Grace

How did you find your internship position? How did you apply for it? How did you prepare for your stay abroad?

To find my internship position I browsed the internet in search for research groups in my field of interest. I also investigated if said groups were open to having interns or students before applying. Then I reached out via email explaining my agenda and asking for an opportunity to work with them. They responded fairly promptly and gave me the opportunity to interview for the position before I was officially offered. In the meantime, I had applied for the Marshall plan scholarship in hopes to be able to sponsor my stay abroad. I waited for a positive response before taking up the internship offer in the US and started looking into available accommodation.

I applied for the J1-Intern Visa for the US in order to be legally allowed to partake in the program. The host institution made the necessary arrangements which involved the receipt of visa related documents and consular visits. The entire process takes anywhere from weeks to a few months, In my case, it took longer than expected and therefore my start date was pushed back by a couple of weeks. I also secured accommodation.

What kind of financial arrangements did you have to take care of?

Applying for the Marshall plan scholarship was the first step towards ensuring financial sovereignty in an expensive city like Boston. However, the scholarship funds were not nearly sufficient to cover the costs of living and travel expenses, therefore I incurred some additional support from my family who were generous enough to help.
Financial statements upwards of $22,000 had to be provided before the Visa itself was issued. This amount might vary depending on the state the internship is taking place.

How were you greeted, trained and welcomed by the company?

At the Beth Israel Deconess Medical Center (BIDMC), I partook in the onboarding program for new recruits which brought me up to date with the processes and the culture at the hospital and research facility. There were automated training videos about general lab safety requirements but no further trainings were conducted. The Harvard Immigration department also required some registrations and signatures and field reports during the beginning and end point of the internship.

Please describe your accommodation

I was accommodated by a lovely family (mother and son) who have been running shared houses for some time. I rented a room in the house and had 2 other housemates. The accommodation provided all that I needed and they were very welcoming and respectful. It was difficult finding an affordable accommodation in close proximity to the hospital therefore, I needed to commute for longer. All utilities were included in the rent, as a bonus we also had free food. Overall, I had a good experience and would recommend a shared family house. The rent was about $1,200.

How would you describe the country, culture and leisure activities you experienced during your stay abroad?

It is a cultural shock coming from Europe. The US has a very vast landscape and everything is simply ‘bigger’. Boston is a lovely city, it has an amazing culture of sports, concerts, hikes and many more. It is home to some of the most renowned universities, institutions, and hospitals thereby housing students and professionals from all works of life. Apart from occasional extreme weather conditions, Boston is a city to continuously explore.

How would you describe the internship?

I had an eye-opening experience during my internship. I interacted with professionals from different disciplines that inspired my vision and growth. The Orthopedic surgery department was an interesting blend of surgeons, mechanical engineers, biomaterial scientists, veterinarians and many more coming together to solve issues in the musculoskeletal field.
It was a great avenue to improve my technical knowledge and skills within the field of Biomedical research. There were numerous networking opportunities, as well as trainings and conferences.

What new skills and qualities have you acquired?

An array of molecular biology handling techniques, as well as planning and execution of experiments are some of the major skills I acquired during the internship. I was able to set up preliminary protocols and procedures for the benefit of the entire team. I also developed people skills while engaging in different tasks. This included a better understanding of different work cultures and perspectives. I was also able to network and make friends which encouraged my individual growth.

How have your values and attitudes changed during your stay abroad?

I was in an environment where I was given autonomy over my project which allowed me to work very independently. I now understand both perspectives of direct supervision versus Laissez-faire supervision which has helped me to understand myself better and in which environment I thrive the best in.
I am also more incline to taking things both personal and professional, one step at a time. Quality results in a longer period is more valuable and holds more truth.

Looking back, what was the greatest challenge in preparing for or during your stay abroad?

There were a few challenges that presented themselves during my experience. However, the biggest challenge was the fear of not being able to complete my project in the allocated time. Due to logistics of the group that I worked with and the fact that they were establishing a new work area, a lot of the materials needed for the project to begin were not available. There was limited access to certain machinery and supervision which prolonged the starting period of the project. Therefore, this constant fear of not having nearly enough time or not achieving the goals of my project weighed on my mind.
In regards to preparation for the experience, finances were the biggest point of concern.

What was your most positive experience during your stay abroad?

I was grateful for the opportunity to have my voice heard in a prestigious scientific community. Working alongside some world-renowned scientists and brilliant engineers is an experience that cannot be bought. I was grateful to have been welcomed in spite of my own flaws and limited experience. I also believe I got to make some life-long friends.