Fisher Students Shadow Health Care Professionals at RRH

Five St. John Fisher University students engaged in a shadowing experience at Rochester Regional Health’s Sands Constellation Heart Institute through their involvement in the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP).

The students shadowed nurses, physicians’ assistants, and medical doctors who guided them through the day-to-day operations of a unit specializing in advanced heart care.

For Alana Crittenden, the shadowing experience included patient rounds and observing how doctors interact with patients in delivering post-surgical care. She also engaged in discussions with doctors and health care team members while visiting different units at RRH.

Tiara Rush was also among the students who participated in the experience. She said the day was more robust than she initially thought it would be, offering good insight into the health care profession.

“I was there from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and I got to do rounds with one of the attendings in the cardiac unit. I also talked with some of the residents about what they usually do on a day-to-day basis,” she explained.

Student Leigha Premo agreed, adding that she joined staff meetings and learned how patient care decisions are made by the health care team.

“Being able to have an inside perspective of what happens during appointments with patients and what happens behind the scenes was incredibly insightful and solidified my plans for pursuing a career in health care after my undergraduate education,” Premo said. “I was able to see the documentation, meetings, and collaboration between co-workers that occurs behind the scenes to guarantee patient satisfaction.”