The second half of the internship went by so fast! After finishing the rough draft of my manuscript, Dr. Donahue gave me some edits and restructuring advice to reform my paper. She was very critical of my work, but it was so helpful to have her expertise to review and strengthen the manuscript. After her initial edits, I sent my paper to Dr. Howell, the head of the concussion lab, who gave very valuable feedback and helped improve the direct and descriptive nature that is necessary in a scientific paper. Recently, I have sent this completed draft to my co-authors for final edits before starting the journal submission process. I am very happy to be coming away with a polished manuscript draft this summer. It seemed like a lot at the start of the summer, but I was so lucky to have incredible mentors such as Dr. Donahue and Dr. Howell to guide me throughout the process to make this goal attainable.
Outside of the manuscript writing, the rest of my time at the hospital was spent shadowing doctors and preparing for my presentation. I got to shadow an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor in the OR, which was cool to see some of the procedures I had become familiar with over the course of my work last summer. Within orthopedics, I witnessed an ACL reconstruction! It was a complex procedure that took nearly two and a half hours.
For presentation practice, I presented with fellow concussion intern Zack multiple times each day during the last couple of weeks of the internship. Dr. Donahue gave us great feedback to improve our flow and help cut down our overall time. Then, we both did a practice run in front of the members of the concussion lab which included several doctors and PhDs. This practice run was extremely helpful to calm the nerves before the real presentation, and everyone in the lab gave great feedback and helped me prepare to navigate any tough questions I might be asked from the audience.
On the final Wednesday, there was a banquet followed by everyone’s presentation in the evening. All of the interns were well versed on their projects and everyone did a great job of answering questions on their own as well. It was cool to learn about everyone’s projects formally to see what the other interns had been working on all summer. The days after the banquet were spent returning laptops and badges and saying goodbyes to our instructors and the other interns. I am sad to be leaving the other interns, and we have all talked about having a reunion sometime in the near future.
Intern brunch on the last day of the internship :(
Overall, my experience at Children’s Hospital Colorado has been truly incredible. I can not thank Cornell enough for funding such a special opportunity to work surrounded by distinguished professionals in one of the nation's most renowned children's hospitals this summer. I have learned so much from this experience, and I have made several professional connections that can help me accomplish my goal of getting accepted to medical school. My day to day exposure to medicine in the hospital has deepened my passion for healthcare and reassured me that I am pursuing a field I thoroughly enjoy. Also, being able to live with my brother all summer was such a bonus. We really made the most of our time together and have so many memories of adventures that we will carry together for the rest of our lives.
For my final weekend in Colorado, my brother and I ran a half marathon from Georgetown to Idaho Springs. My roommate Carson came out to support and cheer us on, which was super cool! After the marathon, Luke and I immediately drove to Mt. Elbert trailhead where we hiked the tallest mountain in Colorado that afternoon. On Sunday, we then floated the Arkansas River through Browns Canyon, which was a great stretch of river through some fun and technical rapids. All to say, we were in rough shape heading back to Denver on Sunday night, but it was the best way to cap off a summer I will never forget.
Caption for pic 1: Mitch, Luke, and I at the finish line after half marathon
Captionfor pic 2: Luke and I atop Mt Elbert
Sophie (other Cornell intern), Dr. Carry (Cornell Alum), and I after MRC banquet