Exposure for Composure

Interning at Infinity Hospice Care taught me the importance of connection. I spent most of my days screening Certified Nursing Assistants for our open positions. The root of my future career in medicine is not only ingrained in an extensive knowledge of the sciences, but at its core, we attempt to translate medical jargon to real people. I was nervous at first to speak to people on the phone. I knew I could be personable but was unsure how to integrate my personality within the professional world. My Human Resources recruiter and mentor gave me advice and debriefed me after every call on the things I could work on. Without these experiences, I'd learn how to present myself professionally much later in my career. Although Psychology is not my only major of study, I used most of my psychology skills in gauging which candidates aligned with our company's core values. In the span of a semester, I increased recruitment productivity by 45%. My success in recruitment reminded me of what my future could look like. Applying to medical schools, performing well in interviews, and discussing with recruiters about what values the company and I share—I had an inside look into what it takes to be hired. Though there were no educational requirements coming into this internship, I've definitely learned more about what it takes to be a compassionate person. My supervisor and I knew that the current internship was not what I wanted my future career to be so they encouraged me to see a patient for the last month of my internship. From calling Certified Nursing Assistant applicants to holding my patient's hand while she told me stories of her late husband and child, I knew what I wanted to do with my time. In my time as a future physician, I want to learn how to make the healthcare experience more efficient for patients. In a sense, I want to "humanize healthcare," whether it be exposing myself to vulnerable situations, to condensing medical jargon into tangible words for everyone to understand. My experiences at the hospice were valuable. I had a system of supportive mentors who want to see me succeed and who have helped me through the hardships I've faced. Working at the hospice as an intern is something that I've considered for a while. Though I could get a job after graduating with my undergraduate degree, I hope to come back and possibly serve as one of their physicians in the future. One piece of advice that I'd have for others pursuing an internship at Infinity Hospice Care, I'd say to embrace all the experiences that they have to offer. Though there were difficult moments for me, I learned how to navigate my emotions. I learned that it takes exposing myself to these experiences to compose myself in the future. The power of connection goes a long way and I've included a photo of a little employee raffle game that our staff would participate in. Their excitement filled the administration building and it was a wonderful way to end my internship.