Typically celebrated the last Thursday in July (in 2021, that is July 29th) National Intern Day, is intended to recognize the value of an internship for students about to enter the field. For students enrolled in a medical technician program, getting an internship is a great way to gain real-world experience in your chosen field. While you’re probably used to the rigors of the classroom, you may be wondering what to expect when you step into the “real world” as an intern. Here’s a peek at the exciting opportunity that awaits.
Depending on your course of study and your educational institution, your “real-world” experience may be called an internship, an externship or even a clinical placement. There are some differences, but what they all have in common is the opportunity for you to observe and in many cases, practice the skills you have been learning in the classroom. Not all internships are alike, and your responsibilities will be determined by the organization where you’re interning. Some facilities may have you shadow an employee, helping you to learn by observation. Others may give you hands-on experience with the types of tasks you will perform when you graduate. For example, you may be cleaning equipment, running simple lab tests, preparing samples, and logging results.
Whatever the responsibilities, you will be supervised by a professional in the field, such as a medical technician, lab technician, or researcher. This natural opportunity to interact with other professionals makes your internship a great time to build relationships in your field and enhance your education. Prepare by doing a little research about your internship site, the services and specialties they provide, and the backgrounds of key staff members and physicians. You can impress your internship supervisor by having some knowledge of their organization before your show up for your first day.
In most cases, prior to starting your internship, you’ll be given a schedule. Always arrive on time and ready to complete your assignments for the day. You should give your internship the same amount of attention and dedication you would a full-time job or your classes. Remember, an internship is a type of job and it will go on your resume, so do your work to the best of your abilities. Additionally, you’ll want to leave a good impression in hopes that you will get a great job recommendation later.
Your internship is designed to give you real-world experience in your field and allow you to put the knowledge you’ve learned in the classroom into practice. If you’re considering becoming a medical technician, Fortis has programs available that will help you get on the path to this exciting new career. Click here for more information or call us today at (855) 436-7847 and speak to one of our career counselors.