On Monday, November 25th, Aman Dhruve, Jonathan deMontagnac, Nicholas Carnevale and I, Kyle Roethlin, spent the day shadowing nurses and doctors at Overlook Medical Center in Summit. This event, hosted by the hospital three times a year, gives high school students in the surrounding area the opportunity to learn more about a field of interest within the hospital. Topics range from general nursing to pharmacy and more. 

I was supposed to spend my day in the pharmacy section of the hospital. However, there were no available pharmacists for me to shadow. As a result, I ended up going to the Cath Lab with Jonathan deMontagnac. Although this wasn’t my preferred option, I’m very glad I was able to experience this department instead. At the Cath Lab, we were able to witness multiple procedures take place from the observational room on a very busy day for the Overlook team. The lab focuses on electrocardiology, or the heart’s electrical system, and thus, many of the procedures taking place related to electrocardiology. We were able to see multiple patients receive loop monitors, a device that tracks irregularities in the heart rhythm and reports them to the doctor. We were also able to witness a doctor use a device that passed through the femoral artery in the leg to measure the pressure in each of the 4 heart chambers. All the while, nurses present in the observational room were recording what was occurring for each procedure and explaining the function of the heart’s electrical system in depth. Jon and I learned the different parts of the heart, how the heart beats, problems that may arise due to electrical malfunction, and more. After a fascinating two and a half hours, it was time to leave the team at the Cath lab to do their job.

In all, my time at Overlook was fascinating. Although I did not get to visit my intended department, I was grateful for the experience I had. The events I witnessed and the things I learned were truly fascinating. The team at the Cath Lab worked very well together and helped to improve the lives of many people in the short time I was there. I hope to start my own career in medicine one day in order to help others feel better and live longer lives.