This is a guest blog written by Nicole Francis, senior at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and Psychology major. She has recently completed a summer internship at Meridian Health Group, which is a chronic pain management facility in Carmel, Indiana.
Meridian Health Group focuses on providing various treatment options for people suffering from a variety of chronic conditions, recognizing that there is a mental component to pain and suffering. The mission at Meridian Health Group is to improve the quality of life by reducing physical and emotional suffering.
The majority of the psychology interns are doctoral students. Doctoral interns provide individual counseling and group therapy. A few of the interns facilitate a free weekly chronic pain management group. The lead psychologist, Dr. Ari Dean Gleckman has been my supervisor at Meridian Health Group for the last three months.
During the first week of my internship I collaborated with one of the doctoral interns from Indiana University to gather data for his research dissertation. This required us to sit in the lobby of Meridian Health Group and ask patients who were being treated for chronic pain if they were interested in filling out a packet that was full of various statements related to their chronic pain. Based on the Likert scales given within the packet, the patients were to determine how accurate the statements were. The dissertation was looking at chronic pain and self-compassion. I learned throughout this process how complex the dissertation process can be.
After I completed gathering all of the data needed with the doctoral intern, I was then sent to shadow a couple of the different providers at Meridian Health Group to better understand how this facility functions and the different services offered. I initially shadowed Jackie Rowles who is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
I also spent some time shadowing with as well as being a patient of the Occupational Therapist (OTR), Teresa Hall, who educates patients suffering from chronic pain about proper body mechanics.
I spent some time in special services with Lori Kemplay (RN) and her assistant Tiffany (RN). Special services administer IVs for patients with chronic pain.
Spending time observing the Katina McKain (NP) also helped me to learn about different types of medications and how they can affect people differently. The majority of the patients I observed coming to see McKain were getting prescription refills and following up. She would have the patients explain to me why they were here and what medications they were taking.
Overall, I am above and beyond thankful for this opportunity to have experienced what it is like to work in the mental health field, as well as opportunity to network and expand my professional skills. I now understand why it is critical to have these internship experiences prior to continuing education or heading into a career path. I have been able to establish relationships with not only professionals, but real people with real physical and mental health issues. I can now take what I have learned and apply this knowledge to my education/training and future endeavors.
