I pass by this billboard every day during my commute (work follows me everywhere)
Find me here at NYU Langone at Trinity
My First Impression of NYU Langone Medical Center at Trinity
Written by: Grace Polur
This summer, I have the privilege of interning at the NYU Langone Medical Center at
Trinity, also known as the Trinity Center. As a rising junior within the HSSP program, I realized
that it was about time to search for an internship. Fortunately for me, a family friend who works
at a separate NYU Langone Medical Center location advised me to apply for an internship at the
Trinity Center, as she knew that they were searching for an intern. After putting together my first
resume—with the help of my parents and Google—I sent it over and was ecstatic to find out that
I scored an interview.
Although landing a job in high school was by no means a difficult task, I soon came to
realize that this would not be the case when looking to be hired as a college intern. Back in high
school, I worked at a learning center where all I had to do to get the job was tell the owner that I
was an honors student at the local high school. Unfortunately, applying for an internship at a
medical center would not be so easy. I put a great deal of preparation into getting ready for my
interview – for example, putting together proper credentials (my resume and transcript) and a
proper interview outfit. When it came time to interview at the Trinity Center, I was nervous but
overall had an excellent time interviewing. This was my first time interviewing for a job, but my
interviewer was welcoming and ultimately put me at ease. I was asked a series of questions
which ranged from “What career do you see yourself having?” (“Not quite sure, but would
definitely like to work in the medical field!”) to “How do you like Brandeis University?” (“It’s a
blast ”). My interviewer, now my supervisor, hired me on the spot. After enduring a long
processing period with the human resources department, I was ready to start my internship.
The Trinity Center is a multispecialty clinic with doctors who have expertise in almost
every discipline from internal medicine to pulmonary medicine (don’t believe me? Check out a
full list of doctors and their specialties right here). I was initially drawn to this internship because
I thought interning at a medical center would be ideal for an HSSP student who is interested in
pursuing a career in the healthcare industry. The Trinity Center, though only established in 2008,
is part of the well-respected NYU Langone Medical Center founded in 1841. Learning about the
internship, I knew it would offer me a behind-the-scenes look into the healthcare industry from
both a medical and an administrative perspective. I would see how things are run from a medical
perspective by shadowing doctors and nurses, watching procedures, and even doing simple tasks
such as stocking medical supply cabinets. To see things from an administrative perspective, I
would shadow various managers, create agendas for meetings, and assist in preparing the Trinity
Center for various inspections. Although it may seem as though the medical and administrative
pieces of the center have different roles and responsibilities, the two must interact to keep the
center running flawlessly. What excites me the most about this internship is the opportunity to
see the doctors in action and to get to know the doctors, administrators, and other staff.
Prior to starting my internship, I thought of the following expectations: to develop an
understanding of Epic, which is the computer system the medical center uses for nearly every
activity; to understand how the Trinity Center works to create the best experience possible for
patients (e.g., through the use of various quality control measures); and to sit in on as many
procedures—endoscopies, colonoscopies, and bronchoscopies to name a few—as I can, as this
will allow me to learn more about the human body and give me an understanding of how
different types of equipment works.
Each of these expectations relates to my knowledge and skills as an HSSP major. For
instance, by observing procedures I will be able to strengthen my knowledge of human anatomy,
some of which was taught to me in Biology 15b, a course I took to fulfill an HSSP major
requirement. Additionally, a great deal of courses which I have taken for my HSSP major, such
as Health, Community, & Society and Sociology of Mental Health & Illness, discuss patient
experiences in medical centers and how these experiences can be improved. While interning at
the Trinity Center, I will be able to learn about the programs they have in place to improve the
patient experience.
Although I have only been interning at the Trinity Center for a couple of weeks, I can
honestly say that I am having an incredible time as an intern and am truly grateful for this
opportunity. During my interview, I was warned that things get hectic around the center and that
I may encounter some rather eccentric faculty and clients, but so far I have had only pleasant
experiences. From roaming the streets of New York City in search of supplies for a baby shower
which was to take place at the office to shadowing nurses while they did blood draws—all within
my first two days at the center—I can easily say that I have been kept busy and look forward to
spending the summer at the center.