Thursday, April 19, 2012

Spring 2012 Seminar 3 - Finishing STRONG!

Each semester we use the final seminar to pull all the details together from the entire semester, particularly to share the most valuable lesson or skill you will take with you from this internship.

In the comments section below, please share some of the most important lessons you've learned - particularly about time management, work ethic, networking, and overcoming obstacles. Then, write a sentence or two about your plans and dreams following this semester and a shout-out to students you believe should explore a similar internship in the future. Finally, what is the most important thing you learned from your experience?

36 comments:

  1. Working in Speaker Bobby Harrell's office has allowed me to have the hands on opportunity that the classroom would not have. I have learned how to manage my schedule along with five other pages' schedules. Leadership was very important throughout the semester, along with public relations skills. I was given the opportunity to assist in one of the Speaker's campaign fundraisers and really see what went on at his events. I have enjoyed every second of my internship. I plan to pursue a career in criminal investigation or behind the scenes politics after graduation. Throughout my internship I learned two very important things: (1) meet as many people as possible because they will be able to help you along your journey or they will know someone else that can help you along and (2) public relation skills will get you a long way, so improve them every chance you can.

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  2. Through this internship, I have learned to recognize and accept that people's work ethics vary. I cannot expect everyone with whom I work to share my work ethic because they may not have the same passion for the task at hand or the same drive for perfection. I am learning to accept that it's okay; people have different strengths and different priorities. I have also discovered that the best way to resolve conflicts in the workplace and overcome obstacles is honest yet non-confrontational communication and mutual respect. Without the freedom of open discourse and the assurance of respect, workplace conflicts--in my opinion--cannot be resolved. After I graduate, I plan to apply to teaching jobs in private institutions that do not require teaching certification and to lower-level positions in the field of editing and publishing--perhaps as a proofreader or editorial assistant. Since Katie Wilson will be the editor of Figs & Thistles next year, she may be interested in performing the role within the context of an internship. As I stated in my final reflective essay for my literary journal internship, the most important thing I learned from this experience is self-awareness. I feel that I am now more aware of both my fortes and my foibles as an individual and as a job candidate, and I will bear these personality traits in mind as I consider my career options in the short and long term.

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  3. Ayla Pittman

    I have come into contact with some very interesting people throughout my internship. I have met cancer patients, patients with chronic pain, drug addicts and others. I have learned that it is important to uphold a strong work ethic and to follow the tentative schedule as closely as possible. In my following semester here at PC, I hope to excel academically and spend as much time with friends as possible. After I graduate in December, I plan to for work for 7 months before medical school begins. I would prefer this work to be in the medical industry, such as working at a hospital or doctors office. I also have a possible opportunity to return to the Greenwood Genetics Center to do research. The most important lessons I have learned from my internship are to always keep the patients happy and, regardless the circumstances, always do your best for, for someones life on the other end.

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    1. The most important thing I learned from my internship was how to interact with patients. There were other things as well but the people who replied before me have pretty much covered it. I don't have a set plan for next year it'll either be working or med school. I would recommend an internship like this to anyone who is planning on going into the health professions.

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  4. The internship at Laurens County Health Care System has opened my eyes to the diversity of the medical profession in general. There are so many opportunities available in health care, and I believe that it is of utmost importance for students to observe the various areas before making a final career decision that they will carry with them the rest of their life. After taking into account everything I have observed throughout my internship, I plan to apply to pharmacy school with the dream of becoming a pharmacist in the future. This field has so many opportunities that I am excited to explore.

    I think that most importantly, I have learned to hold to my personal belief and value system and to not falter for any reason or person. My values are what set me apart from others, and I believe that it is important that I be myself and not try to change myself for other people. Patients want an honest doctor that they can relate to and trust. I have also learned that my perfectionist work ethic is not the same as others'; the high expectations I set for myself are demanding but will not be the same as what others expect for themselves. I cannot change how other people view work and can only work to be the best pharmacist or medical field employee that I can be.

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  5. The most important thing I learned during this internship was how to communicate in a work place effectively. Communication with patients and the employees around you create an awesome place to work. I feel that it is also very important to always put the patient first, be honest, and treat people right. I would recommend this internship to anyone who is looking at going into the medical field, whether it be as a nurse or a doctor. My plans for the future are to apply to pa school.

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  6. There are many important lessons that I learned through my internship. However, probably the most important one is communication, particularly with persons of a different set of ethics than my own. Learning how to relate to these differences in a Christ-like manner has been a rewarding experience for me. I have also learned that respect between administration and the 'people on the floor' is vital to maintaining a healthy work environment. When there is a lack of respect, there seems to be a general lack of enthusiasm. Also, I have learned that being 'on the clock' does not necessarily mean you are working (not that this is a good thing). Here again, I have learned to recognize and respect different sets of ethics. My plans and dreams? I plan to go to medical school sometime after I graduate and I hope to someday, perhaps do mission work as a medical doctor. Anyone with an interest in seeing the various fields of medicine and anyone wondering if medicine as a whole is right for them would benefit from this internship. Another important lesson that I have learned from this internship is this: even though medicine may be changing (whether for the better or for the worse) it is still a very exciting field.

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  7. Lauren Thurston
    Through out my internship at Physical Rehabilitation Group, the most important thing I learned is communicating with patients with in the work environment. I enjoyed so much meeting the patients and making conversations with them. With each new conversation, I increasingly became confident with my communication skills. My future psychology courses will strongly connect the attitudes and values of patients that I will deal with in the future. When faced with an obstacle, although unfamiliar with the technique and how the therapist does it, I felt confident after completing it because he guided me through the exercise and he gave me feedback in what I did wrong and right. I would recommend this internship for anyone who is interested in the physical therapy field as it has allowed me to see how a clinic works. My plans for the future is to apply to PT school.

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  9. The most important thing I learned while during my internship is working through obstacles. Working with cases surrounding abuse and neglect at Laurens County DSS provides plenty of situations which obstacles present themselves. Casework is full of situations which one has to constantly navigate around issues regarding the children and families, this really requires one to be on their toes as well as possessing critical thinking skills. Working with Laurens County DSS has really helped me to further develop these skills, which may provide useful in my job search.

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  10. My internship definitely taught me patience when things do not go according to plan. Our initial plans at the beginning of the semester were thwarted by machines not working and chemicals not being in stock in time, so other plans had to be made at the last minute. After graduation I plan to pursue a career in forensic science or large animal veterinary medicine. My internship will definitely help me with forensic science and my current internship application with a police department. The most important thing I learned from this experience was patience and time management.

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  11. Through my internship at Piedmont Pediatrics, I have learned so much.

    I've learned how to positively interact with all patients, regardless if they are polite or rude. I've also learned the importance of knowing another language. Many of the patients that I saw did not speak any English. Knowing the basic Spanish and medical terms was extremely helpful. I was able to take what I had learned in classes such as immunology and physiology and apply them to what I was seeing. I was able understand the medical problems of the patients and understand the terminology used in the office already by applying what I learned in class to what I was seeing.

    This internship has inspired to me to continue working in pediatrics. I loved working with kids. I also like the mix of consistency and the unexpected that I experienced in pediatrics. While most people coming to the doctor's office had the cold or flu during the winter, there were still cases that were exciting and different every day that required critical thinking.

    This internship has taught me how to think critically and interact with patients, which is something very valuable that I will be able apply to my future job.

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  12. I learned that working with other people effectively requires constant and respectful communication. When problems arise, they must be addressed in a polite and respectful manner, and finger-pointing is always a bad way to go. I have come to respect the work ethic of others and the varying degrees of perfection that people look for in their work.

    The internship has taught me how to better show initiative and work with people. And these are skills that I plan on using in the workplace next year.

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  14. One of the biggest things that i learned was how to relate with people who have personality disorders that think completely differewnt from me. There are some people who literally have to ability to think rationally. In order to get these people to think about things rationally, you have to go about it in a completely different way. Just seeing the differences between people was huge for me. Every single person brings in their own story that is unique from the next person and you learn so much from them. I definitely want to go into counseling at some point

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    1. This was Mo fragapane's comment

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  15. This internship was a great experience. One of the biggest lessons I learned in the medical field is that you have to have tough skin. Employers have one goal and that is to treat the patient to the best of their ability. This sometimes requires direct orders that can hurt your feelings. I've learned that you have to take it with a grain of salt. I've also learned that networking is huge. Graduate schools tend to be very competitive these days and it helps to know the right people and get your name out there.

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  16. I have gained a lot from my internship experience at the City of Clinton. One of the hardest things about my internship was the lack of direction on major projects. This challenge also fostered my biggest learning experience. I had to learn to take initiative and to have trust and confidence in my own decisions. I also improved my interpersonal skills working with another intern on an annexation project. I did have some networking experience as well. The intern I was working with had some information about a company I would love to work for. His insight was extremely helpful. After I graduate, I am going to work for the summer at Kiawah Island Golf Resort outside of charleston, sc. I hope to attain a full time position with KIGR after the summer ends.

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  17. I think that the most important thing that I learned from shadowing doctors at the Johnson City Medical Center is that being a doctor requires alot more than book knowledge. What I admired most about the doctors I shadowed was not their knowledge of anatomy, but rather how they interacted with their patients and staff. It was also cool to see how different areas of medicine require different skill sets.

    I am taking the MCAT this weekend, and I suppose I will see where that takes me. I don't have any set plans for the future.

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  18. I think that the most important thing that I learned from shadowing doctors at the Johnson City Medical Center is that being a doctor requires alot more than book knowledge. What I admired most about the doctors I shadowed was not their knowledge of anatomy, but rather how they interacted with their patients and staff. It was also cool to see how different areas of medicine require different skill sets.

    I am taking the MCAT this weekend, and I suppose I will see where that takes me. I don't have any set plans for the future.

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  19. My time working with warehouse theatre has been an experience of good and bad. Because the show is already ore set, my use of observance and ideas have been limited. My job is nothing but following directions as a crew member at this time. The show "39 steps" is a wonderful show, and the crew that I am working with are great.

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  20. Working at Modern Woodmen of America has been a valuable experience for me over the past semester. In addition to my everyday responsibilities, I learned valuable lessons in interpersonal and management skills. The necessity for having good relationships and communication in the financial services industry became apparent through the day to day activities of my internship where my co-workers and i had to routinely participate in role play activities that simulated interactions that we would have with potential customers. My appreciation for interpersonal skills also grew as I learned that the only way to be successful in the financial services industry is be able to relate to people and satisfy their needs. As of right now i am unsure of what i will be doing next year. The most important thing that i have learned from my internship is how important time management is.

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  21. Working at the church taught me a lot of lessons about how a church operates behind the scenes. There is a lot of work for people who work in ministry especially in odd hours compared to the 9-5 world. there are late nights on Sunday and Wednesday nights. I also learned a lot about interacting with people, especially when the people have something wrong like a disease or broken bone and they cannot leave the house. It is hard to talk to them sometimes because they are so negative and only want to get better. But i learned what it looks like to encourage and try to lighten theor spirits.

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  22. This experience as taught me to always take every job and opportunity I have seriously. I have had the privilege of meeting and networking with many people in the Lauren's County area. My internship has taught me a lot about time management and scheduling. My time at the Lauren's County Board of Elections has allowed me to apply the skills I have learned in the classroom to the real world. My communication skills have been sharpened this semester. With the time I have left here at PC I hope to continue to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. One other thing I have gained from this opportunity is confidence. I have really enjoyed maturing and adapting to a real world workforce.

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  23. My experience with interning at church has been different. The church is very old and very traditional. The people were very sweet and didn't mind helping me when I needed it. This has taught me that I would love to work in a church one day but I would like it to be a little bit more younger and more open to new ideas.

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  24. My experience at the Family Health Care has taught me many valuable lessons. I learned about many medical instruments, along with the ins and outs of a doctors office. I witnessed a large number of visits, including many minor surgeries. I learned the importance of patient confidentiality while honing my public speaking skills. Dr. Stephens allowed me to interact with many patients, and surprisingly, most patients enjoyed seeing a young face. I met many interesting characters along the way, many of which I will never forget. I learned through my experience that being patient and a good listener will go a long way in the medical career, as I heard many compliments about Dr. Stephens and how much he truly cares about his patients. The most important thing I learned through my internship experience was that I am intact headed in the right direction in life. My experience allowed me to test the waters of my future career, insuring that it is intact where I want to spend my future.

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  25. Luckily, my internship with Representative Pitts allowed me to do most of my work on my own time from my computer. The videos that we would film required his views on certain topics, but Representative Pitts gave me great lead way in allowing me to do whatever I thought may be best for marketing him. He trusted my judgement as a young citizen who is experienced with social media websites. This leadway taught me the value of work ethic. I was required to make myself work on my internship even though I was not being watched by a supervisor. Through working with politics, I was also taught to accept that others may have a different opinion than me, and in order to succeed we must overlook these differences. I believe these values will benefit me in the future when I enter the workforce.

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  26. One of the most important things I've learned is that you have to make the best out of any situation you're in. I was switched to a new location during my internship, and the atmosphere there was completely different that what I was used to. I would have preferred being with my old co-workers, but I eventually warmed up to my new ones and everything worked out. I don't have any serious plans. I have been working as a part-timer, as opposed to just an intern. I will continue working as a teller until I find something full-time. I would recommend that people with peppy personalities, and those who can easily brush off the comments of others be the ones to work as a teller for a financial institution.

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  27. Abby Scott

    Throughout my internship with the Financial Department for Laurens County Health Care System, I had the chance to improve many of the skills that are desirable in the workforce. The majority of the meetings that I sat in on incorporated representatives from the different departments. I was given the opportunity to speak up and offer suggestions for ways in which the hospital can improve different situations. By doing this, I learned a lot about the importance of working with a diverse group of individuals, differing in race, gender, and educational background. I also had the chance to use different computer programs that are regularly used in healthcare systems. I learned how to use a ten-key pad and became much quicker at it as the semester passed. One of the most exciting parts of the internship was the day in which I helped prepare the monthly financial statements for the healthcare system. I truly believe that this experience and the skills that I have improved will be very beneficial in my future career.

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  28. William Wilkins

    During my internship at glocaltech solutions, I learned a lot about web based programing and mostly software development. I also learned that i do not want to start my own business any time soon. Running your own business is hard in this environment because you have to constantly sell an idea to a customer who you convince to invest in it. If you don't convince him or her than you will not be paid. You can also convince them and get funding for the project then they can cancel whenever they want to and your out of a job. Once this happens you are forced to find a venture quickly to make money for your company. After completing this internship I am more than happy to work under somebody than start my own business. Probably leaning towards the gaming industry. The most important thing that i have learned though is I have the power to learn all the technologies needed for a software development job. There are so many free resources to where i can learn about my career before even starting it.

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  29. My internship at Gray Funeral Home in Clinton has allowed me to get my 'foot in the door' of the funeral business. I have learned the importance of effective communication and the value of teamwork. I have also learned that in this industry, flexibility is key and it is always good to have a great sense of humor. I have gotten the opportunity to assist in many funerals as well as a cremation and an embalming. I have picked up lots of new vocabulary and some practical skills as well. I will be returning to Clinton in the fall to work as an apprentice at Gray Funeral Home and will be attending Piedmont Tech to get my associates degree in funeral services and my state certification in embalming.

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  30. At my internship in the PC Accounting Office, I learned how various departments work together. Throughout the semester, one deparatment was responsible to send one another tasks. Each department had to add on to other work. Also, this internship showed me just an insight of what it takes to be a controller. Excel becomes your bestfriend. So communication skills are really required here. The controller get calls all throughout the day, drop by visits, and her day is filled with meetings to discuss certain matters that she either has to present or has to give her opinion. I would recommend this internship to anyone because it is a valubale experience to see the controller's role if you want to become one one day.

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  31. My experience at the Gateway Clinic was interesting. This experience helped me learn alot about time manangement and showed me that waking up at 7:30 is tough. It took me longer than expected to complete my hours so this teaches me not to procrastinate and get the job done as soon as possible. I learned alot of new things about the chiropractic business that i wasnt aware of before starting. Also I learned the value of working with employees that have great personalities and are very ethical. Although I didnt learn much about financials and accounting, I did learn the importance of documenting every single thing I do.

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  32. My experience interning in the office of institutional research has been valuable in many different ways. I learned the importance of proper appearance and punctuality during in an office setting. I also took away valuable skill in the field of data entry and analysis. My internship advisor was extremely helpful in helping me develop office savvy and I had a really good time doing it!

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  33. The most important lesson I've learned is time management and creating goals and timelines. Since I was doing research with Dr. Rodekohr in the physics department, he would give me an assignment, and it was up to me to finish it in a timely manner. Motivation was hard some days without a set deadline, but I learned the sooner I got things done, the better I felt. I plan to go to Clemson next year to pursue a masters in math. I think other physics and computer science students would like this type of internship to gain research experience. The most important thing I've learned is there are positives and negatives to every job. You have to make sure you focus on the positives in order to stay sane while also taking in the negatives which teach us about ourselves.

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