Because every end is merely a new beginning

Alas, I have been home for some time now and am officially beginning my internship at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC).

First off, here’s some advice to any of you who are perhaps seeking a prestigious internship and do not know how to go about obtaining one:

1.  TIMING is key.  If you ask late, most likely all positions will be filled and the place you’re applying to will have no space left for you.  They’ll tell you, as I have been told many-a-time, “better luck next time.”  It burns– avoid the sensation.
2. CONNECTIONS are super helpful.  The predominant reason I was able to acquire my position at CUMC is because my dad has been operating at CUMC for the past 17 years (check him out at: www.drmantugupta.com) and is Director of the World Kidney Stone Institute.  Thus, I guess he was able to pull a few strings for me.  Regardless, such close connections are NOT necessary.  Reach out to anyone employed at the organization you wish to work at and genuinely express your desire to work there.
3. SINCERITY goes a long way. As I just mentioned, if you are truly passionate about the position, it will show in your words.   Contact someone working at the organization; if they live nearby offer to take them out for coffee.  This is like a college interview–show your personality and wit, and your sincerity will pay off in the end.
4. ALWAYS HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN.  No explanation necessary–if you don’t obtain the internship you want, don’t twiddle your thumbs all summer and wallow in self-pity.  This is not an all-or-nothing ordeal. Find something else and go after it, ideally at the same time as you apply to your top choice.  Apply to a bunch of potential opportunities simultaneously.

So back to my story.  I have been at CUMC for about an entire week now and what have I done?  Read TWO FULL NOVELS.  Why?  Because the process of even validating your identity and internship within the hospital is more arduous than the actual internship itself.  After obtaining my ID, peeing in a cup to ensure that I was clean and drug-free, and applying to receive an laboratory location and official CUMC laptop, I finally had the chance to do something.  That “something” was to read a couple of journals and research paper articles on lung and heart transplants–which took me approximately 1 hour.  Yet my hours were from 7 am-5 pm.   Luckily my internship has just begun but I have already learned some valuable lessons: be patient and don’t keep your hopes up too high because sometimes, things just don’t work out the way you intend them to.  Tomorrow should be a more interesting day though.  Or at least, a girl can hope.

For now, onto the next novel…