My internship at Tri-City Wellness is based on the intersection between fitness and disease, and how continued movement, specialized training, and group exercise decreases the progression of the disease and/or aids with recovery. My site is located in Carlsbad California, as an extension of the Tri-City Hospital located in Oceanside California. I work directly with a team overseeing the entire Medical Integration programming (Mi). As of late, I have been working on account management and PR related design tasks such as presentations, flyers, Rx pads, and scratchpads. In addition, I regularly attend the Mi classes to interact with the members and lend a helping hand where I can. I become more independent and confident in my own abilities every day, while still learning a great deal from my team members on how to run a business and work with patients. I can see this internship making me a better leader and expanding my horizons on how to work with all different kinds of people and work with deadlines to meet the needs of many different people.
I found this internship through inquiring about possible opportunities through the comments/concerns submission form on the wellness center’s website. I knew I wanted to do an internship this summer that focused on health and wellness in relation to public health. I sent a multitude of emails to different local nutrition, health, and fitness based locations around my home in Carlsbad. I was able to secure an interview with Tri-City wellness and I am so thankful for the time I have already been able to spend working with the Mi team and the members of the programs. I would recommend for any student looking for an internship that they think might not exist is to just try. You should find any place that peaks your interest and send along an email with an attached resume. If you do not hear back, try sending a second one after seven days. If you know you will be in that area any time soon or have free time to stop in, offer that to the employer. It was once I emailed Tri-City that I would be back in town for spring break and available for an interview that I heard back from them.
My first week I met so many new names and faces, it was hard to keep track of everyone. I started by just observing classes and doing a little bit of research for my boss. I learned some members names, asked questions about how classes were taught, and how each program (Cardio, Strength, Neuro, Ortho) were different and the goal of each one. I offered a helping hand with anything I could, and by the end of my first week, I was helping with projects, attending classes, working with all members of the team, and doing account management tasks while in the office.
I have already learned so much about disease pathogenesis, and expect to learn so much more about how different ailments affect the body. I have already been and expect to be surrounded by new opportunities for the Mi programs while facing many of the hurdles of running a business that is still in its early years. From a business standpoint, I am anxious to learn more about the inner workings of budgeting and problem solving, especially in relation to hospital administrators and hospital grants.
