Goals and Learning
Career Goals
Learning Goal #1: Gain knowledge of working with patients in a clinical setting
Relevance: This goal allows me to have the opportunity to explore the position as a clinical physician, which may help me decide what interests me for my future career.
Action Plan:
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Shadow the Clinical Core and possibly neurology consultation visits
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Prepare charts for the clinical visits
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Shadow meetings about patients and research
Progress: Through my internship I have been able to make significant strides toward this goal. I have been able to shadow and see the research coordinator and physician interaction with patients. I have been able to see the interactions of consents, blood draw, measurements, and neuropysch testing. My next step with this goal is to see a wider variety of clinical settings. Now my goal for the future is to gain knowledge of work with patients in clinical settings outside of research.
Learning Goal #2: Understand how to work in a professional environment
Relevance: Having this understanding can help me with any future job I may have in a professional environment.
Action Plan:
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Work with fellow colleagues
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Utilize the electronic and physical file management
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Interact with researchers and physicians
Progress: Through my internship, I have improved my ability to collaborate with colleagues, manage files efficiently, and communicate professionally with researchers and physicians. I’ve become more comfortable navigating formal interactions and contributing to discussions. A challenge was adjusting to workplace expectations, but I’ve grown more confident over time. My next step is to refine my communication skills in high pressure situations and take on more responsibilities to further develop in a professional setting.
Learning Goal #3: Be involved in Alzheimer's Disease Research
Relevance: This research opportunity helps me explore my interest in neuroscience and allows me to dive deeper into a topic.
Action Plan:
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Work alongside researchers who study Alzheimer's Disease
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Send mailing packets to participants in the study
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Shadow the review of clinical visits
Progress: During my internship, I have gained hands-on experience in Alzheimer's research by working alongside researchers, preparing mailing packets for study participants, and observing clinical visit reviews. This has deepened my understanding of the research process and strengthened my interest in neuroscience. A challenge has been grasping the complexity of research protocols, but I have improved by asking questions and engaging with the team. My next step is to take on more active roles in research and analysis to further my involvement in the research process.
Internship Goals
So far at my internship site. the skills I am already more confident in are communication, independence, and problem solving.
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For communication specifically I have been able to communicate more professionally than before since I interact with professionals and patients every week. I am able to communicate orally more professionally in the office but also written in emails to my supervisor.
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Then for independence I use this skill every day because I mainly work by myself to prepare charts and create mailing packets.
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Lastly, I have been growing in problem-solving skills because I am able to fix mistakes I've made or prevent problems that might occur.
After completing the survey, I noticed that I could work on skills like teamwork, and integration and application. To grow my teamwork skills, I hope to have more opportunities at my internship site to work with colleagues. Most of my tasks include doing small jobs to make my colleagues' jobs easier, so I have been working well with others, but I hope to collaborate on more projects together. For integration and application, I hope to form a better understanding of the research we are doing and be able to come up with my own project that correlates.​
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​Since the fall I gave gained more confidence in these skills: ​
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Teamwork: Although I often work independently, I now communicate more frequently with colleagues to ensure tasks align with the team’s needs. I also ask for feedback and contribute ideas when possible.
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Integration and Application: I have become better at connecting what I learn in the internship to broader research concepts. I am starting to ask more insightful questions and think critically about how different research components fit together.
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Confronting Challenges and Failure: I have learned to handle mistakes more effectively by viewing them as learning opportunities. Instead of feeling discouraged, I now focus on problem-solving and improving my approach.
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Internship Goals Progress: I have taken active steps toward my initial internship goals, such as gaining clinical experience, engaging in research, and improving professional skills. I can see my growth in how I navigate responsibilities more efficiently and take initiative in my tasks.
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​​Skills I would like to continue to work on:
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Communication: To further improve my communication skills, I plan to take on more opportunities to interact with professionals and patients, refining both my oral and written communication. I will also seek feedback on my emails and professional interactions to ensure clarity and professionalism. After LHSI, I aim to continue developing this skill by engaging in more collaborative and patient-facing roles, whether in research, clinical settings, or future internships.
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Teamwork: Since much of my current work is independent, I want to find more ways to actively collaborate with colleagues. This semester, I will look for opportunities to assist on group projects or ask to participate in more team discussions. After LHSI, I plan to pursue roles that involve working in interdisciplinary teams, such as research groups or clinical settings, to continue strengthening my ability to work effectively with others.
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My internship has helped me gain a deeper understanding of my major, neuroscience, because we are researching Alzheimer's Disease and dementia which are neurodegenerative conditions. Since we are doing longitudinal research clinically, we assess the participants with Alzheimer's or other dementias. I have been able to shadow the visits that include memory testing, which is a component of my neuroscience coursework.
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​This semester, I have expanded my knowledge even further by observing additional research processes. I have gained a better understanding of all the components of research done at the IADRC. I have been able to integrate Alzheimer's disease research into a project for school. I also have been able to dive deeper into the research while creating materials for the study participants to understand their contributions. Engaging in discussions with researchers and clinicians has also helped me connect theoretical knowledge to practical applications, strengthening my grasp of neuroscience in a clinical setting.