This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at an aerospace startup in Singapore, through the Streicker Fellowship, which supports students in pursuing self-sourced internships abroad. It was a summer packed with innovation, learning, and unexpected discoveries that went far beyond just professional development.

During my internship, I dove headfirst into some pretty exciting projects. My main task was testing and optimizing a carbon nanotube neutralizer grid to reduce the power and propellant demands of hall effect thrusters. It was amazing to contribute to something with real-world applications for space technology!

During the internship, I picked up a range of technical skills that I hadn’t fully mastered before. I learned how to operate vacuum chambers, wire electric circuits, and, perhaps the most thrilling part, actually fire a thruster. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of seeing your work come to life and perform exactly how you hoped it would. I’m not going to lie—there were a few misfires along the way, but each challenge was a valuable lesson.

Beyond the technical side, the best part was reconnecting with old passions and meeting some fantastic people. From the very beginning, my coworkers and supervisors made me feel incredibly welcome. They were always ready to lend a hand or offer mentorship, guiding me through every part of my project and sharing invaluable advice. They went the extra mile to recommend must-visit spots around Singapore and even brought me local dishes to try during our lunch breaks. I also formed great friendships with the other interns, who were just as enthusiastic about exploring Singapore with me. Singapore itself became a huge source of inspiration. I joined a local sketching group that met weekly, and it quickly became one of my favorite parts of the experience. There’s no better way to take in a city than sitting down with a pencil and notebook, trying to capture its energy on paper.

Singapore is a fascinating blend of modern skyscrapers, lush green spaces, and colorful, traditional Peranakan houses. Sketching the contrast between futuristic buildings and historical architecture was an unforgettable way to experience the city’s diverse identity. Every session made me appreciate Singapore’s unique combination of the old and the new, nature and innovation.

In the end, this summer wasn’t just about enhancing my technical skills in aerospace—it was about reconnecting with my passion for sketching and connecting with a vibrant new culture: science by day, sketches by night, and a whole lot of growth in between. Learning to fire a thruster or wire circuits was thrilling, but the true lessons came in navigating a new cultural environment, taking risks in both my work and personal life, and stepping outside my comfort zones. Each day demanded a new level of adaptability—whether it was addressing the technical misfires that came with operating vacuum chambers or collaborating across language barriers. These situations taught me to problem-solve quickly, think creatively under pressure, and stay focused despite setbacks. I also found new challenges in capturing Singapore's cityscapes in my sketchbook, each structure pushing me to see and render the world differently.

Returning to Princeton, I find myself carrying these lessons with me. Navigating complex group projects or tackling demanding coursework feels different now, as I approach each new challenge with the adaptability and resilience I acquired this summer. I've come back not just with new technical skills, but with a greater confidence in taking on roles that require both independent problem-solving and collaborative effort. The blend of passions and challenges I experienced this summer reminds me to keep stretching beyond my comfort zones—a mindset I’m bringing to everything I do here.

One of the biggest reasons that people decide to pursue higher education is to land their dream job after school. Everyone’s paths are different, yet the general sentiment is that education is needed to succeed. While there are many forms this can take, the path I have chosen is the university route. One of the most impactful things that Princeton has done for me, both directly and indirectly, is helping me in my professional journey.

Princeton is amazing for a variety of reasons, which many of my friends/colleagues/peers have written blogs about (hint: check them out!). I wanted to take this time to talk about the resources that help with the pre-professional ambitions of Princetonians. The Center for Career Development is, as the name suggests, the hub for all things helping students with employment. Some of the resources that I have used include resume templates and workshops, interview consultation and practice, coffee chats, networking events, and most importantly, the Fall HireTigers Career Fair. There are a slew of other resources and offerings, so I highly recommend checking out their website.

I was inspired to talk about this after attending this semester's career fair today (9/13/24), because I saw a bunch of first-year students putting themselves out there and trying to learn more. I remembered what it was like two years ago, walking into Dillon Gym and knowing nothing. I am still on my journey, but I have learned a lot along the way. Some of the most important things that I’ve learned are as follows:

1. Have a polished and professional resume 
2. Make sure your LinkedIn and Handshake are up to date
3. Network, network, network (especially with alumni)
4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Genuine curiosity takes you a long way
5. Be more interested than interesting
6. Start early

Of course there are other bits of information or best practices, but generally these are the ones that I think about the most. Making sure to be professional and personable are really important since you can have all the qualifications, but if you can’t be ‘human’ you may fall short. These tips helped me land an internship with Atento Capital this past summer, a company that I learned about after attending last year’s career fair. I am interested in finance and consulting so I always aim to chat with companies in those industries, but with 75+ companies represented at the fair, there is truly something for everyone. I encourage you to explore any opportunities because you never know how things will turn out.

I hope you learned something and I wish you the best of luck looking for a job/internship! 
 

Last fall, I wrote about my experience as an intern through Princeton Internships in Civic Service (PICS)—a program that connects undergraduate students with community partners to complete funded summer internships in civic service. Having loved the work that I did last summer, I was excited to return for a second PICS internship.

Summer internships are an excellent opportunity to explore your career interests. They are opportunities to assess what you do and don’t like about particular fields or work environments, as well as allow you to reflect on what you can improve on as a young professional. My decision to work for the Latin American Legal Defense Fund last summer was a result of my interest in the nonprofit sector generally, as well as the organization’s commitment to the empowerment of immigrant communities. I loved working within the environment of a nonprofit organization, but I knew I wanted to seek out an internship that would be more directly involved in legal work in the future. Thankfully, PICS’ wide variety of community partners made it very easy to find another organization that aligned with my values and interests.

Immigration Equality is an organization that provides legal services to LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrants and their families, particularly for those seeking asylum or refugee status. The organization is involved in a wide range of advocacy and litigation efforts in addition to connecting individuals with other pro bono attorneys as necessary and hosting relevant events around New York City.

When seeking out my internship for the summer of my junior year, I knew I wanted to connect with an organization deeply rooted in immigration justice and advocacy. Immigration Equality was truly the best organization I could have ended up working at. I had the privilege of working alongside a team of extremely passionate, knowledgeable, and welcoming individuals. As a legal intern, I was responsible for a variety of projects, ranging from creating a presentation for a pro se asylum filing workshop to putting together a country conditions index for a client’s case. I was excited to get to work with many of the attorneys at Immigration Equality, especially since each worked on something different—the refugee program, asylum cases, and the detention hotline, to name a few. Furthermore, I felt myself grow as an individual in the workplace, advocating for myself to receive more assignments I was interested in and reaching out with questions whenever I felt confused. No matter how small or complicated my questions, everyone was always willing to take the time to respond and I can easily say I learned a lot about the immigration system.

My internship was remote, which meant that I was able to spend my summer reconnecting with my hometown in a way that I hadn’t gotten to since coming to Princeton. I enjoyed breakfast with my family every morning and did my work on the back porch with a cup of tea in the Florida heat. Getting to do so was an important part of what I hoped to get out of my summer, and I am thankful for my PICS internship’s role in enabling this for me. In addition to spending time at home, I was able to start preparing for my post-Princeton plans and take the time to reflect on the last few years. Connecting with my paired alumni mentor through PICS was an integral part of this reflection.

As I move into senior year, I feel recharged and fueled in my desire to pursue a career in immigration law. And although obvious nerves abound, I find myself more excited than ever to see where my future as an academic will take me.

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Recently, I began a short internship for a startup in New Zealand. The internship consists of making an interactive model of solar panel installations in augmented reality—fun—but not something I particularly have experience in. I casually vented to my friend about the task as (huge surprise) I know nothing about the topic. Her response made me pause. 

“That’s very startup-esk, you’re given a task with no onboarding”. 

Which is exactly true. This small comment reminded me of the beauty of startups: they often allow you to have tremendous creative freedom. More and more often, I’ve realized that I have a certain spark—sometimes a borderline obsession with a project—when I have this type of freedom. Whether it comes from innate creativity or the possibility in a project, I think all startups begin with that spark. Even the word startup implies this idea of possibility. It’s not called start here. Instead, you are dreaming up a new future. Working towards something new. 

I've realized that I’m attracted to this kind of work. I remember in high school when I wrote, illustrated, and self-published my own children’s book, it felt exactly this way. Every morning I woke up with one thing on my mind—illustration. That was my first Summer of Startups. 

As I’m still trying to find my own rhythm and passion, I think it’s important to recognize what gives me that spark. Whether that is working for a company or for myself, it’s up to me to decide what path to take—but it's not always easy. At Princeton, with what sometimes feels like a defined culture of chasing success, I’ve personally felt a certain frenzy to secure the correct steps and internships to “get to the top”. It’s too easy to see a predefined path and claim it as your own. It takes a lot more though, to define your own path. 

All of it, I’ll admit, can be quite hard. Even finding a spark can be rare. Having the courage to pursue it is even rarer. While my short internship this summer has reminded me about the beauty of startups and their endless possibilities, I’ll admit that I’m still discovering my passions. I have all too many times seen a desire to start something, but put it off due to one excuse or the other. With that, let me be the inspiration that I sometimes lack within myself. 

Let your mindset Start Up.

Let your habits Start Here.

And you. You Start It.

“When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago. The second-best time is today.” - Chinese proverb

When I first heard this proverb from one of my friends at Princeton, I understood the meaning, but I did not realize the meaning until much later. This summer, I interned for a venture capital firm in Tulsa, OK. I found Atento Capital through one of the Center for Career Development’s career fairs, and I decided to take a chance. My last blog talks about the value of taking a chance on a small city, so I won’t repeat myself here. What I will do, however, is talk about one of the biggest lessons I learned: the time to startup is now.

Being that Atento’s investment range is pre-seed and seed stage startup companies, I was exposed to the early life of many startups. From firsthand experience, I can say that it is a tough journey starting out. The venture capital world relies on a power rule in order to make money. For example, a firm may hear from thousands of companies, whittle it down to being interested in one hundred, and then investing in ten. Of those ten companies, half will fail, two or three will break even, one may slightly exceed the investment, and one may be a ‘home run’ which yields significant returns. It is a super volatile industry.

In the pivotal moments of a startup's early life, managing money is super important. Having time to deliver on a plan is the second battle, or in other words, managing what is called burn/runway. This is essentially how much time you have left before you run out of money in the bank. There are a variety of factors that influence this, which can become complicated to manage. Failure to do so oftentimes results in the end of the company or the need to raise more capital and lose ownership. This is why the time to make a startup is in college.

There are numerous benefits to starting a startup while in college. First off, The risk of failure is insignificant compared to the consequences if taken outside of college. While you are in school, the worst thing that can happen is your startup fails, you have more freetime on campus, and you learn a few lessons along the way. Perhaps an oversimplification, but while in college, you are in a protected bubble of opportunity. The present talent at school serves as a base to launch a project that can turn into something amazing. What other time will you be surrounded by hundreds of bright individuals within arms reach? On top of this, the entrepreneurial ecosystem at Princeton (and other schools) is very strong. The support is unmatched.

Additionally, pitch competitions often give non dilutive funding/grants to groups who perform the best - this is not something that happens outside of college; if someone gives you money, they expect returns. The worst part of raising funds for your startup is giving part of your business away, so why not take advantage of opportunities where that does not happen. In short, the best time to take a risk on a good idea and found a startup is in the nest of opportunity known as college! Facebook was founded twenty years ago at Harvard, the next ‘Facebook’ startup will be founded today, at Princeton. It's time to startup! 

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When I first came to Princeton, I was overwhelmed with the amount of opportunity presented to me in just a mere few weeks. Those weeks blended into months and eventually, 2 semesters worth of saying “yes” led to a feeling I couldn’t quite pinpoint: burnout.

Being in the orange bubble is an experience that amplifies your sense of gratitude, confidence, and belief that anything is possible — and it truly is. Possibility is multiplied twofold at a place like Princeton. This is because Princeton connects you with the resources, the education, and the community to pursue your dreams. However, in this pursuit, it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself, to build healthy habits, and to form sustainable relationships. 

Naturally then, when this Summer started, the weight of the semester crashed onto me and I felt myself exhausted on all fronts. Exhaustion seeped into bitterness, and soon I was in a battle where the only person I was fighting was myself and the goal was to accept that saying “no” was okay.

There is something scary about seeing passion and hope being overshadowed by discontentment. If passion and hope are the driving force behind joy, then discontentment is the thief of it. By some stroke of luck and a little bit of effort, I was able to overcome this feeling by not letting the orange bubble define me. 

What did this look like? Well this summer, I ventured beyond Princeton and pursued an internship that would place me as far away as possible from New Jersey. This internship was a moment for me to figure out what I wanted to do professionally and subsequently, what type of culture I wanted to surround myself with moving forward. Culture, to me, meant the people I interacted with, the values I adopted, and the feeling that this community gave me.

My main takeaway from this experience is that while Princeton is a part of me, I am also a part of Princeton. Princeton has undoubtedly opened many doors for me that would have stayed closed otherwise. However, I am more than the academic and professional experiences that I have acquired up to this point. I am a culmination of the communities I surround myself with — back home, at school, and the places I’ve intimately explored. 

This summer, I was fortunate enough to meet a remarkable group of individuals who have challenged my perspective and enriched my life in countless ways. Their enthusiasm and passion were infectious, and it was an honor to represent Princeton within this community. They taught me the invaluable lesson that our college experiences are not linear progressions but rather, dynamic journeys marked by growth and transformation.

Through their diverse backgrounds and experiences, I gained a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted nature of our time at Princeton. Our four years are a canvas upon which we paint our own unique stories, filled with both triumphs and setbacks. The orange bubble, while undoubtedly special, is just one chapter in a much larger narrative. By stepping outside of that environment, I realized the importance of cultivating a broader worldview and building connections that extend far beyond the campus.

Ultimately, it is through these experiences—both within and outside of Princeton—that we shape our identities and prepare ourselves for the complexities of the world beyond. The skills, knowledge, and relationships we forge will continue to evolve as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of our personal and professional lives.

This summer, I am completing a RISE (Recognizing Inequities and Standing for Equality) internship with the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Markets Institute at its headquarters in Washington, DC. This being the first ever summer I would spend in the US, I was excited to see what living outside the "Orange Bubble" (what student's call the Princeton universe) feels like, and most of all, how July 4th is celebrated in the U.S., especially D.C. Back home in Australia, I never really celebrated Australia Day, our version of Independence Day. Given the day’s date, which marks the anniversary of the arrival of the English First Fleet on Australian soil, many citizens and especially the Aboriginal Australian community regard it as a day of mourning. However, Independence Day here, from my pop culture knowledge, is a day full of celebration and patriotism–something that I was really interested in experiencing. 

I started off my Fourth of July by meeting up with my friend near Georgetown University. We had pancakes and scrambled eggs for brunch–a fittingly American breakfast. After brunch, I met up with one of my WWF co-interns and headed to the US Capitol. My co-intern’s friend was working at the Capitol and invited us as plus ones to sit on the steps of the building. We decided to go early to avoid the crowds and to set up camp at a good location. When we arrived there, I was impressed by the Capitol’s architecture–it was grand, had a big dome in the middle of the building, and seemed almost out of place amongst the rest of its surroundings due to its neoclassical style. 

When we sat down on the steps, I was amazed by the view. From the Capitol, I could clearly see the Washington Monument and the stretch of green between these two landmarks filled with crowds of people. There was a concert stage right in front of us with an orchestra, choir, army personnel, singers, and dancers. We were handed American flags by some people on the steps, so I felt that I fit right in waving the flag amongst a sea of red, white and blue. 

Not before long, the performances on the stage started. One moment that stood out to me particularly was when the U.S. National Anthem was sung; everyone in the crowd stood up and put their hand on their chest. No one around me actually sang, and were instead silently listening to the singer on the stage. At that moment, I remembered the absurdity of my situation: I was an international student, surrounded by U.S. citizens, in the capital city, during the celebration of America’s Independence. When the song ended, I felt a great sense of gratitude that I had the opportunity to experience July 4th in such a unique and memorable way. 

Before the concert finished, I left the Capitol–albeit a little unwillingly!–and headed to the rooftop of my summer accommodation where I met up with some other Princeton interns to watch the fireworks. While we theoretically had a great, up close vantage point for the fireworks, the wind was blowing smoke in our direction and covered most of the view. Despite this, I loved being with my friends and chatting, listening to the loud pops of the fireworks and seeing flashes of bright, sparkling light light up the night sky behind it. 

When the day was over, I was pretty exhausted. However, I was also impressed and satisfied with how much fun I had. July 4th was the epitome of cultural immersion in the U.S.–I got to experience so much of this country through the food, sights, location, and culture that I encountered that day. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be interning in D.C., and know that I have much more in store for me for the rest of my internship. Future tigers, especially international tigers: I highly recommend applying for summer internships out of your hometown–who knows, you might end up getting to experience July 4th in the nation’s capital!

This Summer, I found myself interning at Atento Capital, an early-stage investment firm focused on unlocking unsung potential in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While I was initially apprehensive about relocating to the midwest for the Summer, I have found myself growing quite fond of the people, the places, and the memories I have made here.

Over the past 10 weeks, I experienced my first rodeo, stepped back into medieval times, and even touched bison! While each activity has uniquely shaped my perception of what the Midwest has to offer, it is truly is the people who make this place special. While we are a group of 19, it has been surprisingly easy to connect with my fellow “Atenterns.” We are co-workers during the day but we seamlessly blend into close friends by night. With everyone coming from such different backgrounds, it truly is such a privilege to be in Tulsa and learn more about the impact venture capital can make on the local community.

Indeed, since coming here I’ve learned many things about venture capital, including how to do due diligence and analyze product-market fit. As part of a startup company, I have learned how to be resourceful and flexible, taking each day as a learning opportunity. Contrary to what some might expect, the most important skills I’ve learned here have not been how to pitch companies or network, but how to embrace being a giver and through so, build community. 

For every drive to work, coffee chat, and weekday/weekend spent together, I’ve learned to appreciate the importance of community in both my immediate and broader circles of friendship. Community is big in Tulsa — it is what drives the transformation of the city’s tomorrow. This transformation, to me, is what makes the city pulse with hope. This hope is what makes my work, and the work of every person who lives here, feel like it has a purpose and an impact beyond ourselves. 

At the start of the summer, I asked myself how I could take everything I’ve learned at Princeton to improve the work I would do in Tulsa. Now, I find myself asking how I can take the lessons of being “Atento” (helpful) to shape the trajectory of my last two years at Princeton. While I do not know what these last two years will look like, my personal and professional experiences have taught me to take that leap of faith — whether it be in a new industry or a new city and to never cease to venture. 

Many Princetonians find themselves on the east or west coast, whether through an internship during school or a job after graduation. As part of a larger trend, the middle of the country is often overlooked, flown over, and forgotten. This sentiment has been valid in my mind up until now. Thanks to one of Princeton’s Center for Career Development’s job/internship fairs, I found an opportunity hidden in an overlooked place: Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

When I first walked up to Atento’s booth, I had no clue who or what their company was. It turns out, they are a venture capital firm out of Tulsa, OK, looking to do good by unlocking unsung potential in marginalized founders. Their mission is to provide capital to groups who are often overlooked. There is no better place to do so than Tulsa. 

When I first heard that I got the internship, I was excited, but then I realized that I’d be in Tulsa for the summer—essentially the middle of nowhere. Oh, how wrong could I have been? Since coming to Tulsa, I have been pleasantly surprised. Although the city is nowhere close to the likes of NYC, San Francisco, or other coastal metropolitan cities in terms of size, it is still a city with its own unique culture. This culture is what makes Tulsa amazing. 

Tulsa is growing, and growing fast. In the past, Tulsa was the ‘Oil Capital of the World’ and home to what was known as Black Wall Street, both of which are no longer, but it is now trying to become great again. My internship has given me some insider knowledge on this mission, and it seems to be coming into fruition, thanks mostly in part to the philanthropy of George Kaiser. 

George Kaiser, in short, is a philanthropic billionaire who made his money from his family's oil and gas company as well as the Bank of Oklahoma. He acknowledges the life he was born into and has pledged at least half of his wealth to charity upon his death (the giving pledge). He also has a foundation, the George Kaiser Family Foundation, which is committed to reversing the generational cycle of poverty in Tulsa through early childhood education (among many other initiatives). He is fully committed to making Tulsa a better place, which is symbolized in how much he has done for Tulsa, including his flagship park, the Gathering Place, and what he plans on for the future. With this backing, Tulsa will be a great city once again, included in conversation with other large cities. 

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You may be wondering what the point of this blog is, well, it is to encourage my fellow Princetonians and others alike to take a chance and explore opportunities in ‘unknown’ places. It is hard to find those hidden gems, if you aren't open to looking for them. Maybe moving to a city you never pictured yourself in could be an amazing opportunity. If venture capital has taught me anything, it's time to invest in a small city! 

Princeton’s five-week winter break permits students to relax and spend time with their family but also engage in fun and enriching activities if they choose. The Princeternship program run by the Center for Career Development is one option, and it showcases the power of Princeton’s incredible alumni network. The program aims to support career exploration and build connections by placing current students with alumni hosts. The “Princeterns” may shadow the hosts at their workplace for several days or assist with a few projects over the course of a several weeks, and students can receive a stipend to cover travel and accommodations. During my first year, I had the opportunity to learn about pediatric clinical and anatomical pathology with Dr. Alice Werner through a virtual Princeternship. Fellow blogger Melissa wrote about her experience as a Princetern at the New York Office of Mental Health, and I wanted to add another perspective from my second Princeternship and share just how grateful I am for the program. Last January, a student from the Class of 2024 and I were lucky enough to shadow Dr. Shetal Shah (Class of 1996) and Dr. Melanie Leong (Class of 2006), neonatologists at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, New York. Neonatology is the care of newborns, especially premature infants. We shadowed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for four days and were able to observe and participate in a wide range of activities ranging from morning rounds to touring the hospital’s groundbreaking donor milk bank for premature infants.

In fact, I may not have been able to participate in the Princeternship program if I had not pushed myself to complete and submit an application on the last day. Knowing that I would be going on a trip to Toronto sponsored by Canadian Club and the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students, I had intended to complete my application before fall break, but unfortunately I pushed it off and found myself writing it in the hotel room; however, the outcome was more than worth it! This is an encouragement to apply to opportunities that you are really excited by, even if the deadline is soon or you don’t think you’ll be accepted.

After spending some cherished time with my family, I was excited to head to Valhalla, NY. On our first day, we met Dr. Shah in the stunning lobby of the hospital which featured a walk-through aquarium, children’s art, and colorful holiday decorations.

In the morning, we attended the Perinatal Conference, during which a neonatology fellow (a doctor who has completed their pediatrics residency and is now receiving further training in neonatology) gave an overview of recent admissions and several complex cases. The first thing that hit me was the sheer number of acronyms used. Dr. Shah later told us that neonatology, like all specialties, has a language of its own, and although we wouldn’t understand everything that we heard, he encouraged us to take in what we could and ask him and Dr. Leong questions afterward. I wrote down acronyms which I wanted to search up later, and over the course of the Princeternship, I learned what many of the most common acronyms meant. One which came up very frequently was the numbering system used to describe a mother’s gravidity and parity, meaning the number of times she has been pregnant and the number of pregnancies carried to a viable gestational age. For example, a G4P1202 mother has been pregnant four times, had one full-term pregnancy, two premature births, no abortions or miscarriages, and two live births. I also slowly became familiar with many of the health issues and procedures performed on premature infants, including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a heart defect which normally closes within a few days in full-term babies, and jaundice, which is caused by a baby’s still-developing liver being unable to quickly break down bilirubin. Infants with jaundice were given phototherapy, meaning a blue light was placed over their isolette and they were placed on a blue light-emitting “bili blanket” to maximize the surface area of their skin exposed to the light. Dr. Shah explained that the blue light converts the bilirubin into another isomer which is water-soluble and thus the infants can get rid of bilirubin faster in their urine.

I noticed that this Princeternship tied in nicely with my first Princeternship with a pathologist, as this one provided the human side of the patients' stories and gave me a more complete picture of who makes up a healthcare team and how they collaboratively treat each patient. In my first Princeternship, I learned how Dr. Werner entered her notes on pathological samples into the electronic healthcare record system, and in this Princeternship, I saw how the team on the floor requested and used other doctors’ expertise to inform their treatment plan. 

Every morning, the other student and I went on rounds with the “red team” which consisted of an attending physician (a doctor with the highest level of training), a neonatology fellow, three resident physicians who were on their one-month rotation in the NICU, and a clinical dietitian. Because this team had the most residents, it was instructive for us to shadow them because the attending physician asked the residents questions pertaining to the cases and the residents and fellow frequently asked the attending for her advice on a certain condition or course of treatment. For each patient assigned to the team, we would walk to their isolette or bassinet, greet the parents if they were present, and the resident on the case would provide an update on the patient’s last 24 hours. Any changes to their treatment would be discussed and inputted as an order in the electronic record system, including the dietitian’s helpful advice on optimizing each baby’s feeds based on their age, weight change, and needs. The attending never failed to consult the nurses to ask if they had any concerns or additions to make to the day’s update. One thing that impressed me was the collaboration between members of the healthcare team: over the course of four days, the team consulted a pulmonologist, the pediatric surgery team, an ophthalmologist, and a radiologist to profit from their insight into a patient’s situation.

I am so grateful to the Center for Career Development and our alumni hosts for arranging this immersive opportunity and I hope to participate again next year!