SURGERY SHADOWING PROGRAM — SAN DIEGO

I’ve had a very positive experience interning at the neurosurgery office. The team has been welcoming, professional, and supportive, and I’ve learned a great deal about patient care, clinical workflow, and the importance of communication in a medical setting. I appreciate the opportunity to observe and contribute in such a collaborative environment, and this experience has further strengthened my interest in the healthcare field.

I began my journey at MSK MSO as an MA Trainee, where I was first introduced to the clinical side of healthcare. Over time, I had the opportunity to cross-train across multiple specialties, including primary care, physical therapy, and neurosurgery, which broadened both my clinical knowledge and perspective on patient care. As I continued to grow through these experiences, I was promoted to Intern and now serve as a Head Intern, allowing me to further develop my leadership and mentorship skills.

Through MSK MSO, I have built meaningful connections with numerous physicians and gained unique hands-on experiences, including the opportunity to work in a cadaver lab. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities, mentorship, and experiences that MSK MSO has provided me throughout my journey.

I started this internship during the fall semester of my senior year of college, and three years later I now serve as a full-time lead at San Diego Neurosurgery. The experience has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth, giving me hands-on exposure through placing pedicle screws in a cadaver lab, joining providers for rounding consults, and scrubbing in for surgeries. I've also grown into a leadership role mentoring interns who were once in the same position I started in, while building close relationships with patients through continuity of care.

This internship offers a unique avenue for students during their gap year to mature while preparing for medical school applications, surrounded by peers facing similar challenges like the MCAT, gaining clinical experience, and navigating the application cycle. As I prepare to apply to medical school this cycle, I can confidently say this internship provided the foundation that strengthened my application, and I would highly recommend it to any student seeking meaningful clinical exposure, mentorship, and growth.

I've been with MSK MSO for the past 9 months, starting as an MA trainee at SDN, and working at SDN has been such a great experience overall. The environment is really supportive and I've had the chance to learn so much by rotating through different specialties like neurosurgery, internal medicine, chiropractic care, and physical therapy.

Being exposed to all these areas has helped me build a strong foundation in patient care and understand how different providers work together to treat patients. I've also developed important skills like communicating with patients, assisting in clinical settings, and thinking more critically in real patient situations. Overall, it's been an amazing learning experience that has really helped me grow and prepare for a future in healthcare.