Name: Jennifer Montooth

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Maryland Psychiatric Research Institute Peer Review Program | Title of Your Position: Research Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s): History, Political Science

Expected Graduation Year: December 2015

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

The Peer Review Program helps low-income families in inner city Baltimore receive medication for their children with Schizophrenia. The researchers help make sure the children are efficiently getting the proper amount of medication. When I assist the researchers, I help them organize and file all of the patients' information in alphabetical order and send out their charts to the proper offices and hospitals to ensure that every patient gets the proper care.

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

I found my internship through UMBCWorks and was enthralled in the idea. Once I submitted my resume, I had a phone interview with the supervisor. She was curious as to why a history and political science major would want to help a psychiatric program. I explained to her, however, that I was very interested in pursuing a Public Policy degree once I graduate, and am very interested in learning about successful programs such as the Peer Review Program. I also told her about my research paper from a previous semester regarding the lack of mental health funding and assistance in Baltimore City prisons, and how it would help the city in several ways if inmates got proper treatments for their disorders. My excitement about the program and learning about mental health helped me get the internship almost on the spot.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?

UMBCworks

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

I love the people in the program, they're all very passionate about what they do, and it feels motivating to be around them. I learn more each day about all of the processes and steps it takes to keep the program running and proving their efficiency in order to continue receiving funding. Once a week I also get to meet with a doctor and a group of Schizophrenia patients at one of their education sessions, where the patients learn more about their disorder. I had never encountered anyone with Schizophrenia before, so it's been amazing to interact with the patients and learn more from the doctors.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would advise them to think outside of the box, and think towards the future. This internship is a little far off from my major, but it keeps me constantly learning, which makes every day a new experience. I did a research paper that got me motivated to help mental health programs a year ago, and wanted to get more involved, but had no idea how. I feel like I have more understanding of what I want to do once I graduate thanks to this internship.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

Everyone involved in helping me receive credit for this internship, including Jeremiah Sawyer and my professor Michele Wolff, have been nothing but encouraging and helpful the whole time, which makes this experience all the better.

Like this story on Facebook or FAV/RT on Twitter!

Like the Career Center on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

#UMBCintern