Our third interview is with Celeste Kim, a junior Biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences. She shadowed a doctor at Lee Jeong Ok Md. Read on to hear all about her experience.
Where did you intern?
I shadowed a doctor at Lee Jeong Ok Md in Anaheim, California for two months. I was able to shadow a pediatrician.
What were your expectations going in to the internship?
I expected that I would just help with organizing the office and typical volunteer things. I didn’t think that I was going to get to work with the patients.
What did a typical day look like?
I would begin the day by making coffee and then I would follow the doctor as she met with the different patients. I would then take down the basic medical history of the patients. I also handed out informational sheets based on the sickness that the child had been diagnosed with.
Did you have the chance to interact with other people in your field?
I was able to interact with everyone in the clinic because it was a very small clinic. The doctors talked to me about medical school and all of the options that I have for after college.
Did you feel academically prepared for your internship?
I feel like I was prepared because I am in Pre-Med. I felt like I had volunteered in similar places, so I basically knew what I was doing going into it.
What recommendation would you give to someone else who was considering shadowing a doctor?
I would say that once you are there you should be professional, but at the same time know how to interact with different kinds of people. The people that are there come to be taken care of. Also, be respectful to the doctors and the patients.
What was the highlight of your internship?
The doctor who I was shadowing also works at a larger hospital and she took me in to see a C-section. It was surprising to see how well I was able to handle standing near the patient, it showed me that I will be okay doing this kind of work.
When Celeste began her two months of shadowing she was not planning on becoming a pedicatrician, but after her positive experience she says she can see a possible future in pediatrics!