​​​​Josh deGuzman

1. Review your goals and objectives for your internship and assess your internship sites as it provided a setting for achieving those goals and objectives.

At the beginning of the internship, my preceptor and I set goals for me to accomplish throughout the work experience. The learning goals included a health assessment, health planning, implementation, intervention evaluation, and affective goal.  The objectives I made in order to attain these goals ranged from observing procedures and practicing techniques to researching information and discussing work with the personnel. I had a great experience interning with the Greenville Health System (GHS). I worked primarily in the morgue at Greenville Memorial Hospital. The Greenville Memorial Medical Campus was an excellent internship site for enhancing my learning, as it is also a teaching hospital.

 

2. Explain and show how you achieved the goals you set.

Health Assessment Goal

By the end of my fieldwork experience, I will be able to effectively remove a brain from a person’s skull with minimal error.

 

• I observed the forensic autopsy technician remove a brain.

• I learned the procedure and tips from the forensic pathology assistant.

• I became more comfortable using tools such as the scalpel and electric saw.

• I practiced and repeated the process to continually make improvements.

• I gained more confidence in my abilities with experience.

 

Health Planning Goal

By the end of my fieldwork experience, I will be able to create a plan for conducting an autopsy efficiently.

 

• I observed the daily routines of all the staff involved.

• I evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the post mortem examination.

• I discussed the preferences each person has in performing the autopsy.

• I organized all of the duties and responsibilities of each staff member for the procedure.

• I reviewed the goals and interests of an effective post mortem examination.

 

 

Implementation Goal

By the end of my fieldwork experience, I will be able to describe organs of the human body and the diseases associated with them.

 

• I examined both healthy organs and diseased ones directly from the body and also viewing the histology under the microscope.

• I touched and held the organs to feel their structure and weight.

• I learned the anatomy and physiology of the organs and how certain diseases affect them from the forensic pathologist.

• I asked the forensic pathologist questions about the organs and diseases relating to the causes of death.

• I researched organs and diseases and creating project presentations about them.

 

Intervention Evaluation Goal

By the end of my fieldwork experience, I will be able to describe how the medical examiner evaluates each case to determine the cause of death.

 

• I observed the forensic pathologist’s external examination process.

• I viewed the methods and materials used to collect information.

• I noted how the medical examiner incorporates additional information about the case from the coroner.

• I examined the forensic pathologist make cross sectional dissections of the organs in search of disease.

• I discussed with the medical examiner the thought process involved to come to a conclusive cause of death.

 

Affective Goal

By the end of my fieldwork experience, I will be able to articulate how I feel about pursing a career or further graduate studies in forensic pathology.

 

• I interviewed my preceptor and additional staff to discuss their roles and responsibilities.

• I observed the daily operations at the morgue and medical examiner’s/coroner’s office.

• I discussed the pros and cons of the profession with the forensic pathologist and asking why he chose this field.

• I reviewed the qualifications, academic requirements, and training required for this career.

• I reflected on my own skills, interests, and goals to see how well they complement those of forensic pathology.

 

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3. Choose one project/assignment and describe it as follows:

• How well do you think you accomplished the project or dealt with the experience(s)?

I believe that I did well with my project assigned by my preceptor, Dr. Fulcher. He gave me a research project relating to an autopsy case that he conducted in which a man died of pneumonia. Days after completing the autopsy, the insurance company contacted Dr. Fulcher and asked him if a large amount of exposure to a fire extinguisher 4 months prior to the man’s death was related to his passing. Dr. Fulcher had me research different topics relating to fire extinguishers. I was able to provide him with a specific case study of some incidents of exposure to fire extinguisher chemicals, which he used in his analysis for the insurance company.

 

• What skills did you use?

The majority of the work I did on this project was research. I researched everything about fire extinguishers from the different types of fire extinguishers and classes of fires to the certain chemicals released from each extinguisher and the possible health risks caused from exposure. I then organized all of this information into a logical sequence in creating my presentation. Lastly, I used my verbal skills when presenting my project to Dr. Fulcher and another intern to communicate my findings and research.

 

• Point out your strengths and weaknesses. What would you do differently?

The biggest strength of this project was that I was able to contribute information to Dr. Fulcher’s analysis with the case study I provided. I also thoroughly prepared for my presentation, spoke confidently and professionally, and was very knowledgeable about the information I provided. A weakness of my project was that I did not read the entire case study. This is also what I would do differently, rather than only alluding to one specific part of the case study.

 

4. Assess your contribution to the internship site.

I believe that I significantly contributed to the work in this internship. Everyday I prepared the autopsy by setting up the stock jars and cassettes, laying out the syringes and vials, and placing the knives and other tools out. During the autopsies I obtained the bodies from the cooler room, weighed and measured the height of the bodies, and helped remove clothing and medical devices. I also had a large role within the autopsies by removing the brain from the bodies. I also assisted by taking vitreous humor and blood. After completing autopsies, I maintained the cleanliness of the autopsy room by mopping the floor, rinsing off the tables with disinfectant soaps, and scrubbing the knives and tools.

 

5. Has your experience changed or reinforced your career goals? Changed or reinforced your educational goals? Could you see yourself as a professional in this field?

This internship experience has considerably reinforced my career and educational goals. I looked forward to going to work each day and enjoyed the type of work that I was doing. This whole experience has made me want to pursue a career in the medical field even more. My educational goals are to graduate from Clemson University and to attend medical school. Prior to this internship, I never considered going into forensic pathology, but after working in the pathology department I could see myself in this field. This internship has also made me become more open to other types of medicine.

 

Relate your internship experience to your academic work on campus. List at least 5 specific courses (by title, not number) either in your major or outside your major that were useful at this site.

• Human Anatomy and Physiology: This was the most practical course for this internship. Knowing the human body and all of the organs within each organ system were essential to following along during autopsies. I learned more about each organ, held them, and observed them macroscopically and microscopically.

• Human Health and Disease: This course was extremely relevant to this internship because one of the main objectives of the medical examiner’s job is to search for disease to determine the cause of death. During each autopsy, I was able to see specific diseases that the pathologist identified.

• Medical Terminology: This course was valuable in being able to communicate with the pathologists and to understand the vocabulary they used. The medical language was used for describing human anatomy, medical devices, and diseases.

• Overview of Health Care Systems: This course allowed me to understand how the forensic pathologists work within the health care system. The two medical examiners that I worked with have their own private practice together. They work alongside a coroner’s office as well as the Greenville Memorial Hospital.

• Public Speaking: I utilized aspects of this course when presenting my projects to my preceptor. This class helped me to professionally and effectively communicate my research. Communication skills were important between the pathologists and coroners when discussing the cases during autopsies.

 

7. Were there instances at your site where the health literacy training were utilized? Explain.

Health literacy was applied everyday at my internship site. However, it was not directly between a health care provider and a patient. The health literacy training was useful when the pathologists communicated the medical aspects of the autopsy to the coroners. The pathologists were able to explain how the specific diseases contributed to the cause of death in a comprehendible way. This is also seen when families of a deceased one are uncertain of how he or she died. The medical examiners clarify the cause of the death to the families in an easy way to understand, presuming they have a limited medical knowledge.