HMP Orientation 2014
By: Jeralyn Westercamp
Back in yesteryear (those undergraduate years that seem
so long ago), I remember the fear and excitement as we were paraded around
campus with student ID cards swinging from our lanyards - so much to learn and
take in. This round, there was the same fear and excitement, but the HMP
staff tackled it with ease through immersive experiences and our welcoming HMP
team. We participated in team building activities, picnics, and socials
with alumni and current students. On our
third day we had the opportunity to meet and hear from senior leadership at the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. While we all heard the standard
name, hometown, and past school attended for each person, the Iowa HMP
orientation was more innovative.
We started orientation as strangers and ended as friends. As of writing this post, we have just completed our first week of graduate school classes. We are ready to accept the challenges that come with working in healthcare in thanks to the bonds between students, mentors, and the assistance of the Iowa HMP Program!
You know it's that time of year again when the Pumpkin
Spice Latte appears. Time for Orientation. It can inspire
excitement, dread, nervousness, trepidation - a potent mix of emotions for our
new beginning in the field of healthcare. It's a dynamic and
ever-changing field for HMP students. And in fact, our Orientation was
almost dynamic as our industry!
Back in yesteryear (those undergraduate years that seem
so long ago), I remember the fear and excitement as we were paraded around
campus with student ID cards swinging from our lanyards - so much to learn and
take in. This round, there was the same fear and excitement, but the HMP
staff tackled it with ease through immersive experiences and our welcoming HMP
team. We participated in team building activities, picnics, and socials
with alumni and current students. On our
third day we had the opportunity to meet and hear from senior leadership at the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. While we all heard the standard
name, hometown, and past school attended for each person, the Iowa HMP
orientation was more innovative.
While we were peppered with important information
relating to our professional and academic careers, we spent the majority of our
time on the personal level. Prior to orientation, students did not know
each other. We knew we came from a vast array of backgrounds and
places. Some of us are Iowa natives, some are from other states, and
others are from other countries. Some of us started graduate school
straight out of undergraduate college while others came from professional
careers. While it may have seemed the differences outweigh the
similarities, orientation helped prove this wrong. We learned about the
passions and excitement we all share.
Our class quickly bonded over fun activities like kickball and picnics.
We started orientation as strangers and ended as friends. As of writing this post, we have just completed our first week of graduate school classes. We are ready to accept the challenges that come with working in healthcare in thanks to the bonds between students, mentors, and the assistance of the Iowa HMP Program!
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