Capstone Internship

Capstone Internship

Internship Site
I completed my capstone internship at Summit Radiology, where I served as the intern to the Director of Radiology Services. Summit Radiology is a physician-owned radiology group specializing in remote imaging interpretation services for hospitals and clinics across the region. My role allowed me to work closely with executive leadership and gain firsthand exposure to the management and operational oversight of radiology services.

Primary Responsibilities/Projects
During my internship, I worked on a variety of administrative and leadership support projects, including assisting with departmental workflow assessments and operational planning, participating in leadership and departmental meetings to observe decision-making processes, contributing to special projects focused on improving radiology operations and workflow efficiency, and supporting communication between departments and assisting with organizational tasks as needed. These experiences helped me understand how strategic planning, leadership, and collaboration are applied within healthcare operations.

Learning Objectives
The learning objectives I set for my internship were:

1. Gain firsthand exposure to healthcare leadership and operational decision-making.
   Met. I participated in leadership meetings and observed how decisions are made regarding staffing, workflow, and organizational strategy.

2. Develop administrative and operational support skills in a real-world healthcare setting.
   Met. I assisted with project planning, workflow evaluations, and administrative duties that supported daily operations within the radiology department.

3. Strengthen my understanding of interdepartmental collaboration within healthcare organizations.
   Met. I observed and participated in cross-functional communication efforts that ensured smooth coordination between clinical, technical, and administrative teams.

Personal Development
During this experience, I developed stronger organizational, strategic thinking, and professional communication skills. I gained confidence working alongside leadership and learned how to anticipate operational needs and proactively offer solutions. I also deepened my understanding of how radiology departments operate within larger healthcare systems. Areas I identified for continued growth include developing faster decision-making skills under pressure and becoming more comfortable leading team discussions in a formal setting. Both areas are critical for my long-term leadership goals.

Academic Connections
Several courses prepared me for this internship experience. Healthcare Finance helped me understand the financial impact of operational decisions, while Healthcare Management and Leadership courses gave me a foundation for understanding leadership styles, delegation, and workflow design. My LEAN Healthcare class also influenced how I viewed workflow inefficiencies and process improvements during the internship. Reflecting on my experience, I believe additional coursework in healthcare law or compliance management would have been helpful, especially when observing regulatory discussions. Overall, my classes gave me a strong academic base, but seeing leadership principles applied in real time made the biggest impact on my professional growth.