what my next steps were going to be. My short term goals for my career include volunteering at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, staying on track with my academics to graduate, and figure out what graduate schools I want to apply to in the future. More long term career goals would be applying to graduate programs, completing my capstone course, and graduating from IUPUI.
As this year progresses and I complete the LHSI program, I plan to continue volunteering at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital to gain experience in the clinical field. I also hope to continue the research that I have been working on during my internship, as the study is supposed to track over a one year period. If I get to continue the research, I hope that I will be able to assist in writing the paper, analyzing the data, and continue conducting the research project. I am very grateful for the connections I have made with other researchers and fellows this year, and I hope to maintain those connections beyond the completion of the LHSI program.
My goals have changed since the beginning of my internship. I wasn't sure what I wanted to pursue after I graduate from IUPUI. Since then, I have learned about the Child Life profession, and have found my passion in wanting to help children, and advocate for those who are oppressed or discriminated against. I now know that I need to maintain an optimal GPA, maintain connections to be able to ask for letters of recommendation, build my resume, in order to apply for graduate schools across the country. Through LHSI I have also learned what I need to look for when it comes to graduate programs, and how to weed out the programs that may not be the best for me. I have also learned that I now feel fairly confident in my ability to apply prior knowledge and my own preferences in order to identify the right career for me.