Northwest News Release
Four Northwest Missouri State University students have spent the summer learning about the health care industry as part of a specialized intern group at Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph, Mo.
Alyssa Slater, Anne Herbert, Jennifer Clubine and Krysta McGinnis were accepted for the Grow Your Own internship program at Heartland last fall after completing its application and interview process.
The internship program is designed for students interested in healthcare-related professions and offers experiences in the areas of wellness, laboratory, decision support, ambassador and auxiliary services, hospice, biomedical, bed management, education and nursing. The program is funded by a Missouri Hospital Association “Grow Your Own” grant.
Clubine, a senior clinical laboratory science major, is working this summer in Heartland’s laboratory, where she learned how to draw blood, process and log samples, and run tests.
“I have had the opportunity to shadow many of the medical technologists in the lab who run the tests and report the results,” Clubine said. “I also have had the opportunity to do some plating in the microbiology area of the lab to look at bacteria that may be present in the samples.”
Clubine, who wants to become a medical technologist, said she applied for the internship to gain experience in the medical field and determine whether to continue pursuing it as a career. She says her coursework at Northwest helped her, too, she is now applying to clinical laboratory programs at hospitals in the Kansas City area.
“My microbiology and immunology classes gave me a lot of practice plating bacterial cultures, which are utilized every day in the Heartland laboratory,” Clubine said. “Because of my classes I feel like I have a better understanding of why certain tests are performed on samples and some of the terminology that is used in the lab.”
Slater and Herbert, two Northwest graduate students who are studying applied health and sports science, also are making connections from their coursework at the University to the experience they have gained at Heartland.
“When I observe the doctors, attend meetings or listen to the nurses, it is almost like they are speaking a different language with all of the anatomical and medical terms,” Herbert said. “However, I have been able to understand and hold conversations with them because of my strong base in the biological sciences.”
The students spent the spring trimester preparing for the internship by reading articles and participating in discussions. As a part of their summer experience, the students also participated in tours of critical access facilities, Social Welfare Board meetings and a community health project about childhood obesity.
“This experience is good for students because they get to spend time in a department in their desired career,” said Megan Madget, ambassador coordinator for Heartland. “It is beneficial for the organization because we get to connect with our future workforce and educate the community about our industry.
