Career and Post-Graduate Development

Photo of Amanda Srinivasan
Photo of Amanda Srinivasan

Amanda Srinivasan

Class Year

2018

Majors

Biology

Internship Location

Lehigh Valley Hazleton Hospital, Hazleton, PA

Overview

This past summer Amanda Srinivasan completed an exciting internship at Lehigh Valley Hazleton Hospital in Hazleton, PA, an experience she shared with her twin sister, Arianna Srinivasan. While at the hospital, a typical day consisted of observing different types of patients who were examined by healthcare providers. “I saw everything from an ear infection to the death of patients. Everyday brought something new,” states Amanda. These observations took place over 12 hour shifts. Yet, the most challenging part of her internship was trying to figure out when it was okay to follow the healthcare providers.

Skills Utilized

Listening, learning on the move, and keeping oneself busy were some of the skills that this junior utilized at Lehigh Valley Hazleton Hospital. She feels as though this internship helped her improve her listening skills. In addition, Amanda believes that these skills, especially listening skills will help her in the future. “Even in boring situations, it’s difficult to obtain information, but I learned every piece of information you could gain to potentially save a life,” says Srinivasan.

Who I Met that Made a Difference

“Dr. Coleman (her site supervisor) made a difference because even though it was a rough environment, he still had an amazing attitude,” explains Amanda. She would even ask Dr. Coleman and the nurses for recommendations. The connections that this junior made at the hospital are important because Lehigh Valley Hazleton Hospital is where she hopes to works in the future. 

Future Implications

Working at the hospital made Amanda realize her future career path. “It changed what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a doctor. Now, I want to be a physician’s assistant,” expresses Srinivasan.

The Coolest Part of the Experience

The coolest part of the experience was riding in a helicopter to save a patient. The patient was in a critical condition and Amanda had the opportunity to travel with the air team! 

Advice

The junior advises her fellow Ursinus students to do internships. She also adds that the earlier you do your internship, the better. Amanda suggests trying your best to find an internship related to your future career path as well.