Senior Internships

List of 3 items.

• March 20 - Yakir Schlosberg

  For my internship, I worked at O Dibella Music in Teaneck/Bergenfield. It is a music store that sells instruments, both used and new; provides lessons; and has a basement repair shop for all instruments. So far, I’ve been working by helping out around the store. I do things like move boxes, tune instruments, and organize inventory. For example, I had to organize an entire case of electric guitar pedals or I had to check if amps were plugged in. There have been a few instances where I have had the opportunity to help customers, too, but I need to gain more experience with the products to help me be more helpful.
  
  I wanted to work here because I wanted an internship that was related to my love and passion for music. I wanted to be in the music industry which will both help with my future career and give me valuable experience. While at this store I try to learn as much as I can about how it runs and how the industry works from the sales and repairs perspectives. Many different people come into the store, from small kids to seasoned veterans, and it’s fascinating to see how everything runs smoothly and efficiently. 
  
  While here, I hope to accomplish many things. One of these things is I want to have a solid grasp of this side of the industry and to understand how it works. I think understanding this part of the industry will be a great help for me in my future career and just in general for my personal knowledge of music and the world. 
  
  Secondly, I want to have a space where I can be around lots of different instruments and see how they work. Being in this store lets me be around instruments like double basses, accordions, and 12-stringed guitars. Being so intimately around these instruments gives me a greater appreciation for how they work. Additionally, it gives me an understanding of how different jobs work. I now have a greater and deeper understanding of the workings of stores and of establishments in my community. I see how it really is a well-oiled machine, or at least should be, and I see how an establishment like this functions. 
  
  Finally, it gives me something to do every day that is part of my routine but isn’t tied to any external events. My parents are very hands-off with this and my peers at the store aren’t really picky so I could easily slack off at this internship. But keeping myself in check when no one else is will be helpful to my long-term academic and professional development. It will help me keep a clear schedule and to know what I have to do and when I have to do it. 

• March 18 - Austin Colm

  During my Senior Internship, I plan to explore my interest in health care, particularly surgery. My goal is to gain experience in clinical and academic settings, while learning from experts in the medical field. I aim to develop the skills and experience that will serve me well years down the line. This early exposure will help me to build a strong foundation for my future career in surgery.
  
  

  In order to experience more diversity with health care settings I have chosen to split my internship hours between Englewood Orthopedic and the Hackensack Meridian Health Network.
  
  

  At Englewood, I shadow and assist Dr. Asit Shah, MD PhD, Chief of Orthopedics. On most Mondays, I shadow Dr. Shah in the operating room. There, I learn about sterile procedures and proper charting practices. I will work with him on joint replacements. Often, I collect bone fragments, sort them, and place them into specimens before being sent off to pathology. 
  
  

  Most Tuesdays, I will be with Dr Shah at his practice in Englewood Cliffs, where we see well over 40 - 50 patients per day. Some of these are for pre-op consultations and post-operative follow-up, and others are for an in-office procedure. In addition to learning human anatomy and physiology when reviewing images and tests, I have a few roles in patient care including handling patient forms/handouts, collecting preoperative MRSA cultures,  and assisting with injection procedures. 

  
  For the rest of the week, I will be at Hackensack University Medical Center working with the Trauma Surgical Critical Care and Injury Prevention division. While at Englewood I have the pleasure of interacting with patients during their treatment, I am more behind the scenes at Hackensack, observing the ins and outs of a hospital system and collaborating on various research projects. 
  
  

  Most mornings, I attend rounds in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU). During SICU rounds, I observe how the care team (Attending Physician, Residents, PA-C, RN, etc.) discuss each patient's history and current status as well as adjustments to their treatment. So far, I have been warmly welcomed, and the providers seem glad that I am eager to learn. 
  
  

  After rounds, I head to the division office, where I work with Trauma Operations Manager Sarah Monchar, PA-C. Typically, she asks me to attend hospital leadership meetings with her. The topics tend to range from patient satisfaction scores to major safety issues. 
  
  

  Later in the afternoon, I work on research projects related to critical care and injury prevention. I have enjoyed working on several of these in the past two weeks. Some of my contributions include: designing posters for scholarly articles presented at conferences, establishing official protocol for patients who received contaminated blood products, and beginning a literature review on paediatric radiation exposure, collaborating with physicians, residents, and medical students on research initiatives. Looking towards the future, I have been asked to co-teach Stop the Bleed classes at local Bergen County High Schools and Community Centers. So far I have learned a lot and I look forward to the rest of the spring.

• February 28 - Joshua Shalumov

  My internship is at EJ’s Place, a pizza and Italian restaurant in Teaneck, New Jersey. This is not a new place for me—I’ve been working here for about two and a half years—but this experience is different. Instead of just showing up for work, I’m now looking at things from a learning perspective. I’m transitioning from being a clerk to someone who’s actually learning how to cook. This means I’m not just doing what I already know, but paying attention to new details, new skills, and new responsibilities.
  
  At EJ’s Place, my responsibilities are varied. Some days, I might be handling inventory, making sure we have everything we need for the day. Other times, I’m preparing food, whether it’s putting together salads, cooking fries, or making pizzas. Cleaning is also part of the job, but that’s expected in any kitchen. Since this is a restaurant, everything needs to be done efficiently, and everyone has to work as a team to keep things running smoothly. I’ve always understood that from a worker’s perspective, but now I’m seeing it from a kitchen management perspective, which is new to me.
  
  The reason I wanted to intern here is simple: I already have experience here, and I wanted to build on that. A lot of people start internships at places they’ve never worked before, but I liked the idea of improving my skills in a familiar environment. It’s easier to focus on learning when I don’t have to get used to a whole new place or a new team. I already know how things run at EJ’s, so now I can spend my time figuring out how to improve what I do rather than just learning the basics.
  
  Even though I already knew what to expect, this experience has still been a shift for me. When you work a job, you just do the tasks you’re given. But now, I have to look deeper at what I’m doing—why certain things are done a certain way, how ingredients are prepared, how the kitchen is organized. I’m starting to see what makes a kitchen efficient, and I’m realizing that cooking is more than just knowing how to make food. Timing, preparation, and organization all play a huge role in running a restaurant.
  
  One thing I want to accomplish by the end of this internship is to become more skilled as a cook. Right now, I know how to handle different food items, but I want to be more confident in technique and execution. Whether it’s making pizza dough the right way, cooking at the right temperatures, or balancing ingredients properly, I want to get better at it all. I also want to understand the business side of things—how inventory is managed, how orders are planned, and what goes into making a restaurant successful beyond just the food.
  
  So far, this internship has aligned with my expectations. I already knew what the job was like, and I knew what I wanted to get out of it. The biggest difference is how I approach it now. Instead of just working, I’m learning, and that shift in mindset has made a big difference. By the end of this, I hope to be a better cook, a more efficient worker, and someone who understands how a restaurant really functions behind the scenes.