“In my seminar, ‘Global Health: The Major Players and Challenges for the Future,” I learned about the social influences that are barriers in health care. Living and learning alongside peers from around the world broadened my views by learning about countries and cultures I have never encountered before. I was informed about healthcare in various communities and learned how it differed from my own. It was interesting to see how each of our backgrounds influenced the way we understood the topic. This experience enlightened me about global health and has sparked my interest in learning about the social determinants of medical care, as an undergraduate.”
Although I’ve had lots of hands on experiences with STEM learning activities, I wasn’t fully sure if becoming a doctor would be my passion. This summer, I had an internship at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Innovation and Simulation lab. There I supported medical students during patient care simulations, helped improve the lab’s technology, and jumped in the simulations alongside first year residents. I was responsible for engineering the mannequins to create simulations for nose bleeds, strokes and seizures. This gave me hands on experience in what it would be like working as a doctor.
During the summer experience, I also sat in on the emergency department’s disaster response committee meeting. I listened as they planned the logistics of the upcoming annual disaster simulation, and identified which skills the residents would need to learn and apply during the drill. This allowed me to see how hospitals train their staff and learn how budgets are considered when planning staff education.
After my internship ended, I knew entering health care is what I wanted to do. This multifaceted profession will allow me to experience different aspects of caring for patients, direct care, staff education, research and financial responsibility.