My internship with the PULSE Ambassador Program has been the most valuable thing I’ve been able to utilize and learn from so far in my academic journey as a sociology major. What I’ve come to know is that PULSE is a leadership development program that basically trains people who are in various institutions to go out and invoke and create change. This internship gave me the opportunity to apply sociological theories with real world experiences. During my time with the program I observed interviews, coded themes, created a literature review and reflected on the impact and importance of leadership and collaboration. This not only expanded my understanding  of sociological theory but also helped me realize how I’ll need that in my future career of medical social work which would most likely need me to be a collaborator or leader in all aspects. 

Responsibilities

My responsibilities during my time were observing and analyzing interviews with PULSE ambassadors all over the country. Around 7-10 weeks total I spend time reading through transcripts, linking common themes and finally creating a summary table for each participant to emphasize their responses. To further explain my duties in my interview stage I sat in and used active listening skills and noted how ambassador’s came to the program and their personal opinions on things and experiences.  I then also created a literature review on Kurt Lewin’s (1976) three stage model of change in regard to applying it to the ambassadors. Each week I spend around 4-8 hours doing my responsibilities and reflecting on what I did which I believe is a testament to my commitment to this internship.

Skills 

One of the most valuable skills I developed is the ability to create a theme analysis based on qualitative data. From reading and coding the interview transcripts, I learned how to point out recurring themes and how to apply them in a sociological framework. I noted patterns like resistance, and peer learning to which I linked theories of group roles and socialization. I only got to participate in one interview but in it I learned condense but not take away insights from interviews. This would be critical in my future field of medical social work which is needed to listen to people carefully and interpret their needs and get them the service they need. Additionally to my new found research skills I also got a good grasp on time management and professional writing which I most deficiently need and am very grateful for those correctional aids. 

Takeaways

The biggest thing I’m taking away from this would be how meaningful change can be and how it is with understanding and empathy. A lot of ambassadors emphasized how they realized how they need to connect on some level with people before creating change. I also gained a deep appreciation for the emotional tolls it would take for these people in unpaid volunteer work to do these things. They are essentially sacrificing time for change that isn’t even for themselves which is so selfless. Ambassadors have a deep dedication to this in spite of the challenge that comes with it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my Internship with the Pulse Ambassador Program was not only deeply enriching but so informative for me. It allowed me to take what I learned so far in my sociology class and apply it to what I learned and interviews without me even knowing I was doing so at first. Through this experience I fully believe I am steady in my choice of profession and now with these valuable skills. I am not only grateful for Dr. Pederson’s generosity but the patience of her and Gracie with me and my learning curve with all of this.