Michaela McGuire

Summary of Experience

During the summer of 2011, I had the opportunity to intern at Rhode Island and Hasbro Children's Hospitals.  I shadowed a Physician Assistant in Neurosurgery for four weeks, a Nurse Practitioner in the Comprehensive Cancer Center for three weeks, and a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric Surgery for a final three weeks.  The internship was inexplicably rewarding both for the knowledge I obtained, the one-on-one interaction I had with the patients, and for the networking opportunities I established.

Beginning an internship at a hospital without prior experience in daily medical care required me to do some background research in each of the departments I was entering so that I could actively participate in conversation without getting lost in terminology.  My goal during my first rotation in Neurosurgery was to learn and understand the most major and/or common neurological traumas and ailments, the signs and symptoms that accompany them, and the treatments that can be given to a patient with them.  Every week, I would sit in on presentations and conferences where new cases were discussed and take notes on the points covered by the doctors.  These presentations would include “Monday Conferences” with the Neurosurgery team, Radiology Grand Rounds, and Tumor Board.  During the week, both at the hospital and at home, I would read and reference neurosurgical handbooks for anatomy, procedures, and terminology, as well as handouts provided by the Neurosurgery team.   Reading resources such as these helped me to better understand exactly what patients were experiencing or how they were being treated and better prepare myself for upcoming cases.   Finally, by reviewing charts and scans and observing verbal and physical exams of patients on the Neurosurgery floor, I had a better comprehension of what the team looked for when trying to diagnose or treat a patient.  This objective ended up benefiting me twofold:  not only did I gain an incredible background on common neurosurgery challenges, but I also learned medical terminology and abbreviations that are essentially universal to health care at Rhode Island Hospital.

As I moved on to other departments in the hospital, I wanted to challenge myself to absorb all that each rotation had to offer me both in experience and in knowledge.  I knew that one of the obstacles standing in the way of me and being the best medical professional I can be in the future was learning how to resist becoming too emotionally involved in cases.  Hence, I decided a great goal for me would be to learn how to properly interact with patients and their families by establishing a professional connection while still conveying compassion, interest, and genuine care and providing them with both the physical and psychological support that they may need.  To achieve this goal, I conducted an interview with a family in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to discuss what they found to be the most comforting treatment(s) given by the health care professionals in such an emotional and stressful time.  I also talked with my supervisor about what may be the most tactful approach to dealing with both the patient and his/her family.  She had extremely useful information regarding this issue because of the nature of her work in both the Neonatal ICU and the Pediatric ICU.  Lastly, I had candid conversations with my coworkers about the most difficult aspects of working with children and with parents and what the best way to overcome those aspects may be.  Every situation is different but having a general idea of some tactics one can use in situations can help ease the situation and find a solution more quickly.  In completing this objective, I feel more confident in my ability to deal with families and with patients because I have learned how to stay true to myself and my values including how much I genuinely care for people and want to help while avoiding getting too emotionally involved.  I have developed a motto for dealing with patients:  you cannot change what has happened to get the patient to that point, nor can you always alter his or her future, but you can change how he or she and his or her family feels about their interaction with you and with the hospital right now.

Interacting with the hospital staff, patients, and families has been an experience I will never forget.  The knowledge I gained over the ten-week span was more than I ever expected possible.  Not only did I obtain background knowledge on basic hospital care, but I was also able to network and develop positive connections with people who could help me out in the future.  Finally, what I believe is the most rewarding and successful outcome of this internship was the verification I received that I am following the right career path for myself.  To know that I will love my job in the future only makes me even more motivated and eager to get myself into the medical field.