Spring 2024 & Summer 2024 Internship Spotlight
Written by Folakemi Sampson, Graduate Associate for Career Development
Internships offer invaluable opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience and develop professional skills. Internships also help a student decide if the field or industry is what they would like to continue to pursue. Three students, Alyssa, Maddie, and Hannah, shared their internship experiences and highlighted the lessons they learned and the impact on their future careers.
Alyssa Leskovac
Major: Human Bio/ Pre-PA Track
Year: Junior
Internship Site: West Penn, Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP)
What was your favorite part of your internship?
When I really had the time to get to know and build a connection with the patient, unfortunately this was common when a patient had a longer stay. But this allowed me to see them every week and get a chance to know about them outside of their illness, so patients really began to trust me and they would enjoy telling me about their families and their careers.
What was your relationship with your site supervisor like?
I absolutely loved my site supervisors; I was with two really amazing women… Autumn and Shauni. They just taught me so much about healthcare and life in general. We spent a ton of time talking about medicine, but we also began to become really good friends. I came to my internship each day and always felt really appreciated and that was the best environment that I could have asked for and we still keep in touch.
What did a typical day at your internship look like?
It would be a 4-hour shift. From 8-9am I would …look at all of the charting and take notes on all of the patients I would see that day so I knew what to expect before I was going into the rooms, and I would just talk with my site supervisors about any concerns that they had or anyone special that I needed to make sure I visited. Usually there are about 40 patients on our list, but I only had time to see about 20 so we had other volunteers [throughout the day]. From 9-11am I would go up to the units and I would see patients, we usually have patients on three different units. From 11am-12pm I would go back to the office and I would chart on everybody that I saw that day.
Do you fee that this internship has helped you obtain a better understanding of your future career or job interests?
1000%! While volunteering I also got to observe the hospital environment; so I saw healthcare professionals working as a team and I was able to see physician assistants daily and what their typical [day] looks like. So I was able to shadow, with volunteering on the side… that was really cool!
What advice do you have for someone that does not know what to look for in an internship/ site?
I think my biggest piece of advice would be to look for something that you’re actually passionate about. For example, I have just always had a special place in my heart for the elderly, and this experience has just changed my perspective in more ways that I could have imagined. And I am just so thankful that this is what I chose. I [also] think talking to people around you because connections are key when it comes to stuff like this. Talking to your advisor, your professors, your friends, I think that’s definitely important when it comes to looking for an internship.
What are some skills that you learned during your internship or were able to practice that you believe will be an asset to your future career?
I believe I was really able to strengthen my communication skills; during this internship I became more comfortable talking with patients and advocating for them when conversing with staff. I was also able to experience very emotional and challenging conversations, where I really had to find a balance between maintaining professional[ism] but also expressing empathy because everyone wants to relate to someone. Strengthening this skill will definitely be important as I’ll have to work alongside other healthcare professionals when I become a physician assistant.
Can students reach out to you for more information about your particular role and site if they are interested?
Yes definitely! I also would be happy to refer someone to the program if they’re a qualified candidate.
Alyssa can be reached by email at alyssa.leskovac@chatham.edu.
Notable Quote
“I was nervous about getting an internship…there’s no need to be nervous everything works itself out.”
Maddie Beer
Major: Pathways to Nursing
Year: Junior
Internship Site: Chatham Student Health Services
How would you describe your internship experience?
I feel like it was fun and flexible…I got to watch what Hayden did with the students and I got to work alongside a nurse. [Initially] I thought I would be doing more hands-on care, but for…this internship it was more of working behind the scenes trying to figure our my [yoga] event. I also got to make emergency contraceptive bags and…pregnancy test kit bags.
What are some skills that you learned during your internship or were able to practice that you believe will be an asset to your future career?
Overall communication was the biggest one with Hayden, the nurse and the other student workers. After that, time management…just knowing I have deadlines for things. [The last skill is] openness about how I’m feeling… and just having the ability to not totally dismiss my outside life. I think for a long time, I was scared that no place of work would really let me do that.
Describe your relationship with your site supervisor.
I love Hayden because we talked a lot about nursing things and our experiences in nursing school. And we were really open about [how it is for her] being a non-bedside nurse. [Hayden has a more] flexible chill job being at a university. [The relationship was] really nice, very open and we always got what we needed to get done and she’s great. Getting to see what [Hayden] does and knowing that that’s and knowing that that’s an option was really cool.
What was you favorite part?
I think my favorite part was restocking things and putting those [contraceptive and pregnancy] kits together. We also had this backroom that needed some organizing…overall the independence of getting to work on my own. I felt like she really trusted me to do what I had to do for the day. The independence was amazing.
Any advice for students who have yet to complete their internship?
Make sure to ask what you need to get done if there is anything hidden. (This is in regard to the internship processes like midterm and final evaluations).
** For anyone interested in learning more about Maddie’s experience feel free to reach out to her at madison.beer@chatham.edu
Notable Quotes
“I was scared before taking the first steps, but it was a really easy transition in.”
“I loved it, I would definitely do it again, {I} recommend it to like anybody in nursing…{or] just like any sort of healthcare [major] it was really good for that.”
Hannah Fischer
Major: Psychology
Year: Junior
Internship Site: Bell Socialization Services Oasis House
How would you describe your internship experience?
I would describe my internship experience as being transformative and enlightening. I was able to work directly with members during my internship and their stories have helped to reshape my understanding of mental illness and how people are affected because of it.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part of my internship was watching how members of Oasis House grew during my time there. It was always nice to see how they became more comfortable around me and trusted me more the more we got to know each other. Building that bond with people and being able to be a resource for them in their journey was by far the most impactful part of my internship.
Is there any advice you’d like to give to students who have yet to begin the internship process?
I would say to start communicating with your academic advisor, site supervisor, and Career Development early on in the Internship Process. That way you can have people to support you throughout your internship and someone to answer questions when they come up. This also helped to keep me organized in the sense that everyone was on the same page.
How did you find your internship?
I found my internship by browsing my local hometown organization’s websites. I contacted the individuals listed under the internship section of the website and someone got back to me with an application.
What was your relationship with your site supervisor?
My site supervisor is always trying to get me involved in different areas of the house, which I appreciate a lot. She also has allowed me to go visit some other mental health programs that Bell Socialization offers to individuals as well. This has allowed me to see the many different ways that psychiatric rehabilitation can look, and enabled me to meet more people and learn from them. Overall, she constantly tried to give me new opportunities and make sure I am getting the most out of my experience.
What did a typical day at your internship look like?
I arrive at my internship at around eight in the morning and typically open services for members. When members arrive I pull up their information and have them sign in for the day. We then have our morning meeting where we go over any updates or announcements within the house, and assign tasks for the day. After that I work closely with members to complete tasks throughout the house. We then have a lunch break and after that we have an afternoon meeting. Similarly to morning meetings, in afternoon meetings members can sign up for more tasks to complete throughout the rest of their day. At the end of the day, progress notes are completed for each of the members, and I leave around four in the afternoon.
Do you feel that this internship has helped you obtain a better understanding of your future career or job interests?
I definitely think that this internship has helped me obtain a better understanding of my future career and job interests. It has given me the opportunity to see the reality that a lot of people with mental illness face. It has allowed me to see both the struggles and many strengths of these individuals. In regard to job interests, my internship site focuses primarily on psychiatric rehabilitation, but does not provide counseling services. This was definitely something missing for me from the experience, which showed me that counseling is primarily where I want to focus.
What are some skills that you learned during your internship or were able to practice that you believe will be an asset to your future?
The main skills that I have learned and been able to practice are active listening and conflict resolution. When dealing with mental illness, emotions can tend to run high so I have had opportunities to practice my conflict resolution skills and listen to individuals carefully so I know where they are coming from and what they’re trying to say.
What do you recommend to students looking for internships in your major or in general?
Keep an open mind to many different types of opportunities. While it is good to have an idea of what you’re looking for, don’t disregard certain opportunities when they could be a very beneficial experience.
**For anyone interested in learning more about Hannah’s experience feel free to reach out to her at hannah.fischer@chatham.edu
Notable Quote
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Career Development is a great resource for internship resources, and so are professors and academic advisors.”