Specialty Labs
CAST ROOM
Organization:
UCD Medical Center
Location: Sacramento
Description:
Learn basic anatomy, how to set up different devices for injured people (traction
techniques) and assist with various casting procedures. Assist technician during
daily rounds throughout hospital (including ER and pediatrics). Hours to be arranged
M-F, 4 hour block during the time period of 7:30am-11: 30pm. A 4-hour shift per
week is required.
Student Comments: "The
Cast Room functions like a fire department. It gets orders whenever it is needed
and promptly carries out those orders throughout the whole hospital. My job as
a volunteer was merely to follow the Orthopedic Tech on his rounds fulfilling
orders. Most of the orders came from the Emergency Room, Intensive Care Units,
and Operating Rooms. Along with various casting and splinting work done by the
cast room, orders also came in for traction equipment and various bed frames as
well as padded side rails. I was able to help the Orthopedic Tech and doctors
quickly splint a bleeding arm and some broken legs so the patient could be admitted
to the CT scan. I was also able to watch the doctors reset the patient's dislocated
hip and rill a Steinmann pin into her leg in order to set the traction. This internship
exceeded my expectations and has a lot of value for anyone interested in a career
in health."
Requirements: Attend mandatory
confirmation meeting through the Internship & Career Center and UCD Medical Center
orientation. Proof of Rubella and Rubella vaccination, and current TB Test must
be shown at UCDMC orientation.
How to Apply:
Register online at http://hbs.ucdavis.edu/ and attend the mandatory meetings.
Class level: All
Schedule:
4 hrs/week
Quarters Offered: Fall, Winter,
Spring, Summer (10 weeks)
ECHO & STRESS LAB
Organization: UCD Medical Center
Location: Sacramento
Description:
This lab tests patients for heart function using echocardiogram while patient
is either exercising on a treadmill or lying in bed and having heart function
increased by drug therapy. Volunteer will assist technicians with a variety of
duties, e.g., assisting with exercise, providing patient comfort and/or stocking
shelves. Volunteers will have opportunities to observe the staff with direct patient
care. A 4-hour shift per week is required.
Student
Comments: "My duties were to observe the procedures and learn as much
as I could. I sat through and observed many procedures thorough out the four-hour
period. There are three general procedures for an echo test; the normal echo,
the exercise stress echo, and the doutamine stress echo. The echocardiogram is
a machine that uses ultrasound to view the activities of the heart. It sends and
receives a sound wave via a small sensor that fits in the palm of the technician's
hand and displays and image on a monitor. By taking a multitude of measurements
the technician can come to a conclusions about what the problem may be. Some procedures
were conducted in other parts of the hospital as well, so I helped transport the
echocardiogram to those parts of the hospital."
"My main project at the lab
is to help out one of the staff member in gathering data and entering the data
into the computer as part of a research project. This research project was intended
to find a correlation between getting a false positive on an EKG test because
many patients got a second test and the test showed negative for heart disease.
Along with filing patient results and entering data I was able to observe a patient
undergoing the stress test on the treadmill. I feel I have learned a lot from
this internship experience. I know how to properly read and interpret the results.
I also learned about how many patients could correct a heart problem with the
use of a stent. Working in the hospital was a great learning experience for me."
Requirements: Attend mandatory confirmation
meeting through the Internship & Career Center and UCD Medical Center orientation.
Proof of Rubella and Rubella vaccination, and current TB Test must be shown at
UCDMC orientation.
How to Apply: Register
online at http://hbs.ucdavis.edu/ and attend the mandatory meetings.
Class
level: All
Schedule: 4 hrs/week
Quarters Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
(10 weeks)
NON-INVASIVE CARDIOLOGY
Organization: UCD Medical Center
Location: Sacramento
Description:
Volunteer will rotate through seven stations or labs learning as well as watching/assisting
with patients. Stations/labs include EKGs, Holter monitors, echocardiograms, treadmills,
and cardiac rehabilitation exercise sessions. Opportunity to meet cardiologists.
A 4-hour shift per week is required.
Student Comments: "I have spent the last ten weeks watching intently as the technicians and doctors
treat their patients with respect and care. 'ER Chest Pain' refers to a patient
complaining of chest pain who has entered the Emergency Room. Nurses initially
take pulse and heart rate readings, and page the Non-Invasive technician to go
to the Exercise Stress room for a 'treadmill.' Here is where I spent most of my
time. First, the technician placed electrodes in specific location on the patient's
chest and sides. On occasion I was allowed to take a blood pressure cuff reading
or enter the patient's blood pressure and heart rate readings on the report sheet.
This occurs while the patient exercises on a treadmill, which speeds up and elevates
with each stage of exercise. The doctor takes blood pressure readings manually
every three minutes. The goal is for the patient to reach the 85% heart rate (determined
by age), but once the patient gets fatigued, chest pain increases, or is able
to complete each phase of the test, they are able to stop. Cardiology is a fascinating
field. I have learned so much from this aspect of treating patients with heart
problems, and would love to see more."
"This really opened my eyes to
the possibilities of non-invasive cardiology. I observed quite a few electrocardiograms
and was able to help perform electrocardiograms on a baby and myself. I learned
about electrical activity on the heart, such as P, QRS, and T waves and what myocardial
infarction is. I also observed treadmill stress tests and ultrasound imaging sessions.
Another area I worked in was cardiac rehabilitation. This is where people go to
strengthen their hearts after surgery. I also helped at the cath lab where a doctor
puts a catheter up and artery in the patient's groin all the way to their heart
in order to take a picture of the heart. This is an excellent way to see what
is going on in someone's heart. The best skill I acquired during this internship
was learning how to take blood pressure and becoming comfortable doing that. I
recommend this internship to any pre-medical student, nursing student, or those
interested in being a cardiac technician."
Requirements: Attend mandatory confirmation meeting through the Internship & Career Center
and UCD Medical Center orientation. Proof of Rubella and Rubella vaccination,
and current TB Test must be shown at UCDMC orientation.
How
to Apply: Register online at http://hbs.ucdavis.edu/ and attend the
mandatory meetings.
Class level: All
Schedule: 4 hrs/week
Quarters
Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer (10 weeks)
ORTHOTICS (artificial limbs)
Organization:
UCD Medical Center
Location: Sacramento
Description: Assist orthotics laboratory staff in designing and fitting braces on patients.
May be able to assist with patients in other departments (e.g., burn unit or emergency
room). A 4-hour shift per week is required.
Student
Comments: "My main activity was to assist the orthotists and orthotic
technicians in the fitting of various orthotic devices like body jackets, neck
immobilizes, leg immobilizes and orthotic boots. I assisted in the manufacture
of orthotic devices for the hands, arms, legs and feet. I also helped them to
cast body jackets on patients (2-hour process). Sometimes I helped to roll the
plaster on to the patient's chest and back. Other times, I helped to smooth the
plaster onto the patient. I assisted lifting patients during the casting. I was
able to see patients with all kinds of problems in their back, neck, legs, hands
and feet. I had a lot of interaction with patients."
Requirements: Attend mandatory confirmation meeting through the Internship & Career Center and
UCD Medical Center orientation. Proof of Rubella and Rubella vaccination, and
current TB Test must be shown at UCDMC orientation.
How
to Apply: Register online at http://hbs.ucdavis.edu/ and attend the
mandatory meetings.
Class level: All
Schedule: 4 hrs/week
Quarters
Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer (10 weeks)
RADIOLOGY
Organization: UCD Medical Center
Location:
Sacramento
Description: This department
serves the various areas of the hospital, including emergency and operating rooms.
Volunteers assist X-ray technicians with film development and patient transport.
Volunteers may have the opportunity to interact with physicians, nurses, X-ray
staff and patients. A 4-hour shift per week is required.
Student
Comments: "It was truly a wonderful experience where I was able to
fell the essence of radiology and to observe the different sides of this area
in medicine. I witnessed the work of the x-ray technicians who, using various
shooting techniques, were doing the x-ray film. I sat close to the radiology doctors
and residents who were actually reading and analyzing those films. When the patient
was brought into the x-ray room and the tech started shooting, I had to recognize
immediately and ender into the computer what body part, position, and type of
film he was using. Then the x-ray tech passed me the cassette with the film, which
I had to scan and insert into the computerized processing machine. All the time
I spent in the hospital this quarter was really interesting, full of learning
and unexpected revelations, inspiring so much that I even started reading the
anatomy book trying to grasp more from what I saw and heard."
"On the first
day, I was introduced to the many radiologist techs. I was able to watch one of
the residents perform a spinal tap on a patient. Through X-ray technology, I was
able to watch on the computer screen as the needle was being injected in the patient's
spine to draw out spinal fluid for a culture test. I learned about x-ray wavelengths,
the different size x-ray plates used to capture the x-ray, and how the thigh tech
computer system that reads the images from the x-ray plates are developed in the
computer. I also had a lot of direct interactions with the patients. I usually
call them from the waiting room and escort them to the x-ray room. I would try
to ease their visit and I noticed the more I open up to them, the more they opened
up to me. Out of all the departments that I interned in, volunteering in the radiology
department was the most educational. I learned more about the human body than
I expected. Overall this has been a rewarding experience."
Requirements: Attend mandatory confirmation meeting through the Internship & Career Center and
UCD Medical Center orientation. Proof of Rubella and Rubella vaccination, and
current TB Test must be shown at UCDMC orientation.
How
to Apply:Register online at http://hbs.ucdavis.edu/ and attend the
mandatory meetings.
Class level: All
Schedule: 4 hrs/week
Quarters
Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer (10 weeks)