Why do we need an internship?

Internship or WIE (Work-Integrated Education) is an integral part of our journey in university. Sometimes we all ask ourselves why we need the internship. I tried to answer that question and learn something important out of my experience. I believe we need an internship, simply because it helps students immerse themselves in the workplace and gain practical experience. Usually, before the internship application period starts, the BME professor will share the Internship provision forms to every student so we can have a clear picture of how many options are currently available and what is the job nature of the internship position. For me, the internship form was very helpful, it included all the information like the duration of the internship, my duties, etc. I therefore decided to apply for a summer job at W.O.M. Novanta. My goal was to better understand minimally invasive surgical technologies and learn more about the commercial side of medical companies, how they work, and all the ins and outs.

W.O.M. or World of Medicine Limited is a subsidiary of Novanta Group, which is one of the world's leading providers of GIS technology and equipment. When I joined the WOM team, I was assigned several important and complex tasks that I was not aware of at all. It was very difficult for me to work on this task initially, as it was difficult to find important information on the web. The more I learned about endoscopes, minimal invasive surgical devices, the easier it was for me to get through.

Although I had some challenges, I appreciated the process and am grateful for the knowledge and skills I gained from this internship. When it comes to achievements during my internship, I think I have learned to be more independent and also enhanced my communication and Excel skills. And the most important thing I am thankful for is my team as they have always supported and guided me every step of the way.

I learned to tackle different issues by looking at them from different angles, and my ability to think critically was the main strength of my internship. For instance, I had the task to present all the data I collected in 3 months in a simple but informative ppt. This task seemed pretty easy at first, but then I realized I had to put myself in the place of those who didn't know the Coupler market. So I started to think about my experience and how I got started on it. For me, it was a long journey, but the goal was to let my audience learn everything about Camera Couplers and its activities in 20 minutes. I tried to frame my presentation as a logical sequel.

I think I have successfully finished all the tasks assigned by the company only because I am a careful listener. It is the most important skill in the workplace as well as good communication skills. This experience helped me draw some important conclusions on myself and taught me to communicate professionally.