Internship at Infinity Hospice Care

Hi everyone!

I had the opportunity to become an intern at Infinity Hospice Care this semester, and it was truly a very enjoyable and educational experience. I believe that my psychology major has helped me prepare for this internship, as it has given me a more educated approach towards interacting with patients and their families. For example, I was able to take a Psychology of Aging (PSY 442) course last semester, and I learned a lot about how the elderly navigate health issues, death, and their cognitive processes. That class has helped me understand the mindset of the patients that I communicated with and how to interact with them appropriately & empathetically.

I wish to pursue my future career in psychiatry, and although this internship is not directly correlated to that field, it still strongly benefits my journey to medical school and to become a doctor. Being in healthcare is to become exposed to many different individuals from a variety of populations and identities. Prior to this internship, I did not have too much experience with the elderly or dying patients. Thus, this internship has taught me a lot about how to interact with these patients, comfort them, and support them in a professional and empathetic manner, while trying to leave my emotions or sadness out of my care towards them and their families. These skills are definitely important to have in my future medical journey, as interacting with diverse groups of individuals, as well as dying or suffering patients, are a significant part of the medical field. I am truly grateful to have interned at a hospice care facility and to have gained meaningful experiences with patients.

Ultimately, I wouldn't choose to pursue a career in hospice care specifically. Although I feel like I would enjoy it a lot, it could become very mentally draining and depressing having to care for people who are nearing the end of their lives on a regular basis. Despite this, I have learned a lot on how to be more mentally resilient, professional, and empathetic, which are very important skills when I'd have to care for psychiatric patients in the future.