Wednesday, October 12, 2011

1. Tell us about yourself. What is your major and class standing? Where is your internship located and how did you get it?

My name is Anna Whetstone. I am a current Senior Neuroscience major and Spanish minor. I completed a research internship this past summer at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY and had an amazing experience! I found this internship through the AAMC website where they listed internships by the state.

2. How did you feel on the first day? How did it go? Were your expectations met? Can you describe anything that surprised you?

At first I felt so nervous because I would be living in a new place for the entire summer and I don't really consider myself a city girl either. I also had only had brief experience working in a lab and was nervous they would expect me to know everything! I ended up loving my roommate so that helped, and everyone else in the program was so nice. My lab was understanding and taught me a lot to the point that within one or two weeks they trusted me to run experiments by myself. This internship went above and beyond my expectations and it was definitely the best summer I have had since I entered college. I also began to love the city and became a master of public transportation and I think it would be amazing to be able to live in NYC to either attend medical school or work in one of the many amazing research labs there.

3. Tell us about your work environment and supervisors. How many people do you work with? What is great about it and what isn’t?

The lab I worked with in total had 6 people which included the Principle Investigator who ran the lab, a grad student, a post doctoral student, and two MD/PHD program students. Everyone was so friendly and willing to help and answer any questions I had. I liked having the small group environment and getting to know everyone personally. It was also nice on a networking basis to be able to get to know the head of the lab so that I could request a letter of recommendation. Everyone’s schedules were also variable and as long as you got your work done you would come into lab at any time. The part that wasn't the best about the lab experience was needing to participate in weekly lab meetings where articles and current work was discussed. I was put on the spot on many occasions to answer questions way outside of my knowledge, but I guess in the end it was good practice for being in a real lab!

4. Tell us about your life outside of the internship. Are you living in a new location? Have you met new people?

While working in the lab, I was housed on the Albert Einstein College of Medicine campus in apartments rented out for MD and PhD students. Since I was part of a larger summer program, everyone was housed with roommates, and I ending up making great friends with people from all over the country that were there participating in the same program (50 people!). I still keep in contact with some of the people I met, and we plan on having a reunion possibly over winter break. The one part that worried me going into the internship was that I would be living in the Bronx in NY which doesn't have the best reputation. Albert Einstein is located in a nicer area of the Bronx however, and it was a great chance for me to get out of my comfort zone. I fell head over heels in love with New York City and even the Bronx for its unique atmosphere and world famous Italian food. I spent weekends (and even some weeknights) going into Manhattan to explore the city, go to museums, see free concerts, go shopping, and see shows on Broadway!

5. If you are earning credit for your internship, what types of assignments/projects are required by the College to earn credit?

I didn't receive any college credit for this internship but I did receive a stipend from the NIH (National Institute of Health) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. I wasn't assigned any projects but the college but I have taken the opportunity to share and present my summer research at different conferences with other Moravian students.

6. What has been your most interesting assignment/task? What made it the most interesting?

The thing I found most interesting was being able to learn new lab techniques and be able to do an entire experiment myself. I had the newest laboratory equipment at my fingertips as well as experts in the field teaching me each step of the way.

7. How is your internship going? Are you enjoying the work that you are given? Are you encountering any difficulties?

My internship is now over, it was 8 and 1/2 weeks (from June-Aug 5). I loved the work I was given and I learned a ton. The only difficulties I experienced was not knowing enough background information on what I was researching, but everyone I worked with was so nice and willing to teach me.

8. What was the most difficult assignment/task/challenge that you were faced with? How did you deal with it? What did you learn from it?

One of the most difficult tasks I was faced with this summer was needing to create and present a formal presentation to my lab about the work I completed. I knew they all had much more experience than me, so I was afraid they would ask very difficult questions. To prepare, I practiced my presentation several times to myself and to my roommate. I also looked up a lot of background information to prepare for any question that might be thrown my way. I learned how to be able to present my search in an official way, as well as to answer difficult questions on my feet.

9. What are your thoughts about your internship, now that it is over? What did you learn? What would you have done differently?

Now that my internship is over I have a new respect for doing research and I can definitely see myself doing it in the future. I also am now in love with New York City and I want to move there after I graduate! I learned so much about the brain and nervous system due to the lab I was in, but I also learned so much about other researching going at the institution. There were 50 other people from all over the country in the program and I was able to meet and get close to so many of them and that in itself was a learning experience. I can't think of anything I would do differently with this internship because I was able to make great connections, meet great people, and explore the city while I wasn't in lab!

10. What advice would you give to future interns? How did your internship benefit you? What tips/suggestions do you have for future Moravian interns?

This internship not only benefited me by having the experience for my resume, but it taught me better communication skills and prepared me to live and work on my own. I would recommend future interns to totally embrace their internships and not just focus on the work but also to form relationships with others in the program. I would also recommend that they take a chance to explore the area they are in. For me, being in NYC allowed me to experience so many different cultures through art, entertainment, and food. My best advice/ tip is to have fun and don't be afraid to experience new things!