Local Students See if Medicine Is Their Calling

Friday, June 22 ended the third summer internship at Overlook Hospital in Summit for 17 medical students selected out of close to 150 applicants.

Monday through Thursday, students shadowed physicians, nurses, social workers and therapists on rotating shifts that included consultations, emergency, and visits to the operating room, followed by group discussions about topics of interest and current happenings every Friday. Beginning each day was a one-hour discussion with specialists who provided information about their field.

“It was absolutely the program for me,” said Alexis Deitz of Warren, a sophomore at Emory University. “I’m so motivated now, and I no longer think of my classes as just classes . . . I never knew what to expect coming in each day . . . I got to see every stage of [what goes on here] . . .  and I didn’t know it would be this rewarding.”

She was struck by the way the doctors interact with their patients.

“They’ve done the same thing a thousand times, but for the patient it’s the first time, and that’s how [the doctors] treat it. . . when you sit down for a consultation, it’s like a puzzle, trying to figure out exactly what the problem is,” she said. “I thought I’d learn a lot. But I didn’t think I’d feel such a personal connection.”

For Jordyn Feingold of Livingston, a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, being a part of this “fantastic group of kids” began when a family friend read about the program and passed it on to her, knowing of her course of studies.

“I didn’t realize how competitive it was (to be accepted) until I got here,” she stated.

After sending in various essays and enduring a Skype interview—which she described as being one of the strangest things she’s ever done—Feingold was accepted into a program that for her, confirmed her ability to handle a career in medicine.

“This is it,” she said. “I wouldn’t be happy with anything else.”

She expressed how different the program was from a traditional classroom experience.

“There were no tests, except for when the doctors quizzed you sometimes . . . unlike conscious studying, it was natural because I was interested in what I was doing and I could apply what I learned . . . it was the ideal way to learn, because I didn’t have to put forth much effort,” she said.

Westfielder James Chu, however, a senior at Princeton University, is still unsure of whether or not medicine is for him. While he concurs that the program matured him a great deal, he would like to explore more opportunities in music before he makes his final decision.

“It was interesting talking to people at different points in life than you,” he explained. “Like, you meet doctors who have a lot more experience than you, patients who are at different stages than you, all the way down to little kids. And it’s fun to look back and say, ‘I remember when I was like that!’”

Chu agrees that the hands-on experience was different from anything he’s done before. “You learn everything you can’t learn in the classroom. I’ve never seen an operating table in a classroom, or a patient who just found out they have breast cancer.”

Vascular surgeon Dr. Clifford Sales, M.D., stated, “The goal of the program was to get kids to learn what it’s like to be in the medical field. Can I be a nurse and a mom? A cardiologist and a dad? They think that (the goal) is to see if they want to (go into medicine)—it’s not. It’s to get a hands-on experience and see what it’s like.”

He declared that the program was “a raging success—the kids love it—they say it’s life-changing.They can see the ups and downs, the positives and the negatives.”

Those interested in applying for the 2013 internship program can call (908)-522-5926, or visit the Overlook Summer Internship Program on the Atlantic Health System website.