By Career Field of Interest:
These categories are very general and by no means exhaustive. Many of these professions could fit into several different categories. However, they are categorized here in a way to make it easier for you, the student, to understand the diverse options to better make your choice.
HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Behavior Analysis
Marian Rabe '70 (Psychology); M.S., Special Education, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Company/Location: OT to Play, Learn, Grow, & Express, Bridgton, ME
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Board Certified Behavior Analyst - In a Pediatric Developmental Pre-School. I write, revise and review the behavior plans for our students, who are babies to entering grade K. I do Functional Behavior Assessments, design data tracking forms, monitor data and modify the program as the behavior plan is implemented. I also observe, train and supervise staff who work directly with the students with disabilities. I support the teachers and students in all the school classrooms with their problem behaviors.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 4 days, over a Tuesday and Wednesday
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: By spending time at OT to Play, Learn, Express and Grow, the extern will observe behavior analysis at work, no matter in which classroom we are. The extern will get a picture of how the behavior analyst lays the groundwork for all the staff to operate. The student will observe that behavior analysis in real time.
Biologist
Sylvia Hewitt '83 (Biology); M.A. Biochemistry – Duke University (also listed in Science & Technology)
Company/Location: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Raleigh, NC
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Biologist - ʺBenchʺ researcher in an NIH Intramural Basic Science Research lab. Our focus is on mechanisms of estrogen responses using both cell culture models and transgenic mice.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 5 days, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: In the 3-5 day window, there would be opportunities to meet with individuals in a variety of positions, including
Veterinary Medicine, epidemiology, bioinformatics, pathology, toxicology.
Health Care Administration
Todd Linden (not an alum), M.A., Health Care Administration; Post-graduate Fellowship – Iowa Methodist Medical Center
Company/Location: Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Grinnell, IA
Position Title of Alumna & Description: President/CEO - Work with the Board of Directors and executive team carrying out policy, managing the budget, developing the strategic plan, and overseeing the quality of services provided by GRMC.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: Flexible, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, in your own residence hall room
What will you get from this externship: Observe a variety of meetings with the board of directors and medical staff as well as variety of administrative meetings at all levels of the organization. Work as a member of the team on some project.
Mental Health/Autism
James Rechs '97 (Religious Studies/Psychology); & M.S.W.
Company/Location: Rochester Center for Autism, Rochester, MN
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Mental Health Professional - At Rochester Center for Autism (RCA), we provide individual, one-on-one behavioral therapy and skills training for children who are on the Autism Spectrum. Our therapy is based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Ivar Lovaas' landmark 1987 study (and its replications), and BF Skinner's analysis of learning and verbal behavior. I provide individual therapy, and complete diagnostic assessments with children and families to assist in determination of clients' eligibility for our program. I also facilitate a parent support group, am planning a sibling support group, plan a yearly symposium on Autism for the Rochester community, provide supervision to interns, observe individual therapy and provide consultation and feedback to therapists and supervisors. I attend policy meetings related to insurance reforms that are taking place at the state level. This allows me to keep our clients up to date on policy changes that may affect their services. It also allows our agency to provide feedback to the Department of Human Services so that we can advocate for our clients. I also receive individual supervision from a
Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Psychologist, as I am pursuing certification as a Behavior Analyst myself.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 5 days, March 25-29
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: While spending time at RCA, the extern will observe as therapists provide individual therapy to children with autism. The student will also spend time learning some of theoretical concepts that influence our therapy. This learning will occur when the student meets with various staff, watches training videos, completes some reading, and of course, observes therapy. The extern will attend a variety of meetings in which therapy is discussed, and planning for future therapy occurs. The extern may attend parent meetings, including a parent support group, and possibly a sibling support group. The extern will be interact with children and families, but will be required to protect client privacy and confidentiality.
Additional Notes: If possible, student should bring a car.
Mental Health/Psychology
Erika Johnson-Jimenez '95 (Psychology); Ph.D., Clinical Psychology – The University of South Dakota
Company/Location: Veteran's Hospital, Albuquerque, NM
Position Title of Alumna & Description: Psychologist, Home-Based Primary Care - I am a Psychologist on an interdisciplinary primary care team, working primarily with veteran elders. I provide the full range of outpatient clinical mental health services to homebound veterans and their families.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 5 days, flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: The extern would accompany me on home visits to provide mental health services in veterans' homes. S/he would also have an opportunity to attend home visits with other team members (RN, physician, Social Worker, PT, OT) and to see how interdisciplinary treatment planning works at the patient level.
Additional Information: We have three kids and three cats. Would prefer a female extern.
Physician/Anesthesiology
Neal Fleming '77 (Chemistry); M.D. - University of Kansas; & Ph.D., Pharmacology - Georgetown University (also listed in Science & Technology)
Company/Location: University of California – Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, CA
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Professor, Department of Anesthesiology – I get to do so many things, they include clinical care of patients during scheduled and emergency surgery, classroom teaching, clinical research, simulated practice instruction, bedside teaching and a bit of paperwork now and then. I coordinate the division of cardiovascular and thoracic anesthesiology at a tertiary care medical center.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 3-5 days, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: An exposure to the current practice of medicine in a variety of settings ranging from a referral hospital to an outpatient clinic.
Physician/Emergency Medicine
R. Benjamin Johnston '85 (Russian); M.D. - University of Illinois (Specialty = Emergency Medicine)
Company/Location: Morris Hospital, Morris, IL
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Physician - Treat patients that come into the Emergency Department though the extern may be able to shadow other physicians.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 5 days, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: By spending time in the emergency department, the student will understand the nature of emergency medicine and balancing a demanding career with a busy family life.
Physician/Neurosurgery
Mick Perez-Cruet '83 (General Science); MSc, Chemistry – University of South Florida-Tampa; M.D. - Tufts University
Company/Location: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Vice Chair/Professor – Neurosurgeon, sub specialty Spine and minimally invasive spine surgery.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 5 days, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: Observe an active clinical practice. If interested research opportunities in clinical and or basic science research. Active stem cell based research.
Physician/Pathologist
Nathan Lueck '00 (Chemistry); M.D. – University of Iowa
Company/Location: Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, St. Paul, MN
Position Title of Alumnus & Description:. Pathologist - A pathologist examines tissues from patients, both grossly and under the microscope to come up with a diagnosis that will direct treatment decisions and/or provide prognostic information.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 4 days, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: The extern will get to see a variety of human tissues and disease from all organ systems and start to understand how a pathology report drives treatments for a wide range of diseases.
Additional Information: My wife, Christina Ward, class of 1998 is a hand surgeon at Regions Hospital in St. Paul and would be willing to split the four days with me (the student can spend two days with me and two days with her).
Physician/Transfusion
Matthew Karafin '00 (Biology); M.D., Transfusion Medicine – University of Iowa
Company/Location: BloodCenter of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Associate Medical Director - I oversee blood production, lab direction, and transfusion consultation for the Milwaukee region. As a physician, I provide blood related guidance to clinicians in my region, and provide therapeutic apheresis to both inpatients and outpatients. As associate medical director, I work most closely with the Medical College of Wisconsin and its teaching hospital, Froedtert Hospital.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 3 days, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: No, housing is the student's responsibility
What will you get from this externship: By spending time in a blood center, the extern will be able to observe blood product production, and see how a blood center medical doctor functions both for the community and for the hospitals that we serve.
Additional Information: Though the student will commute with me to work, he or she should bring a car if possible.
Public Health Research
Alok Shah '04 (Biological Chemistry); Ph.D, Molecular and Cellular Biology - University of Iowa (also listed in Science & Technology)
Company/Location: Emmyon, Inc., Iowa City, IA
Position Title of Alumnus & Description: Co-Founder & Senior Research Scientist - At Emmyon, we are striving to prevent and cure metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and skeletal muscle atrophy. I do biological research in identifying compounds that prevent and reverse these diseases.
Length of Stay & Dates Available: 3-5 days, Flexible
Housing Available? If yes, where?: Yes, alumnus' home
What will you get from this externship: The extern will get hands-on experience in bench research and will also be able to learn about the behind-the-scenes functioning of a start-up company. Any student who is interested in research, human disease, and the thriving and stimulating environment of a small start-up would be a fantastic fit.
