Interning at the Marin Community Clinics
I intern at the Marin Community Clinics in Greenbrae. There are three clinics in Marin, one in Greenbrae, one in San Rafael, and one in Novato. These clinics offer low cost medical services to low income patients. I work in the referrals department with a man named Javier. He is the head of the department, and is young so he is easy to relate too which makes working there even more enjoyable. During my internship time I make appointments, file referrals, create demograhics, etc. This internship is really exciting for me because I want to go into the medical feild after college, so this is really good exposure for me. I applied to all of my colleges as a pre-nursing major so it is really nice to get to see what goes on inside a medical clinic. This internship is really rewarding for me because I get to work along side doctors and nurses that work so hard to provide quality care to the patients in need. It is also really rewarding for me to actually get to work with some of the patients because I get to learn so much about them, and get to really know some of them when I am working with them. So far this internship is going really well for me other than the fact that sometimes my mentors are a little bit flakey and don’t communicate too well with each other. So sometimes I get to my internship only to find that my mentor doesn’t work that day. So that is hard, but all of the other good times definately make up for those few bad times. Hopefully my internship will keep going well, and I will continue to be allowed to do more and more as I have these past few months!
Add a comment January 23, 2012
Favorite Experience
Throughout my internship so far, I think that I have had two favorite experiences. The first one was the very first day of my internship when I got to shadow the medical assistant. I just found that to be so interesting, and I really feel like I got to be hands on, and actually help the patients, and like I learned a lot that day. This was one of my favorite days because it allowed me to work so closely with the patients, and kind of experience an aspect of the profession I want to go into. The work that I do now is great too, but its not quite as rewarding, and not quite as relavant to what I want to do after college which is being a nurse. But I am greatful for any experience that I can get in the medical field not only because it looks good on my nursing program applications, but also because it is getting me comfortable, and used to working in a hospital setting. This is good because when I actaully start working in a hospital, or if I get another internship in college I will have more experience and be more qualified for the position than some of the peers I will be up against.
My other favorite experience was when I was working in the referrals department, and I had to make an appointment for an older couple who happened to be in the clinic that day. They had their grand daughter with them, and after I made the appointment for them, they had an appointment in the clinic, while the two were in the doctors room the little girl followed me all throughout the clinic, watching me, and trying to talk to me (which was kind of hard because she didn’t speak very much English). This was one of my favorite experiences because it allowed me to see how closely I am able to work with the patients, and it was just nice and fun to get to take a little break from working and to get to play with the little girl.
Add a comment January 4, 2012
New Skills
I think that I have honed quite a few skills since starting this internship. I was never really “babied” into my responsibilities, I just sort of got thrown in and was expected to figure out how to do most things on my own. Which was hard at first, but I think that it really helped me take responsibility for my own work and helped me develop more problem solving skills which will be very helpful for when I start working in the real world.
I have also developed my people skills more because I am working with such different personalities from my own. Me and three other people work in a rather small office together, so it is essential that we get along and work together as a team.
Most of the people that work, and go to the clinic are fluent in both Spanish and English, but for most of the people Spanish is their first language, so being around them, and listening to all of them speak in Spanish to one another, and sometimes to me by accident is really helping me to develop my lingustic skills, and to remember some of the Spanish that I have learned and to really apply it in everyday life instead of just in the classroom.
So far I think that I have developed a lot of useful skills that will not only help me now, but also when I go off to college, when I get a job, and all throughout my life. I hope that I will develop even more skills as my internship progresses.
Add a comment January 4, 2012
First day of internship
My first day of my internship was different than what I do most days. On the very first day I started my internship, I shadowed a medical assistant to see what they did on a daily basis. I learned a lot of things form shadowing Diana (the M.A.). I learned what medical assistants do, and what their purpose is in medical facilities, I got to interact with patients, and watch her give different pateints shots, I also got to learn how to take vital signs and got to take a few of the patients vitals myself. This was pretty exciting, but i learned that there is a lot of confidentiality, and so there was a lot that I was not allowed to see, or take part in so that was kind of hard.
After that very first day, I started working with a man named Javier in the referrals department. The first day I just had to make copies, and I thought that this was how it was always going to be, and that it wasn’t going to work out, but after that day I got access to the data base, got to start making appointments and talking to patients, I got to collect charts and learn more about the business side of the medical industry.
So far my internship is going very well, and I am still working in the referrals department and as of now am satisfied with the tasks that I am given!
Add a comment January 4, 2012
My Interview!
Last week I finally got to go on my interview. The weeks leading up to the interview were very frustrating, because the woman that I was trying to meet with would not get back to me, and when we set up a time to meet and I went to her office she was not there, and had failed to call or email me telling me that she was not going to be there that day. I met with the woman, and she turned out to be very nice, but she was not the person that was going to be my mentor. This was both good and bad because on one hand she was really nice, and easy to talk to because she was so young she was easy to relate to, but on the other hand I was glad that she was not going to be my long term mentor because I don’t think that I would be able to deal with her unreliability.
The interview went well, we talked about some of the options of things that I could do for the Marin Community Clinics. One option that really intrigued me was working in the QI department, doing quality control for patients. I would be able to do this at the Greenbray hospital which is close to my house. At the end of the interview she gave me a volunteer packet in which I had to get all of my immunization records, and get a Tuberculosis test. I completed the packet, and returned it to the volunteer coordinator, who has now placed me with a mentor who will be my main/full time mentor, that I will work with directly. I have a meeting with her on Friday and hopefully it will go smoothly and I will be able to start my internship early next week.
Add a comment November 28, 2011
Internship Interview
Unfortunately I have not had my interview yet, but I have finished filling out the application for the community clinic in San Rafael, and plan to send it tomorrow, so hopefully I will get a response very quickly!
Add a comment October 18, 2011
Boys Cheerleading
OK… So you know how cheerleading is considered a “girls sport”? Well, today I am going to show all of you that thats not true. Instead of focusing on the “average” or “normal” aspects of cheerleading, today I am going to tell you guys about what cheerleading is like for a guy. I of course am not a guy, so I am just going by the research that I have done on this topic.
Cheerleading is a tough sport, that requires dedication and agility, and strength, so why can’t guys be cheerleaders? most guys possess all of these things, so wouldn’t they in a sense make the perfect cheerleader? For the first twenty years cheerleading was around, was a male only sport, it was even founded by guys. So how is it possible, that girls have completely taken over the sport, and guys have got it in their heads that it is a girl only sport, and that they would be considered unmasculine if they tried out, or where on the team?
One of the all boys teams that I have discovered while doing my research on this topic, is the Stunners All-Boys. They were started by a high school student, whose teacher kept pushing him to join the cheer team, he eventually gave in, and said that it was one of the most positive experiences of his life. He later went on to create the Stunners All-Boys, an all boy cheer team with seventeen guys on it. They now compete in competitions, and have made a pretty big name for themselves. (Their team can be seen at the top of this page.)
Many consider all male cheer teams to be better, stronger, and more daring than female teams. I guess that that would make sense, because usually male are naturally stronger, and more daring than females, which would make them better than all female team I suppose.
I have also found a peewee all boys cheerleading team, that is in Europe. A peewee team, is usually for little kids, who are into the sport, but are not yet at the age where they would be allowed to actually participate in the sport. Through my research, I have found that the all boys teams, except for the first team that i mentioned, usually are peewee teams, and are under the ages of twelve. But regardless, some of them have even beat the girls, in cheerleading competions. This should show boys that cheerleading is not a girls only sport, and if they have the desire to they should try out, and not care what other people say. Cheerleading, as I mentioned before is a highly athletic sport, so they should absolutely not be ashamed to try out. And if they are, just remind them that cheerleading was started my men, so technically it should be considered an all guy sport. 
Thanks for reading!!
I hope that you guys will come back and visit my blog again!!
<3 Savannah
2 comments December 16, 2009
latest new in cheer!
Hey everybody!!
Today I am going to tell you some of the important things and events that are going on in the world of cheerleading today!!
One of the most important things, is that competition season is upon us!! There are many places that you can compete, and many different kinds of competitions that you can compete in, or to just go to watch and maybe get new ideas for you team. One of the competitions that I found when I was doing some research on the web was; the WCA (The World Cheerleading Association) They are having competitions on December 27-30! It should be a lot of fun! Not only are the WCA competitions fun, but they are well-organized, on time, affordable, have divisions for all sized teams, and they give trophies to every team that participates!
I personally have never been to a competition, my team chooses not to compete, but if I had a choice, this completion sounds absolutely amazing, I have included a link to their site if you guys want to take a look, and maybe consider talking to your team about it.
http://www.cheerwca.com/latest-news.htm
No matter where you are located, it should not be hard for you to find a cheerleading competition that will suite the needs of your team. If you live in th United States, which you probably do if you are reading my blog, then you could live in almost any state, and be able to find a cheer competition neer you.
I have visited, and watched one of my friends, who is on a different cheer team, compete. It is a really amazing experience, I hope that eventually the team that I am on will go to competitions, because just watching them is incredible, i couldn’t even imagine performing in one. It must be a truly intense experience, there are soooo many people watching you, you must get such a rush performing in front of all of them.
I hope that if you or your team is considering go to competitions, this blog post has helped you at least a little bit!!
Thanks for reading! come back and read my future posts if you have enjoyed this one!
<3 Savannah
Add a comment December 16, 2009
Other blogs about cheerleading :)
Hey Everybody!!
Today I’m going to show you guys some other blogs that you might want to take a look at.
This first one talks about the dangers of cheerleading, which although is scary, it is ab important part of cheerleading that needs to be considered.
http://drbenkim.com/blog/2006/01/dangers-of-cheerleading.html
This blog is very informative, and is written by a doctor, which makes me think that it would be a ceritable source. He starts off by stating statistics, that at first look would be very scary to anyone who knows a cheerleader, or is thinking of trying out for cheer. But, if you read further, you will see that actually only 8 in 1000 cheerleaders will get an injury that will require them to go to the hospital. Even though this is a very serious issue, i feel that some people over dramatise it.
http://onemansblog.com/2008/08/26/amazing-cheerleading-stunts-of-the-stingray-all-stars/
This blog, is more of a visual than a wordy blog, they show some amazing stunts, and if you have an advanced team (that is at the college level) then you might even get some new stunts for you team to try out. They all involve two people, except for the full downs, and double full downs (they require two).
http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/cheer/2009/09/10/cheerleading-camp/
This blog tells you all about a particular cheer camp that you can attend. Though the blogger is talking about a specific camp, the same ideas are true for almost any cheer camp you attend. They have great quotes, and ideas form coaches, cheerleaders, can counselors. If you keep reading, all the way through the comments, the even discuss the safety, and risks of cheerleading, and especially stunting.
Add a comment December 14, 2009
