Owen PolingSenior BIOSC major, Pre-Dent Hello, everyone! I hope the semester is running smoothly for those of you reading this. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak as part of a panel to my fellow students in the Biology department about what I had done with my summer, how to find exciting and productive opportunities for the summer, and other tips for undergraduates. I thought that for this blog post, I could reiterate some of what I had shared at the panel.
The first half of my summer was rather dull. I worked two jobs and took a summer course. However, the second half of my summer was far more exciting. I had the unique opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic (the DR) to work at a volunteer dental clinic in a rural province known as La Vega. I stayed in the country for two weeks. Eight days were devoted to clinic work and volunteering with local schools to teach kids about proper dental hygiene. The work experience I gained from this program was truly invaluable; I assisted in multiple dental surgeries, cleaned teeth, and helped with x-ray imaging. Not only was I able to gain experience to prepare me for a career in dental medicine, but I was uniquely able to get a taste of the Dominican culture. The lifestyle of the people there is so different from the American lifestyle. People are always willing to make conversation with strangers, help you with directions, and be as welcoming as possible. I was honestly stunned by how genuine the people on the island were towards me. Lunch breaks in the DR are also quite different from those in the US: they last a whole hour-and-a-half. Workers take naps from 12-2, and it’s perfectly accepted! I miss that dearly. The remaining days I spent on the island were more laid back than the first 8. I was able to essentially go on a vacation! I travelled about an hour north from the hostel I was staying in and spent some time at a resort, which was a wonderful, tropical escape. That being said, I would have never gone on this trip if I hadn’t planned extensively during the previous fall and spring semesters. The process of finding summertime work is truly the emphasis of this blog entry. Being a student in Pitt’s biology department puts us in a wonderful position to find summertime opportunities: whether it be a trip abroad, an internship with a large company, or a research position in a university lab. We are surrounded with incredible resources. For those of you interested in gaining experience in exciting fields this summer, I would suggest looking now! The internet is your best friend. Be on the lookout for opportunities listed in the Bio Weekly Newsletter, new posts on Handshake, opportunities on internship websites, Pitt career and internship fairs (check out the Career Center Events Page), or just Google search something you think you would like to work with! The earlier you begin searching, the more manageable it is to gather required application documents, like letters of recommendation, resumes, and cover letters. Taking these steps enables you to build the best application you can and puts you on track to have an amazing summer work experience! I recommend that you check out Volunteers Around the World (VAW), a group that provides a great volunteer opportunity to go abroad for 1-2 weeks over the summer and help those in need abroad. Students will partake in hands-on experiences such as assisting and observing a variety of dental operations. Pre-dental or not, it will be a memorable, fun, and rewarding experience! More info: http://www.volunteersaroundtheworld.org/ If you have any additional questions about finding summer internships, jobs, or service opportunities feel free to stop by my advising office hours on Fridays from 2-3pm in Langley A230 across from the Langley Lobby.
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January 2022
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