Recent Graduate Gets Into the Operating Room through Hartford Hospital Internship
Most summer interns don't get to watch brain surgery or conduct their own clinical research. But for Jamie Rubinstein ’18, these activities were all part of a day’s work during her summer Pre-Med and Research Fellowship at Hartford Hospital. She is now working as a clinical research assistant at Rhode Island Hospital.
Rubinstein, who graduated from the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions with a bachelor’s degree in health science and minor in education, gained invaluable experience during the summer program that will help her achieve her goal of becoming a physician assistant.
Jamie Rubinstein, '18“I decided to apply for this program because it was a unique opportunity that included both clinical research and extensive shadowing opportunities."
Rubinstein worked on a clinical research project that examined the frequency at which delirium went undiagnosed in three post-acute care facilities in Hartford. She conducted retrospective chart reviews of patients’ medical records to determine if they had delirium during their stay in the facilities and whether it was diagnosed. She then analyzed the data and created a research paper and poster presentation on the topic for the hospital staff at the end of her 10-week internship.
When she wasn't working on the research project, Rubinstein had the opportunity to shadow her senior investigator, who was an emergency room physician. In addition to observing emergency room traumas, she got to watch Cesarean-section births, brain surgery, open heart surgery, joint replacement surgery, and kidney and liver transplants. She also shadowed hospital staff providing inpatient care as well as outpatient services, which gave her a wide range of experiences in different work environments.
“The amount of information I gained from the physicians during this experience was invaluable and definitely helped me refine my career goal of becoming a physician assistant (PA),” she said. “I had the opportunity to shadow teams of PAs and experience their day-to-day tasks, and get their advice and recommendations on PA schools and the career. I’m forever grateful for this internship for the vast experiences I gained.”
Rubinstein is now applying to graduate programs to become a PA and credits her coursework at the University and her summer internship for preparing her for the future.