Princeternship

Princeternship Stories: Korlekuor Akiti ’19, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

My Princeternship with Dr. Jeffrey Katz at Brigham & Women’s Hospital (BWH) was truly an invaluable experience. Going into the visit, I was very unsure about my interest in pursuing medicine as a career. However, I quickly came to realize that my understanding of the field of medicine was so much narrower than the reality. Through talking with Dr. Katz and his team, sitting in on meetings and observing clinic, I got a glimpse of a side of medicine that I had never seen before. I knew I was interested in research going into this experience, but after talking with several Research Assistants in Dr. Katz’s lab, I am now seriously considering serving as an RA during my glide year(s).

I am shocked at how much I was able to experience in less than 48 short hours. My first day began by sitting in on a rheumatology case conference with Dr. Katz and several of his colleagues at BWH and Mass Gen. I then had a chance to speak with Harvard Medical School student who is taking time off after his third year to work as an RA for Dr. Katz. It was extremely informative to hear about his path to medical school and how his experiences have prepared him for the work he is doing today.

After speaking with several other RAs, I sat in on a Skype call with Dr. Katz and a team in the Netherlands about a paper that they are in the process of publishing. After lunch, we listened to a visiting speaker at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and ended the day with a meeting regarding an activity on sexual assault on campuses that he is coordinating.

The next morning, we attended Medicine Grand Rounds and listened to the distinguished Dr. Neil Powe of UCSF speak about disparities in renal disease and the disproportionate effect that this has on the African American population. Afterword, we headed straight to the clinic where Dr. Katz saw seven different patients (before lunch) with varying types and degrees of arthritis.

I was so impressed by the work environment of Dr. Katz’s lab and the hospital as a whole. The team culture was so strong and everyone, from the youngest intern to the oldest and most decorated doctor, had a voice and was respected. I was also surprised to learn that only a few RAs had any experience or training specific to epidemiology or rheumatology before working in the lab. Rather, the other lab members taught them as they went and they learned through experience.

I would certainly recommend, in fact, urge, other students to take advantage of the Princeternship program. It was an incredible experience and a wonderful opportunity to get to know a very successful Princeton alumnus. I am so incredibly grateful for everyone at Princeton and BWH, especially Dr. Katz, who helped make my visit such a success.

Princeternship Stories: Irene Hsu ’20, Education Through Music-LA

Being a Princetern for Education Through Music-LA (ETM-LA) was an extremely rewarding experience. Firstly, talking with Victoria allowed me to learn so much about working at a nonprofit. What stood out to me the most was the organization’s focus on its mission. This united everybody and allowed them to work together passionately to reach their goal. Talking with Victoria also gave me insight into running a company. She mentioned how important it was to be surrounded by people who support the same values. This made me reflect a lot about networking and being an entrepreneur. I also found it very interesting how a nonprofit funds and publicizes itself. Effective nonprofit work is very much based on connections and reaching out to sponsors and local organizations. I find this aspect of this type of career very exciting and I will keep this in mind when figuring out what I want to do in the future.

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Princeternship Stories: Andy Zheng ’20, Eastern Virginia Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters

I had the opportunity to intern at the Children’s Hospital for the King’s Daughters. I took a day of rest before I started my internship during intersession. After arriving at the hospital, I was introduced to everything that I needed to know. The same thing that every hospital intern should be aware, such as I cannot disclose patient information and what happens in the hospital stays in the hospital. Continue reading →

Princeternship Stories: Alice Vinogradsky ’20, Ganchi Plastic Surgery

Participating in the Princeternship program with Dr. Ganchi of Ganchi Plastic Surgery was an absolutely phenomenal experience. Before shadowing Dr. Ganchi, I had a very vague understanding of what a private plastic surgery practice entailed—all of my knowledge of plastic surgery had come from the media and “reality” television shows, both of which tend to do a poor job of documenting a true “day in the life.” Continue reading →

Princeternship Stories: Maria Jerez ’19, Disability Rights Maryland

I learned so much during my internship at Disability Rights Maryland – about the law, about the office environment and myself. When I first went into this Princeternship, all I knew was that I had a strong interest in law and a sense that I wanted to use that to help people. I wasn’t sure what that meant, and I most definitely didn’t know how I intended to do that. The biggest concern I had about my future profession was being able to mesh those two things together in a way that was interesting and made a difference. In talking to Leslie and all the other attorneys, paralegals and legal advocates at the office though, I saw that it was possible. Continue reading →

Princeternship Stories: Lila Abreu ’19, Cornea and Laser Eye Institute/Hersh Vision Group

I applied to this Princeternship because I wanted to get a glimpse at a day in the life of a doctor. Recently, I’ve been thinking that I ultimately want to do something related to mental health and counseling. I’ve been trying to decide whether I should fulfill pre-medical requirements with the goal of becoming a psychiatrist, or whether I should focus my attention towards my Psychology courses and research. As I am extremely indecisive (I’ve switched majors from Chemistry to Computer Science and now to Psychology, dabbling in Linguistics, Philosophy and Neuroscience along the way!), I wanted to make this decision about what to do with my remaining time at Princeton with as much information as possible. I thought shadowing a surgeon would provide me the extra information I needed to begin making an informed decision.

Over the course of the day, Dr. Hersh, Dr. Gelles and some of the technicians showed us around the office. They explained the process of preparing patients for surgery, performing the surgery and doing post-procedure follow-ups. For each surgery we observed, Dr. Hersh made sure to give us background information on the problems the patients were experiencing and on how the procedure helped correct it. He also made sure to give us many close-up views of patients’ eyes mid-procedure (very cool!) and explained what he was doing step by step. He took time to chat with us, answering all of our questions about his experiences at Princeton and about the path he took that lead him to ophthalmology.

One of my biggest takeaways of the day was that while planning is certainly useful, those plans tend to change along the way. Dr. Hersh explained that he had gone into medicine wanting to do orthopedics, and ended up doing ophthalmology mostly due to the quality of the ophthalmology program at his school. In hearing his med school and early work experiences, it was clear that he embraced change and was open to following the opportunities that were best for him at the time, opportunities which led him relatively far from where he initially saw himself. This strategy obviously worked out very well for him, and it’s comforting to see that letting plans go astray is not so bad after all.

At the end of the day, I was so happy that I had the opportunity to do this Princeternship. It was an incredible experience that helped push me towards deciding what I want to focus on in my next two-and-a-half years at Princeton.

Princeternship stories: Jessica Quinter ’18, Maryland Disability Law Center

This post was written by Jessica Quinter ’18 after her Princeternship. For more information on the Princeternship program, visit our site.  

Though I did a fair amount of research before attending my Princeternship, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I kind of assumed it would be an average day in the life of any lawyer; some paperwork, some case research, maybe a few phone calls with clients. But the eye-opening, incredible experience I had exceeded any and all of my expectations.

The first thing I was struck by upon arriving at Maryland Disability Law Center (MDLC) was the warmth and friendliness of the atmosphere. It takes a certain kind of person to work there, someone dedicated and kind to the nth degree, and that sentiment was palpable. I was first able to speak with a few other professionals working at MDLC, whose jobs were somewhat different from my host (the Managing Attorney). I was allowed to listen in on intake calls, which was an incredibly valuable experience. It gave me a real understanding of the value of the work that MDLC does. I saw how vital and how heartbreaking it all was. I was also able to speak with another person, who worked specifically on promoting inclusion in after-school programs for disabled children. In everyone I spoke with, the definite common denominator was his or her passion and kindness. No one better embodied that than my host, Mrs. Leslie Margolis ’82.

Mrs. Margolis focuses in special education. I was able to attend a meeting with Mrs. Margolis with a parent she was representing (for her child) and the school special education staff, about the child’s school placement. Emotions ran high, and it was rather heartbreaking to watch this child be debated upon. But more than anything, I was struck by how completely dedicated Mrs. Margolis was to advocating for the parent and child, and promoting the student’s best interests above all other possible considerations. It was really illuminating to me, in illustrating just how vital the work of Mrs. Margolis and the MDLC as a whole is. These children, and also disabled adults, though I didn’t see much about that specifically, sometimes have no one to advocate for them. They may fall to the wayside, or suffer abuse. Parents, or other caregivers, may not know where to turn. Some private firms may sometimes seem to hold ulterior motives. Others cannot afford a private attorney, but just surpass the threshold to qualify for pro bono. The help of the MDLC, then, is incredibly important, and that was very clearly demonstrated to me.

My day shadowing Mrs. Margolis at MLDC was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had. It opened my eyes to a kind of law practice that I hadn’t really considered before, which I now see as very rewarding, worthwhile, and important. For myself, I’ve always wanted to go to law school, but been wary of simply joining a private firm. I’ve always been passionate about social justice and civil liberties. I’ve worked as the political intern at the Human Rights Campaign in the Government Affairs Department, which I loved. I’ve always imagined that a path like that would be best for me; being able to lobby for policy for issues I am so passionate about. And perhaps I will still end up somewhere like that, I would still love to. But my day at MDLC showed me another possible path—being a lawyer doesn’t necessarily have to entail private corporate work. There are places like MDLC, where passionate lawyers can also advocate for social justice. Mrs. Margolis also informed me that she was able to do policy work as well, which I hadn’t know or considered. My Princeternship opened my mind to another realm of possible careers in a way that I hadn’t expected.

Shadowing Mrs. Margolis was also incredibly rewarding in that she gave me so much valuable advice. She told me a lot about her own career path, and was incredibly open and receptive to any questions I had. She gave me a lot of meaningful advice, in a way that was very relatable. I really enjoyed my experience shadowing Mrs. Margolis at MDLC, and I would recommend to any student to do the program. Thank you so much, Mrs. Margolis, for the incredible experience!!

Apply for a Princeternship

Looking for a great way to spend a few days of winter break? Want to meet alumni and get an inside look at career fields that interest you? Apply for a Princeternship, which matches undergraduate students with alumni for job shadowing and project experience over one to five days. Applications for the winter Princeternship sessions open Oct. 11 and will close Nov. 8. Undergraduate students of all years can apply in Handshake.

Princeternships provide a “day in the life” in the workplace, with students often participating in board, client or patient meetings; office tours; seminars; case studies and projects. During a winter Princeternship, students have the opportunity to:

  • Explore a career field of interest, without the commitment of an internship

  • Gain first-hand knowledge of a real work environment and on-the-job etiquette

  • Uncover possible internships and options for future careers

  • Connect directly with an alum host, who can serve as an excellent resource for career, job and internship advice

  • Learn about the job application process by submitting a resume and interviewing for a position

There are more than 70 positions available with 38 different organizations during this session, including opportunities in arts and entertainment, communications, business, consulting, entrepreneurship, education, government, healthcare, law, nonprofit and STEM. To learn more about the program and get a firsthand look at past experiences through student blogs, visit our Princeternship page.

Questions? Come to our walk-in hours or email Rachel Jimenez, associate director, internships & experiential education.

Princeternship stories: Yusuke Tsuzuki ’19, YingHua International School

tsuzukiMy Princeternship host, Ms. Kristin Epstein ’96, was a kind, engaging and wonderful host, and I had an extraordinary experience at YingHua International School.  YingHua is unlike any other school, in that it has a dual language curriculum, and its unique atmosphere enabled me to look at education from a different perspective. Students are taught only in Chinese before 1st grade, and gradually increase their proportion of English classes. Many of the students don’t speak Chinese at home, yet most upperclassmen speak it fluently. I wish they could’ve taken my CHI303 final for me. If you’re interested in language and education, YingHua is the perfect place to see how the two fields can come together in practice.

The benefits of this Princeternship were countless. First, shadowing the executive director allows you to get behind the scenes of school life and know how both individual teachers and board members need to respond to various needs. On the first and third day we attended a teacher-parent conference. There you can see how diverse the perspectives of parents are, in terms of testing, feedback, education goals, and much more. The fact that Yinghua is a private school makes it more interesting, because parental feedback directly means customer feedback, unlike in public schools. It was personally interesting for me because I’m interested in the public/private aspect of education, whether or not and to what extent educational institutions should be privatized.

Second, the Chinese New Year comes around during the intersession Princeternship, and I got to see the students perform at the Princeton Senior Center! This means that you not only get to enjoy watching the students perform traditional plays and sing traditional New Year songs, but you can also see how effective the dual curriculum is. The upper-grade students speak so fluently, it’s just amazing.

Last but not the least, Princeternship gives you the opportunity to listen to the stories of Princeton alumni: how their Princeton life was, what led to their current job, and what they think is important in life. My host actually started out as a BSE engineer–which was surprising considering the fact that she now runs an international school–and she chose not to get an MBA, even though it might have been useful. Each of her life decisions shows you there is no “mainstream” way of finding your career.

I would recommend this Princeternship at YingHua International School to anyone who is interested in education or language (especially Chinese), and perhaps policy-making concerning the two areas.  I want to thank Ms. Epstein again for being an awesome host, and Demi Zhang ’19 as well, who participated with me as a fellow Princetern.

Princeternship stories: Eric Chen ’19, Epic

When I arrived at Epic, I met with Gina Davis ’10, who helped coordinate the Princeternship, to see a product demo of Epic software. The software suite that Epic produces is truly massive. Driven by the mission of one medical record for every patient, Epic produces software so that everything a hospital does—from routine checkups to emergency room visits to prescriptions—can be housed in one electronic record. Right now, an impressive 57 percent of patients in the U.S. are covered by Epic software, a number which shows how working at Epic really does impact millions of lives everyday.
IMG_20160104_163426655When I first met my host Todd Dale ‘09, a technical services engineer and technical coordinator, he was on a conference call supporting a hospital’s installation of Epic software. I quickly learned that because of the nature of healthcare software, technical support is critically important. For one, system downtime can have a very negative impact on hospitals. It doesn’t matter if the power goes out or natural disaster strikes, Todd works with hospitals to ensure that their particular installation of Epic software will have as close to 100 percent uptime as possible. In this call, I saw Epic’s core tenet of doing right by the customer. Todd and his team work one-on-one with hospitals to make sure that Epic software works for the customer as well as possible.

Even though Todd’s main job is technical services for hospitals, the open and flexible culture at Epic allows him to wear many different hats every day. For Todd, this means that he is also the lead developer of an internal staffing tool for team managers at the company—a tool that he started out of his own need.

At one design meeting, Todd was pitching a new website design to improve workflows for managers using his tool. I’m not too familiar with developing in teams, so it was great to see Todd balancing his own vision for features with the opinions and demands of others in the room.

As we were bouncing between meetings, I got a chance to see some more of Epic’s campus, which reflects the general workplace culture of innovation, creativity and fun. Todd works in the jungle-themed building, but we passed through a Scandinavian building, New York City-themed areas, as well as an Indiana Jones hallway, where we had our picture taken. 

As my day of shadowing Todd revealed, there is an infinite number of jobs that can be done at any point in time, so there is no reason to limit your work to your job title because, oftentimes, your best work will be a product of pursuing what no one else thought to do.

A huge thank you to Gina and Doug for taking time out of their day to help me, and especially to Todd who graciously let me shadow him and introduced me to the expansive and fascinating world of Epic and healthcare software.