I spent the summer focused on the patient care aspects of emergency medicine with Mount Sinai. The Mount Sinai Health System prides themselves in providing all-encompassing medical care to the diverse populations in New York City.
I was luckily able to work at two emergency departments (ED), and as a volunteer, I filled in the gaps left the busy traditional medical team. I made beds and stretchers, gave out food, transported patients, directed patients to different resources, consoled relatives, ran labs, retrieved medicine, and trained new volunteers. Working long 10-hour shifts helped inform my considerations for future specialties and recognize aspects like what I enjoy about hospitals vs. office and the extent to which doctors interact with not just patients but nurses and fellow staff.
The summer experience exposed me to how to interact with not only a variety of patients but specifically those under physical and mental distress. The ED’s fast paced nature also gave me thicker skin, teaching me to set aside ideological differences and hurt feelings aside for the sake of efficiency and care. I’m leaving this summer with a replenished interest in medicine and with lifelong memories with the nurses that helped me and plentiful stories of unique patient interactions.
Internship funded by Ajmera Internship Fund
