A Day in the Life of Zaria’s Health Science Internship

By Zaria, a rising senior at MHS

I’m [completing] an internship at the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center this summer. Before I came into this internship, I only considered becoming a physician or nurse because that’s usually what you think of when you go into health careers. However, in this internship, I’ve been exposed to different areas and a lot of careers I didn’t consider before.

Today, I’m in the microbiology department where there’s a foundation of patient care. I think I’m more interested in being hands-on with patients, and I’m glad I came here and found that out. I’m here in microbiology every Tuesday. Infectious disease doctors and pathologists come down with fellows who also are learning. It’s really cool showing everyone what kind of bacteria is in each slide.

Last week, I shadowed physician’s assistants—it was absolutely amazing. I will definitely be considering that career.

The Health Science program [at MHS] has exposed me to some of the medical terminology I’ve heard during my internship. The difference is, now I’m having a front-row experience. It’s different learning about something in the classroom compared to actually being immersed in the situation. Here, it’s happening in real time and real life.

The people here are making a direct impact on others’ lives, and that only motivates me to go into this field even more because I can actually see how I can make a difference. That’s exactly what I want in a [future] career.

I’ve always been interested in science, and I like how you can take something you learn in the classroom and use it to help other people. I’m passionate about helping others, so science is a good mix. People always say, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” and being in the health science field is a great way to give back. Take what you’re passionate about and turn it into a career because there are tons of jobs out there that appeal to your interests.

Overall, my internship was a great opportunity. I’m glad I stayed at MHS for the summer and participated in it, because it has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.