Week 1: Public Health Internship in Dublin
Hello readers! I am back with all the fun details of my first week. I began my internship the week I arrived in Dublin, so I was still quite jet-lagged and unfamiliar with life in Ireland. Luckily, the other student in my homestay explained the process of taking the bus in Ireland.
Taking The Bus
Upon my arrival to Dublin, I purchased a visitor LEAP card, which granted me unlimited bus access for the first week. I immediately applied for a student card which would offer me reduced fare for the remainder of my time here. I learned the process of finding the correct route on my phone using Google Maps and the Transport for Ireland app. Then, I learned how to signal the bus when it approached my stop and tap my card after I boarded. At first I was very anxious about getting off at the correct stop and changing buses, but after one week I feel pretty comfortable with it. I do have to be mindful of what time I leave my homestay, since the bus route to my internship site is over an hour long!
Meeting My Coworkers
My coworkers were extremely welcoming! No other interns have started yet, but I still make great conversation with the older researchers and employees. I got a hospital ID on my first day and a key to the office, which allows me access to all the necessary wings of the research center. The researchers are eager to teach me and are very patient with me so far. I go to lunch in the employee cafeteria with one of my coworkers daily.
My Responsibilities
I have had a quite diverse range of responsibilities so far. I started with organizing patient information in a spreadsheet and ended the week preparing patient blood samples in the lab. It has been a learning process but I have been diligently watching and listening so I can perform all the different tasks assigned to me so far. My favorite part of my internship is communicating with patients, as we are equally interested in hearing about one another’s life and culture.
After one week of working from 9am to 5pm, I was quite exhausted. On the weekend I looked forward to catching up on sleep and exploring more of the city. All in all, it was a great first week and I am immensely grateful to the staff at my placement for making it happen.
Read more from Daniela:
”My favorite part of my internship is communicating with patients, as we are equally interested in hearing about one another’s life and culture.
If you would like to know more about our Public Health Internships or would like more information about an internship abroad that aligns with your fields of study / areas of interest, please connect with one of our advisors through a contact form!
