My name is Seth Van Deusen, 2024 Summer Internship Program Reward recipient. I am an aspiring neurologist, or even neurosurgeon, who interned at various medical sites throughout my experience. Preliminary activities included one week filled with small projects to prepare me for going into the medical space and learning more about the community. Internship sites include Lyerly Neurosurgery at Baptist downtown and at Northeast Florida Endocrinology under Dr. Sutton.
During my experience, I witnessed a large variety of medical encounters, situations, and procedures. In week one, the task was to attain BLS (basic life support) certification and learn more about the medical field and what it takes to get a career within it. Following this was a brief break to gain more skills in various areas before finally being able to go to my first internship site: Baptist downtown. During my first ever visit, I investigated the managerial side of healthcare, learning about patient charting and calling among hundreds of other trivial things that are incredibly important. As part of this, I went into patient encounters from the point of view of the doctor as well as that of the nurses. Later, we went down into the operating room, getting to see a variety of neurosurgical procedures being completed in many different settings. For instance, there was an interventional radiology room that allows for live imaging of what the surgeon is doing within a patient in laparoscopic surgery. Primarily, this enlightened me on surgical procedures at large. However, it also highlighted the need to be able to think critically from multiple perspectives to reach the best possible treatment plan for the patient. Following that eye-opening experience was one at Northeast Florida Endocrinology, in which I experienced tens of patient encounters with Dr. Sutton. Through this experience, I realized that patient interactions are as important as the treatments themselves. There were also experiences in CPR training and laparoscopy simulations that gave me direct experiences that empowered and inspired me, respectively.
The AnnieRuth Foundation provided several especially important skills which proved not only helpful in preparing for the future, but also in daily life. For instance, building networks with individuals across a variety of specialties helps not only to have greater opportunities, but also a broader worldview. The segments on building a resume and interviewing were also valuable experiences in these crucial pieces in career genesis and development. Finally, especially in recent times, the importance of maintaining one’s physical, mental, and spiritual health were rightly emphasized by presenters within the program, allowing for direct applications of program material.