Mr. Petrone, one of the college counselors here at Marymount, leads Student’s Advancing in Internship, Leading and Learning, or SAILL. SAILL matches internship sights to curious students, giving them a place to grow as students and as people in the world, while exploring their passions. Over the years, SAILL has expanded to include a wide variety of internships in many fields of work.

Mr. Petrone speaks of his pride for the program and interns: “We are very proud of SAILL and our SAILLors who are involved every summer.  The program has grown from a couple of students at sites where we personally knew the mentors, to 60 students this past summer placed at a network of locations spanning the LA Metropolitan Area.  Marymount also just received a very generous gift from Margo Leonetti O’Connell ’60 to endow the program, so SAILL is here to stay.”

I interned at one of these spectacular sites this past summer: UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital – Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery. My first internship through SAILL, the format of my internship was rather informal. We met roughly every Thursday to 3D print infant hearts for doctors to practice surgeries on, and we ultimately created a video about a congenital heart condition called TOF. Although the schedule was oftentimes unpredictable, we met throughout the whole summer, and I feel more well rounded and comfortable in an office setting now. I really loved my internship, and I hope people in the following years can enjoy it like I did. The video above was made to walk parents through the congenital issue and the surgery that fixes it.

Here’s some insight from interviews with other interns this summer:

1. Which internship did you participate in?

Gabby A. ‘23: UCLA Center for Advanced Surgical and Advanced Technology (CASIT)

Joanne S. ‘23: I was a part of the Osborne Head & Neck Institute and AltaMed/CHLA

Laurel S. ‘23: I interned at Hemming Morse, LLP.

2. How often did you meet and for how long?

Gabby: 6 weeks total, 2 weeks of intense work and 2 weeks of preparation for summer camp

Joanne: For OHNI, it was 5 days a week for 3 week. For AltaMed, it was twice a week for about 1.5 months

Laurel: I worked there for four weeks, three days a week, and for four hours each day.

3. What did you do for your internship?

Gabby: I got to help put on a pre-med summer camp… I got to assist doctors with their lectures, attend lessons, and help create a fun and educational experience for all of the campers.

Joanne: For OHNI, I got to scrub in for surgeries, dissect cadavers, and do other interesting med things. For AltaMed, I worked alongside Dr. Ostrom and outpatients in peds.

Laurel: During the first two weeks of my internship, I learned foundational information about the fields they consult on; this included reading articles on basic principles, completing an Excel training, and sitting in on calls with clients. The last two weeks I worked on a case doing background research and drafting the background section of the document the firm submitted to court.

4. Did you enjoy your experience?

Gabby: Yes! I had an amazing time.

Joanne: I did enjoy my experiences! It really helped me gain insight into the medical field, and I got to experience things no one else can as a high schooler.

Laurel: I enjoyed my internship and am grateful for the opportunity to learn about fields I am interested in.

5. What surprised you?

Gabby: I was surprised by the intricate layers of people required to run a hospital like UCLA and furthermore it made me really excited for the future of medicine

Joanne: Something that surprised me in the OR room was how it wasn’t very intense and intimidating as seen in Grey’s Anatomy, but very chill and the surgeons would play Rihanna.

6. What was your favorite thing about the internship?

Gabby: My favorite thing was getting to spend time in the hospital environment, it really made me feel like I had a purpose and that the work I was doing each day actually made a positive impact on people’s lives.

Joanne: One of my favorite things about the internships were the close-knit bonds I was able to form with fellow interns and doctors!

Laurel: In addition to learning the basics of economics, finance, and accounting, I learned how to conduct myself in a professional environment.

SAILL hosted its annual dinner party this Wednesday, October 12th, where Katie B. ‘23 spoke about her experience at Dr. Sison’s Periodontics Practice and Westchester Pediatric Dentistry. Here are some great insights from Katie:

“Through the different skills that I learned and the hundreds of surgeries I have assisted on, I have not only developed an advanced knowledge of dentistry, but also insight into what a healthcare provider really is.”

 “In these situations, I can imagine my future as a dentist working to defy stigma, building connections with patients, and providing the type of care I saw modeled for me.”

Summary

SAILL saw a great summer this year, with many new sites, exciting and educational opportunities, and great insights to career interests. Gabby points out, “you get as much out of the internship as you put into it,” and it seems like we dedicated ourselves to it and got so much out of it. No matter the site, SAILL’s internships are great for gaining experience in any field of interest. It was also apparent this year that SAILL helps high school students understand the professional world, whether it be playing Rihanna in the operating room, crazy schedules, or down to business dentistry. We are looking forward to SAILL’s growth in the future. Mr. Petrone ends, “I cannot wait to see what next summer and those to follow will bring.  There is limitless potential and promise!”