Have you had an internship/clinical/work experience in your field of study?
I started clinical rotations my junior year of college. My first clinical was at St. Mary’s Hospital on several mental health floors last fall. My role consisted of staying in assessment and observation mode most of the time as my patients, for the most part, did not need medical attention 24/7. Working in the emergency department brought in very interesting situations that I was thankful to experience. In the spring I moved to Maine Medical Center to a medical surgical floor where I worked with several adults who needed my help more often. I performed head-to-toe assessments, took vital signs and administered various medications when necessary. I really enjoyed this experience because there were more hands-on requirements that I looked forward to during each rotation. Now I am anxiously waiting my reproductive clinical rotation once again at Maine Medical Center in October!
Are there any community service activities you've enjoyed being involved in?
I have helped with several SAAC activities on campus throughout my time here at USM. These include the Halloween party we host for surrounding community members, partnering with Special Olympics to help teach volleyball (which is always a blast!), and putting together a Christmas party that normally coincides with hockey and basketball games going on at the same time!
Any fun facts you're willing to share about yourself?
I loveee turtles!!
What were you able to do that helped you get through the quarantine period earlier this year?
Being sent home from school was definitely a tough pill to swallow. I missed my friends, my spring season was cancelled for volleyball, and my classes were switched to online, including my clinical. Even though circumstances were unfortunate, I am very thankful that I got to spend more time with my family. They always know how to make me smile and it was a nice change to see them a bit more than usual!
Something else that helped me through quarantine was being able to FaceTime my friends and teammates!! My coach put together Zoom calls with funny questions and superlatives to break up each of our quarantines! This was a lot of fun and we got to see each other virtually, which I always looked forward to!
What are your career plans after college?
I plan to move back home to Connecticut in order to pursue a career in nursing. I am not entirely sure what specific floor I would like to work on, however, I absolutely love working with kids. My clinical rotation for pediatrics got moved to 100% virtual this semester so I was bummed about that, however I don’t think this will deter me from trying this specific field in nursing!