First week of Internship

As I watched episodes of hit TV hospital shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and ER, I began to realize how the life of a surgeon is portrayed as dramatic and serious. This has some validity because surgeons do in fact hold the life of their patients in their hands and have the skills to continue or end it. I have always been fascinated by medicine and the important role it plays in society: keeping us healthy and alive. Specifically, surgery compelled me to want to enter the medical field in the future. Surgery is a difficult practice that takes many years of study, hard work and determination. But the challenge has always appealed to me. And through my internship project at the University of Miami Health System, I will experience the daily routine of real surgeons and not the ones that Hollywood created. Made up of different hospitals and affiliates, this system is one of the leading organizations in South Florida dedicated to providing quality health care and a focus on teaching future medical leaders.


My internship began on June 11 in a general orientation at the University of Miami Hospital (above). There, I let the coordinator know about my interests in medicine and my goals to become a surgeon. The rest is history because I was immediately placed in the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (left), across the street from the Hospital, to intern at its surgical floor. My mentor is Maria Cabrera RN (below) the director of Surgical Services. She is a registered nurse oncologist with over 30 years of experience, a Masters in Nursing from NOVA Southeastern University and a Masters in Arts from the University of Miami. Exceptional interpersonal skills and strong mentoring capabilities are some of her notable abilities that I witnessed. I knew just from her education and experience that she is the best person to be mentored by and learn about the surgical department for this hospital. She has abilities that every leader needs, and if I become a chief resident, then these are valuable "treasures" that I cannot let escape.

My first week started on June 15 learning the ropes of how the department operates. Basically, everyone is required to be on time, and surgeons should be prepping for the first surgery in the morning. Scheduled cases are located on a big whiteboard that is changed as they progress. My duties this first week were to do some clerical work such as filing, copying, faxing, etc. and observe the routine of the department. As I began to see, the floor is always bustling with energy; nurses, doctors and administrators "run" around, making sure everything is in tip-top shape before the patient is operated. I was also given a tour of the floor and a typical operating room (OR); they are quite similar to ones shown on television I have to admit! I also found out that it takes about one hour to inform, move and prep the patient for surgery. While most of these tasks may have seemed boring, I find them sort of important. Anybody wanting to enter a professional field has to be punctual, keep their records organized and know the "lay of the land" or departmental arrangement. These are skills that at first glance are common sense but are constantly ignored, as Mrs. Cabrera mentioned. Finally there is no time to dawdle; patients are waiting to be treated, and you cannot let yourself get in the way of why you became a doctor, no less a surgeon. It made me realize that there is more to being a surgeon then just cutting up organs, for lack of a better expression.

During that week, Mrs. Cabrera mentioned that I would be able to start shadowing physicians the following week, which is, consequently, this week. Be sure to look at my next entry for details about me entering the OR. I would also like to mention that I am not allowed to give any patient names or other identification because of patient confidentiality. I will only describe the surgical procedures needed to cure them.