Mentorship

Literal
Joana at Chino Pediatrics

Interpretive
What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?
I have gained many things from this experience, friends, life experience, speaking skills, along with many other things. The most important thing I have gained from this experience is knowledge because of all the interactions I witnessed by watching the nurses and doctors. Whether it may be senior project related or life itself. For example, now that I think about the future and the career I would like to pursue, talking to people will be a must. Children, parents, they are all part of the package that comes with being a Pediatric Oncologist. I have learned how to communicate with parents and how I must act with calmness and assurance in any situation. Some parents might come in frightened others might not, but one must act with confidence. I have gained knowledge in many things, observational skills, things I will carry on with me. Although mentorship is over I will continue to go and learn more about what it is like working with little kids.

Applied
How has what you've done helped you to answer your EQ? Please explain.
I owe my second answer to my research, my third answer to my interviews three and four, and I owe my first answer to my mentorship. Coming into a topic I was passionate about but no experience or information made it tricky because I didn't know where to begin. When I found my mentorship I was more than happy to be able to work with kids, I have always cared for them. My summer mentorship assured me about working with kids and the smiles they brought to my face. Mentorship gave me a scenery of what it is like to see these children filled with life in tears, in pain, and in wonder. Children are curious. I was able to see how some kids could be very sad and mad when going to the doctors. I know that being a Pediatric Oncologist is only going to amp up the anger and sadness, working with Chino Pediatrics gave me a better view. Working with Pediatric nurses I got to see the interaction that many doctors don't have with their patients because they are always so busy and don't have time. I knew the interaction that I was seeing on a daily basis between nurses and patients made a big difference in the patients life because it would cause smiles. Realizing this I knew that a doctors and parents interaction must also be a key factor in the patients life, especially going through the pain of cancer. Cancer leads you through a very dark and scary journey, you don't know whether the patient is going to survive or not. As I saw this interaction go on and on I began to pick up on techniques the nurses would use to make kids smile, asking them their favorite color or their favorite hobby, any simple question. Questions then lead to a conversation of what things they have in common or stories from nurses personal life. All these techniques that I have picked up on were what brought me to my first answer, ensuring the patient is supported emotionally by their parents and doctors.