Itzel Perez Ruiz ePortfolio
Internship
About the Internship
This study aims to evaluate how mental health, social factors, and sickle cell disease symptoms affect each other and contribute to the worsening of symptoms. We will learn about interventions and what could be done for the youth to prevent further symptoms. This work matters because sickle cell disease impacts those who have or are carriers of it and it can affect school and personal life. Did you know about 90 % of individuals with sickle cell disease are of African American descent?
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Research:
Injustice
and Resilience
in Youth With
Sickle Cell
Disease
This research investigates the impact of experiences such as racial bias, mood, anxiety, and quality of life that may affect youth with Sickle Cell Disease.
Did you know
that individuals
of African descent
are most likely
to have SCD?
 LHSI
Project Summary:
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As my time wrapped up, I created a presentation summarizing my work throughout the year, including a file of a summary on sleep disturbances in pediatrics. As previously mentioned, this research study aims to explore the diverse impacts of various experiences on youth diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease, particularly focusing on factors such as racial bias, emotional mood, levels of anxiety, and overall quality of life. My role in this project has involved actively recruiting eligible participants within the age range of 11 to 17 years. This process includes not only outreach to potential candidates but also maintaining a comprehensive log of all participants. This organized chart is essential for tracking and ensuring the research remains structured and systematic for further analysis.
Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Summary:
Workplace
The transferable skills I bring include strong interpersonal skills and effective communication. I have experience with Microsoft applications, and I'm adaptable to new software that I haven't worked with before. I can apply these skills during the internship by actively communicating any questions or concerns, sharing new information, and engaging as a team member.
I am comfortable working independently on projects, but I also thrive in team settings. One experience that has significantly shaped my abilities is my role as a leader for a group of children at my local church. In this volunteer position, I teach and create activities based on the stories we learn together.
These experiences will be valuable during my internship, especially when interacting with children while recruiting for surveys at the clinic. I understand how to approach different age groups and can adapt efficiently to various situations. I am committed to growing through interactions in professional environments, and I aim to contribute to the team to the best of my abilities. Performing to the best of my capacity is crucial for my future career, as I will continue to interact with patients from diverse age groups and backgrounds.
At the beginning of my internship, I was assigned several tasks. These included making calls to recruit participants for another site, creating records for each patient who agreed to participate, reading relevant articles, and obtaining access to specific information. Throughout the year, I focused on recruiting patients who met the eligibility requirements for the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) research study. On Monday and Thursday mornings, I would be at the hospital to discuss the study's objectives with patients and encourage them to participate in the questionnaire.
My contributions to this project were significant, particularly in the areas of recruitment and maintaining accurate records for each patient. Each task, regardless of its size, built upon the others, creating a strong foundation for a well-structured system that ensured the correct information was gathered for the study.
Successes and Challenges
Successes:
One of my primary tasks during the fall involved calling patients to ask if they'd like to join a closing study registry. It was a challenge, which can be disheartening after putting in the effort to contact them. The first time a patient answered and agreed to participate, it was a truly fulfilling moment. I remember feeling a strong sense of pride and excitement as I registered them for the study. It wasn’t just about the task being completed, but also about knowing I had played a part in contributing to a larger research effort. That small win made all the work behind the scenes feel worthwhile, and it boosted my motivation to keep going. Not only did the sense remain, but the success of overcoming anxiety, which may be a blocking point, had progressed into a decrease in it.
A pivotal moment for me came when I recruited my first patient at the hospital. I had prepared myself for the interaction, rehearsing what I would say, but when the moment arrived, I still felt a wave of nervousness. Despite that, I took a deep breath and approached the patient with clarity and confidence. To my relief and excitement, they agreed to participate in the study. That experience marked a turning point for me. It helped me push past my anxiety and proved to me that with preparation, focus, and a little courage, I could succeed even in unfamiliar situations. This success, along with the first one, reinforced an invaluable lesson: persistence and preparation do pay off. It showed me that even when things don’t go as planned, there’s always a chance for success if I keep trying.
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On another occasion, a patient was not sure whether to participate or not due to the amount of time it would take to complete the questionnaire. I had thoroughly explained what to expect and how they could complete it in segments. During the visit, I suggested they could start it and do as much as they could; they could save the link or tab on their device to complete it later that day or when they are available. The patient agreed and proceeded with completing the questionnaire, which is a success since the patient agreed to participate.
These experiences have shaped my understanding of the job and reinforced the importance of resilience and the impact that thoughtful preparation can have on the outcome. Every patient I engage with brings a new opportunity for learning and growth, and these initial successes have given me the confidence to continue facing challenges head-on.
Challenges:
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One of the biggest challenges I faced in my role was reaching patients to complete a closing study registry for a clinical trial. The difficulty stemmed from the fact that the number I was calling from appeared as “unknown” or lacked a caller ID, which likely made patients assume the call was spam or a scam. As a result, many of my calls went unanswered or straight to voicemail. Despite the low response rate, I remained persistent and developed strategies to increase engagement. I left clear, professional voicemail messages that identified my name, the purpose of the call, and a call-back number. The given call script emphasized the importance of the registry to the study’s success and the patient’s contribution. Over time, a few patients returned my calls, and I was able to complete several registry entries. This taught me the value of persistence and the importance of clear, compassionate communication, especially when trust is a barrier.
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Another challenge I encountered was finding the courage to make the calls in the first place. I had never made professional phone calls in a research or healthcare setting, and I was nervous about how patients might respond, especially if they were skeptical or confused. The anticipation before my first few calls was unsettling. I did not want to stumble over my words or sound unprepared. To overcome this, I practiced my introduction and responses to potential questions, role-played calls with a colleague, and wrote out key talking points to keep nearby during real calls. These steps helped me feel more grounded, and with each successful interaction, my confidence grew. This experience turned initial anxiety into a sense of accomplishment and showed me that preparation and practice can turn a fear into a strength.
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A final challenge I faced involved a technical barrier during the chart review process. I needed access to a specific browser to view electronic medical records and log where research information was being documented. Unfortunately, the browser was incompatible with my current setup, which brought my work to a pause. After discussing the issue with my supervisor, they advised me to reach out to IT. I coordinated with their team, who helped troubleshoot the issue and install the necessary tools and settings. Although this delayed my progress initially, it was a valuable reminder that technical challenges are often solvable through collaboration. It also reinforced the importance of being proactive and resourceful in the face of unexpected obstacles.
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Each of these challenges has been a significant learning experience. They’ve taught me the importance of persistence, the power of preparation, and the value of collaborative problem-solving. I’ve learned that stepping outside of my comfort zone often leads to growth, and that even setbacks can offer lessons in resilience and adaptability. These experiences have not only helped me become more effective in my role, but they’ve also strengthened my professional confidence and resourcefulness for future challenges.