I interned in the Emergency Department of Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City. An ED is a fast-paced environment, constantly evolving with patient needs that are comprehensive in volume and variety, in urgency and complexity. One of my main responsibilities during my internship was to serve as a patient advocate – I had the privilege to comfort patients, converse at length with them, and hear about their life stories. I endeavored to find ways to improve their stay – short or long – and served as a bridge between the patient and provider. In addition to this role, I had to opportunity to learn from attendings and residents. Everyday presented an opportunity to learn, about the science that underpins the practice of medicine but also the humanity that is integral to delivering equitable and patient-centered care.
My
summer internship was intensive in all aspects – in education, emotion, and
experience. It was easy to feel
overwhelmed, and I returned to my dorm everyday with countless stories and
notes scribbled with medical knowledge I’d learned. For me, journaling during
my internship allowed me the opportunity to digest and reflect on each day. By
writing it down, journaling allowed me to synthesize the lessons I’d learned.
Journaling motivated me to think critically about ways in which I could be a
better patient advocate, and gave rise to project ideas that I proposed to my
supervisor that would improve the efficiency of the ED. Journaling positioned
me to better utilize my internship, ask more effective questions, and better
prepare myself for the next day. From a macroscopic level, journaling allowed
me to record my experiences and the valuable memories, lessons, and insights I
gained from my internship. Writing down these experiences allowed me to reflect
and form connections with my studies and research interests. With these
reflections, I was able to analyze my experience, and its interactions with my
life, learning, and career aspirations.
When
journaling, be consistent. Try to set aside a scheduled time each day (or week)
to write. Let your entries be reflective of what you’re learning – about
yourself and the internship. Ask yourself about your goals for the internship,
what critical issues you witnessed, moral or ethical questions that arose, and
reflect on moments where you took charge. Write about how a particular task or
project made you feel, whether or not you enjoyed it, and if you can see
yourself doing it in the future. Don’t be afraid to soul-search a bit.
Ultimately, make your journal your space to contextualize your growth.
Andrew Hwang, Class of 2022
