贝丝·埃伯斯

College students often use internships as a way to narrow the focus of career options.

为贝博官网app体彩网 senior Isabella “Izzy” Aguilera, it helped her expand her vision.

今年夏天, 她是凤凰城健康科学专业的学生, 亚利桑那州, interned in the Education and Training Department of Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides free surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities.

Operation Smile mobilizes volunteer medical teams – including anesthesiologists, 外科医生, 生物医学技术人员, 牙医, 护士, pediatricians and speech pathologists – to conduct the surgical missions around the world. cleft是一个缺口 in the mouth that did not close during the early stages of pregnancy. 结果是, children born with a cleft condition may have an opening in the lip or the roof of their mouth – or both.

“All of Operation Smiles’ medical missions have a training and education component; the organization also does missions that are just education focused,阿奎莱拉解释道, who is pursuing a business minor and is member of the university’s 一级游泳及跳水队.

Many of Aguilera’s internship responsibilities in the Education and Training Department focused on ensuring paperwork and certifications for volunteers were complete. 她和那些在 Resident Leadership Program and those undergoing American Heart Association trainings.

The Resident Leadership Program offers resident physicians in anesthesia, plastic surgery and pediatrics the opportunity to attend a medical program alongside experienced Operation Smile medical professionals. 2003年，这个已有35年历史的慈善机构开始合作 with the American Heart Association as an international training center for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) courses.

Dr. 克莱尔·沃森, an assistant professor and director of the university’s public health program, 形容阿奎莱拉雄心勃勃，富有同情心.

“我们很幸运能有她这样的邦妮，”沃森说. “She has a huge heart and shares it freely with her friends, 队友, 同事和参与“微笑行动”的人. The organization is near and dear to her and she readily 向那些病人敞开心扉. 她渴望更多地了解那个组织, 他们的使命, 操作, 医护人员和病人令人钦佩.”

Aguilera first became involved in Operation Smile at age 15 when she participated in the charity’s international student leadership conference for high school students and went on a healthcare education mission to the Philippines.

“我知道他们的实习项目, 所以我在二月份又申请了, 然后通过面试,”她说。.

Being born with a cleft palate herself is what drew her to the organization.

“I feel my responsibility is for those who weren’t as fortunate to have access to plastic surgery,”她说。.

In the United States, most clefts are repaired during early childhood. In developing countries, children face social stigmas and financial barriers.

“这个手术提高了他们的生活质量, 允许他们说话, 去上学, 或者社交,阿奎莱拉说.

Because she was based at Operation Smile’s headquarters in 维吉尼亚州 Beach, 维吉尼亚州, 阿奎莱拉不仅了解了她的部门, 而是组织的各个方面. She also was able to meet medical volunteers and patients firsthand during a 6月马达加斯加外科任务.

Aguilera joined the mission as a field journalist and photographer in the charity’s U-Voice student ambassador program, 在那里她采访了病人和他们的家属. When she wasn’t talking with patients during the 10-day trip, Aguilera spent a lot of time with the pre- and post-surgical teams absorbing everything she could.

“他们让我跟着他们，问问题. 我在麻醉科待了很长时间, where I could learn about all of the aspects of the surgery, 把病人来回送进手术室,”她说。.

Aguilera was particularly moved by one patient, a toddler the St. Bonaventure student followed from the girl’s initial screening through her surgery. The young girl, her mother and brother all had cleft palates, although the girl was the only one 选择手术.

During her screening, the girl was scared and had cried nonstop until she saw Aguilera.

她停止了哭泣，笑了. 她和我很亲近. So I sat with her and then waited for her during the operation,” Aguilera said.

She found it easier to overcome language barriers with the younger patients. 在场有会说马达加斯加语和法语的翻译, 但阿奎莱拉说她找到了蛋蛋, 泡泡和手势同样有效.

“和他们分享这样的经历很酷, 尽管我们说的不是同一种语言,”她说。.

In Madagascar, 121 surgeries were performed on individuals from babies to adults. Even those who aren’t 选择手术 undergo a health screening and may receive other medical treatment, 比如来自与病人一起工作的医生的帮助 关于喂养策略.

阿奎莱拉被招募到贝博体彩app下载游戏官网的成员 游泳及跳水队. In addition to wanting to dive at a collegiate level, she knew she wanted to be in health care and wanted a change of scenery far from 亚利桑那州.

在短期内, she would love to return to Operation Smile after graduation as a program coordinator, organizing the missions and traveling and working with health professions in myriad fields and specialties. 从长远来看? 她还没有 确定. 也许学习成为一名医师助理或护士.

“Izzy is just starting to identify what and who she will be in the world of health professions, 但不管她走的是哪条路, we will be fortunate to count her as a peer as she’s leading with her heart, 这对她的每一个病人都有好处 相互作用，”沃森说.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

大学简介: 全国第一所方济会大学, we believe in the goodness of every person and in the ability of every person to do extraordinary things. St. 博纳旺蒂尔大学 cultivates graduates who are confident and 创造性的传播者, 协作型领导和团队成员, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, 其他人, 以及他们周围多样化的世界. Named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. 贝博官网app体彩网与世界报道, 我们正在建立通往实习的途径, graduate schools and careers in the context of our renowned liberal arts tradition.