American Action Forum--Annie Xie

For my internship, I worked at a think-tank that researched policy and made recommendations based on center-right values. Much of my work as an energy and environmental policy intern involved writing blogs, summarizing news articles and energy events, and answering research questions from my supervisor. During my internship, I was able to research and write about topics personally interesting to me. This often forced me to take some complicated policy topics and make them understandable to the average reader or to balance emotional writing with persuasion.

I also enhanced my writing skills as I summarized news articles and events. Searching for relevant daily articles taught me to appreciate news briefs for clipping and long-form analysis for personal study. I enjoyed attending events and hearings and learned about the variety of key players and experts involved in topics such as natural gas development. My writing skills improved because summarizing these articles and events required me to understand key points made and other points that might be of greater interest to my audience, which was my supervisor.

The greatest skill I acquired was how to navigate government websites and documents. When my supervisor gave me research questions, I often went to a government site for primary research. One of topics I had to research was about regulation surrounding oil and gas projects, particularly the National Environmental Policy Act. I had covered it previously in my environmental policies and laws class, but this research projects taught me more about the categorical exclusions from the NEPA process and how timeframes for the whole process can vary widely between agencies. I also learned about how data moves through government agencies to policy-makers, sometimes through organizations like mine.

During my internship, I was able to do substantive work and research to contribute to my own skills and portfolio, as well as the work of my organization. While I appreciated a deeper look into the world of policy analysts, I learned that this is not my career goal. Much of policy analysis seemed to include making tough decision between which sets of data to incorporate, which set of metrics to quantify, and which group of people to sell your ideas too. I would prefer a career visiting offices and representing an opinion, rather than sitting behind a desk researching. I was glad to do the first-hand research required to expand my base of knowledge; however, it seems that most decisions are made with personally communication, not with research papers.

Alpine, Utah; Alpine Fitness & Physical Therapy - Lizzy

The internship at Alpine Fitness & Physical Therapy is an amazing learning opportunity. Nowhere else will you have the same hands-on opportunities that this facility provides. You work very closely with fellow interns and real patients from day one. It is a difficult internship in that it tests you intellectually, physically, and socially. However, it is a very unique opportunity as you are provided with wonderful resources, but then get to take your learning into your own hands and shape your experience into exactly what you want it to be. You can learn how to be physical therapist, or you can learn how to be a personal trainer, or you can do both! The greatest thing I learned was that, "A good physical therapist makes a good personal trainer." It makes so much sense that the two go hand in hand and I'm glad I had this experience to open my eyes to this fact, so that I can be a more successful and more motivating physical therapist some day.

Murray, UT; Intermountain Healthcare Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center - Keith

Being pre-med, I was a little hesitant at first to apply for a pre-PT internship, but even so I found that the center is certainly unique and provided an experience that gave me skills that will definitely benefit me and translate to useful life skills no matter what your professional goal. The staff there are simply incredible individuals and they really put a lot of effort into making the center a friendly environment for the benefit of all those who pass through.
Jay Grove is the internship mentor and is very use to training and having interns in the center. He showed me how to do things once and then left me to be pro-active and motivate myself to work. This internship involves a LOT of interaction with people, mainly patients. One of the most valuable skills I gained from this experience is learning how to project confidence in such a way that the patients (many of them two or three times my senior) could be comfortable with me taking their vitals and trust me to know what I was doing. I would definitely recommend this internship to anyone considering going into a health-related field. Internships give you hands-on experience you can't get anywhere else. I had my doubts as to whether or not I would get accepted for the internship because it wasn't geared towards my career goal, but I got it and you can too! Give it a try.

Provo, UT; SOS Physical Therapy- Andrew

Before working at SOS Physical Therapy, I’d never been in a physical therapist’s office.  During my college career, I’ve changed my major and career path a few times.  Physical therapy is a relatively recent career choice, which means I haven’t had the opportunity to do any job shadowing.  Having never needed physical therapy personally, I’d never been in a physical therapist’s office until I started working at SOS Physical Therapy.

My time at SOS Physical Therapy has helped me better understand physical therapy.  I’ve seen things that strengthen my desire to become a physical therapist and other things that make me wonder if I want to pursue such a career.  It’s helped me see that there are different kinds of physical therapy.  Working at SOS Physical Therapy has proved to be a valuable, eye-opening experience.

For more information about SOS Physical therapy visit  http://www.sosphysicaltherapy.com/index.html  

San Diego, California: Research in Surgical Neurophisiology at UC San Diego Medical Center - Collin

Data collection for one of our projects

My summer was spent at the multiple UCSD hospitals doing research in the field of Surgical Neurophysiology.  Much of my time was spent in the operating room viewing neurosurgery and taking data for a research paper.  I got to see the upside of research and see the amazing topics being looked into and papers being written up with success.  I also saw the downside of research when data came back informing us that one of our projects was wrong and that our giant data collection trip to the Sierras and the entire project was scrapped.  My plan is to be a doctor and I want to continue doing research.  It was an incredible experience where I was able to see the role of research in the medical field

Data that comes in from all the head electrodes

For more information visit http://health.ucsd.edu/locations/pages/thornton.aspx.

Idaho Falls, ID -Chase LfSci 199R Summer Experience

I spent the last six weeks participating in the lifescience 199 class by interning for one of my local physical therapists. The experience was very rewarding, despite all of the new learning techniques there are these days, there is still nothing better than hands on experience. Especially for people like me who are still mulling over career decisions, the opportunity to get in an actual clinic and watch therapists do day to day work is extremely helpful in making decisions about the future. A lot can be learned in a classroom setting but there comes a time where the real life experience is extremely vital. this class provides an opportunity to do some real experiencing and receive credit for it. it is and excellent program and definitely worth the time.

For more information visit  http://www.ellisphysicaltherapy.com/.

Provo, UT; Central Utah Clinic; -Karl Nielson

I was able to shadow an orthopedic surgeon during fall semester. It was really a great opportunity to see how a successful (and very busy) medical practice is run. The doctor I got to shadow is in the forefront of foot and ankle specialists and is the only surgeon in Utah to perform full ankle replacements (with the star prosthetic) and many other surgical techniques. I got to see and participate to some degree in many procedures and I learned all the different things that a specialist will have to deal with. Patient interaction I found to be very important, and a little more complicated than I thought. This opportunity was great and definitely reinforced my desire to go into the medical field.

For more information visit: http://centralutahclinic.com/.

Ghana, Africa; Kennedy Center Ghana Field Studies; Katie McDiarmid

This past Fall semester (2011), I had the great opportunity to perform a field study in the Ashanti region of Ghana and to work with the Seventh-Day Adventist hospital there. I volunteered with one of the only physical therapists in the region as well as the maternal and child health clinic there. As part of my field study, I conducted a research project addressing the affects of cultural tradition on westernized medicine in rural areas of Ghana. I was blessed to be able to interview many physicians and patients, learning from them in the process. I was also able to work with the physical therapist in advocating physical therapy as a viable form of medicine. There isn't a lot of support for physical therapy (from the government or the public), as it is a relatively new system in third-world countries. I plan to use my research and the experiences I have had to further my education in international development and health promotion so that someday I can return (or travel elsewhere) to establish physical therapy clinics and outreach programs in rural areas of Africa.

Shanghai, China; Jiao Tong University; -Alex Benedict

For three weeks during the summer of 2011 I went with a small group of BYU students and faculty to the Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China for a Biotechnology internship. It was easily one of the best experiences of my life. During our first week at the university Chinese professors delivered fascinating lectures on a wide variety of topics. Each unique lecture reflected their general approach to research, starting with the big picture then working down to the molecular level. The second week we were assigned to work in labs where we collaborated with the Jiao Tong students on their projects. I worked around brilliant students and learned new techniques for protein isolation. The students there spoke English well and it was pretty fun trying to learn some Chinese words while we waited for the chromatography or centrifuges. On the third week we had the chance to tour a few biotech companies in neighboring cities and got an understanding of how that industry is growing in China. Throughout the internship we saw beautiful gardens, museums, and historical sites that helped me better appreciate and love the Chinese culture and people.

My favorite part of the internship was getting to know everyone there. I loved the instant friendship between students from BYU and Jiao Tong. When we weren't working in the lab or studying we played sports together, got food, sang karaoke, and went into Shanghai. I loved getting to know the professors better as well, there was a great connection between all of us and I plan on keeping in touch.

What an incredible way to learn more about my field and how to succeed. The students and professors shared new insights on how to approach research and learning. I find myself reflecting on this experience quite a bit. It motivates me to do the very best I can in my field and reminds me how cool people are.

Tacoma, Washington; Madigan Army Hospital; -Ryan Mann

Hello All!
I had a fantastic internship this past summer! I really could not have asked for a better experience. As a pre-professional student I knew it was absolutely important to be involved in hypothesis based laboratory research, and this is exactly what I found at my internship. I worked on a specific project involving the pathogenesis of endometriosis that included a myriad of lab techniques that I now feel very confident in. These techniques included: Isolating Genomic DNA, Real time relative quantitative PCR, Immunohistochemistry, Frozen sections, Western Blots, Cell culture, Fluorescent microscopy, Figures and Manuscript Preparation etc. We were able to complete a paper, on which I was second author, that was presented at the Armed Forces District scientific meeting and will later be published in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. More valuable than the lab techniques I learned was the experience of working with absolutely brilliant physicians and researchers, many of whom I still remain in contact with. It was unpaid which made for an interesting time paying for tuition this semester, however if given the opportunity again, I would most definitely take it! If you are contemplating an internship, I would highly recommend it! The time i spent in that lab is irreplaceable, an I know the things that I learned there will carry through to medical school, residency, and even into my career.
Good luck and make sure to have fun wherever and whatever your internship may be.
--Ryan Mann

For more information visit: http://www.mamc.amedd.army.mil/.

Tampa, Florida; Big Cat Rescue (BCR); -Kaitlyn Seeberger

I did my internship over Fall 2011 Semester in Tampa, Florida with an organization called Big Cat Rescue (BCR). It was an amazing 3 month experience. I'm a Biology major with an interest in large carnivores. I plan on working with mammalian predators (specifically felines) and wanted some experience working with them, and I found BCR who offers an animal husbandry internship. The facility is an active educational sanctuary for exotic cat species, ranging in size from the tiny, 4 lbs. Geoffrey Cat to Tigers. Level one interns complete a 3 month curriculum, learning to care for the smaller species (Lynx and smaller). BCR offers level 2 and 3 as well, but require an extra 3 months each (so 9 months for level 3). The nice thing about the internship was that they require no previous experience. I went in as a novice and started at the bottom, building up the knowledge and skill to help care for the cats. It requires a lot of manual labor outside, with long work days. Interns are heavily relied on and a part of daily life on property, which means that we got to see and participate in some amazing opportunities that volunteers that are there for years have yet to experience. It can get exhausting, but the work is rewarding and worth it. Our duties varied each day, but generally stayed routine. Consistent duties were daily cleaning of enclosures (you pick up a lot of poop and other messes, so a strong stomach is required), daily chores, observing cats for changes in behavior which often indicates health problems that need to be addressed, giving tours of the facility to the public, diet preparation (for the cats and the few omnivores), feeding, and assisting in the gift shop. Some inconsistent duties included maintenance on enclosures, lots of building projects, painting, enrichment (handing out toys and goodies to the cats), landscaping, picking up debris, observing or assisting the vet, and random projects by necessity. Overall, it's a wonderful internship. It is unpaid because BCR is a non-profit run almost exclusively by volunteers. The people are great and the cats are phenomenal to work with. Since interns are on property (with several fences between us and the cats), we often got to sleep to roaring lions and tigers. Just being around the creatures was awe inspiring. If you're not used to non-LDS environments it could come as a bit of a shock to be around the volunteers since most of them have rough personalities, but they all mean well and they're incredible people who devote so much time to caring for these cats. I loved the opportunity and would have stayed the full 9 months if I didn't have to finish school. I gained valuable knowledge and experience that helped me form a plan for my career path. It is definitely a worthwhile program. I got hands-on experience (it is a no-touch facility, so no petting, not that you'd want to...) and it was an excellent way to get my foot in the door in the field of animal husbandry of exotic animals. I'd recommend considering it!

For more information visit: www.bigcatrescue.org/.

Orem, UT; Property23; -Rachel Tan

My internship experiences have been rather unique from the others listed because I am on the Bio-Business track as a Genetics and Biotech student. I went to the Marriott School Undergraduate Association Internship fair and talked to employers there looking for interns over the summer. I was interviewed by the Chief Operating Officer at a real estate investing company called Property23 and was accepted for an internship that actually started about two months before the semester ended. It was a business analyst internship position. Granted, it had nothing to do with science, but the business principles I had been learning about in my classes in the Tanner building were extensively applied during my internship.

I learned about the importance of marketing, and observed firsthand the intricacies in the relationships between the Sales team and the Marketing team. In many companies, there is a disconnect between these two functions--the sales team feels like marketing doesn't really do real work; and the marketing team feels like they are superior in intellect to the sales team. I learned that the most important indicator of effectiveness is whether the material produced by the marketing department was beneficial to the sales team and used by them consistently.

I also observed office dynamics and went through the experience of having a company split into two different directions due to a difference in leadership styles. I went with the COO to a new company called R1 Real Estate, and experience anew the startup environment. It is fascinating to be in a startup culture because the company is young, everyone is working really hard and there is an excitement in the air when new things happen and strides are made. I have focused all my internship experiences in young companies as a result of enjoying that atmosphere. Business principles are easy to learn in a class, but require much more effort and flexibility in application, and I was able to experience that firsthand in this internship.

For more information visit:  http://www.property23press.com/.

Laramie Wyoming; University of Wyoming; -Ijesh Giri

Internship can teach you 2 things: Give you hands on experience in your field of study OR make you realize some things that you don’t want to do for the rest of your life. My experience at the University of Wyoming as a Bioinformatics intern lead me to believe that protein docking wasn’t going to be my pursuit. I did a lot of protein docking studies at the Jessica Liberles Lab there using various programs available. Over the period I realized that protein docking wasn’t fun for me. I wanted to write programs, create new things rather than use already written programs to do things. So after I came back, I switched my major to Computer Science w/ Bioinformatics Emphasis and now I am learning about how to do what I wanted to do, write programs. This also opened a new window of opportunities for me. I would encourage everyone to start early looking for internships and do as many as you can. You might find a lab that is interesting to you and where you want to pursue you graduate program as well.

For more information visit: http://www.uwyo.edu/.