There are so many reasons why you should become an LHSI intern! One of the biggest reasons for me was to gain experience in a career field that I'm interested in. If I did not like the work I did at my internship site as much as I did, then at least I would have learned that that line of work is something I wouldn't want to pursue in the future. Being an LHSI intern also gives you insight into different career options and provides the chance to expand your professional network.
Some other perks include:
Further development of transferable skills
Learning how to communicate and work with a team
Having the opportunity to connect with other interns and learn about their experiences
One of the accomplishments I remember most as an intern was when my team put me in charge of gathering patient information from the electronic medical record (EMR) for the revision of a manuscript pertaining to children with cancer who presented to the Riley Hospital emergency department (ED) with the main complaint of a fever. The information that I pulled from the EMR was used to write the results and discussion section of the manuscript. I felt like an important contribution to this project because I knew the work I was doing was critical for finishing the manuscript.
The most challenging part of the internship was getting out of my comfort zone. Prior to this internship, my only research experience involved lab work. That is an environment that became comfortable for me because I've been in labs for several years. I knew going into this internship that most of the work I would be doing involved clinical research, but I wasn't sure what that would entail.
I never imagined that I would be as involved in all of Dr. Mueller's research projects as I was. This required me to venture into uncomfortable areas, like when I conducted interviews for caregivers of children with cancer for a side project. This was intimidating to me at first, however, Dr. Mueller walked me through the process before I began the interviews to ensure that I was comfortable with what was being asked of me.
I'm grateful to have all of the experiences this internship provided me with, even if they were intimidating at first. Coming out of this internship, I feel much more confident in myself and the work I can do.
Professional communication
Time management
Organization
Communicating ideas and thoughts
Leading interviews
Reporting and analyzing information
Team cooperation
Active listening
Setting and reaching goals
Problem solving