I am thankful for so much this summer. This career academy class has really given me a reality check for the future that gives me the ability now to plan ahead. Coming into the class, I didn't have a clue HOW I was going to get myself out there in the job world. I now have tools like LinkedIn and the Career Readiness skill set under my belt as I prepare and seek future employment. The questionnaires on Waybook were like evaluations, and have really taught me some about myself; also reminding me of my true personal values that I need to keep in mind throughout my life. For example, the Values quiz, while I didn't necessarily agree with it labeling my values from most to least, reminded me what I value - traits and ideas I need to remember as I'm moving into my future.
While the class definitely cleared up the HOW of getting out there, and showed me WHO I am in an even greater sense, my internship in the Novato Community Hospital Pharmacy was an extraordinary opportunity I will never forget. Just the fact that I got the internship there I am grateful for because on a couple of my visits there, I talked with a couple pharmacy students who are on rotations there. They told me they were never able to get a pharmacy internship in high school and in college (undergrad), it was very difficult because so many people were applying for such positions. I'm so lucky to have a mom working at NCH, who cares about me enough to land this internship, and even luckier that the people in pharmacy are so kind and willing to allow me observe what they do. I really couldn't have gotten this internship without my mom, liaison Sita, and the willingness of my supervisor, Wendy and all the other amazing pharmacists I observed.
When I first started the internship, I had a VERY limited idea of what pharmacy really was, only knowing of a few drugs (that my family has taken) and of what I have observed when going to CVS Pharmacy - something completely different let me tell you. I barely even knew that it was a field that I wanted to go into, just that I had a slight interest in it as it is a form of healthcare kind of "behind the scenes" in a sense. I had ideas but only that. So I am especially grateful for this internship because of the fact that it cleared up my future path a little. Showed me the field and now allows me to make the decision. Is pharmacy a path I wish to pursue? It very well might, and I know for a fact that it lays even more so in my top choices for the future. Observing in the hospital pharmacy also gave me insight to the hospital environment, allowed me to meet many nice professionals, and lastly, finalized my decision to go into health care. IN SHORT, I am definitely pursuing a future path in health care, and it is mostly thanks to this internship and basically, everyone I either met or saw at Novato Community Hospital...including my mom....(Just to put it out there, my mom is not a pharmacist.)
My future just got..scarier...but also so much clearer as I understand financially how to pursue future jobs and pay off future expenses, as well as understand in greater detail how to create my resume, cover letter, and use LinkedIn. Basically, I'm so thankful for this opportunity of figuring out about myself and my future, and of creating goals to pursue.
When I went into my internship, I did not have almost any idea either as to how the department I worked in runs. I also am pursuing a career in medicine after this experience, and I really like how well thought out your post is.
ReplyDelete