Boston Children’s Hospital Internship

Post written by: Chanelle Boadu

This past summer, I had the opportunity to work as a Summer Intern in the Boston
Children’s Hospital Emergency Department (ED). I had the privilege of working under the
guidance of Dr. Lyons, who deepened my understanding of the research process. I learned how
to think critically about research questions, analyze results, and communicate findings. This was
especially meaningful because one of my goals for the summer was to improve my ability to
research and share results in clear and accessible ways. With this, I quickly realized that
research gives us the knowledge and tools needed to implement changes in our healthcare
system.

During the internship, we had the amazing opportunity to shadow physicians, nurses,
clinical assistants, and research assistants in the ED. While shadowing, I learned so much more
about the ED. Growing up, my family only went to the ED when symptoms became unbearable.
I learned that for others, the ED serves different roles; some come because of socioeconomic
barriers that prevent them from accessing primary care, while others seek help when specialty
appointments are booked out for months. This showed me how the ED serves as a critical
access point for all kinds of patients. At the same time, it raised important questions, while the
ED provides comfort and accessibility, it can also become overwhelming when patients come in
with non-urgent issues, taking space from those with more critical needs.

Apart from the medical education this internship provided me with, I left with meaningful
memories and connections. A moment that I will always remember came during a lecture we
were receiving from Dr. Cavallaro, she asked us about our fears. I answered that mine was
failing in medicine because no one I knew personally worked in healthcare. She responded,
“You now know 70 new physicians who are on your side.” That moment made me emotional
and reminded me how vital mentorship is in medicine, not just for guidance, but for
encouragement and belonging. The relationships I formed with my peers also heightened the
unforgettable experience. The environment that we created amongst ourselves was an excellent
place to make mistakes, jokes, and to learn.

Although we are currently going through a difficult time for the funding of research in
medicine, this internship reinforced the goals and importance of academic medicine. I learned
invaluable things about myself and about medicine. Coming in I was convinced that I was
mostly interested in the field of Obstetrics or Anesthesia; hearing this Dr. Lyons made it a
personal goal that by the end of this internship I would be swayed over to the Emergency
Pediatric world. I hate to admit it, but he definitely succeeded! To whoever is considering this
program for next summer, I cannot recommend it enough. I learned so much about myself,
research, and medicine all while making unforgettable memories.