As winter arrives, it’s a good moment to reflect on the incredible learning and growth fostered during this summer’s Margaret Page Program at Sutter’s California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
The summer internship provides hands-on experience for students pursuing careers in healthcare, offering opportunities to shadow Sutter clinicians, contribute to leading-edge research and observe Sutter’s high-quality care firsthand. During the program, 6-15 interns split time between a monitored case study presentation and clinical observations in numerous specialties.
Victoria Bennington and friend smile for a photo
Victoria Bennington, a former intern with the program in her final year of medical school at Cambridge University, shares how the program shaped her clinical skills, aspirations in medicine and perspectives as a Margaret Page Scholarship recipient.
Q: What experiences during this summer’s internship made you feel most supported in your learning and growth?
A: Being mentored 1:1 made me feel exceptionally supported. Dr. Jennifer Guy, a transplant hepatologist and gastroenterologist at CPMC, was my mentor and she was incredibly generous with her time. She facilitated projects in my areas of interest and helped me be strategic in setting and achieving my goals.
Q: How did working alongside physicians and care teams shape your view of what it means to serve patients in our communities?
A: The word that stood out most to me while working with these teams was dedication. I was struck by the consistent care, effort and intentionality I witnessed. It inspired me to find my own path to dedicating my career to public health.
Q: Was there a moment when you felt proud to be part of the care or research happening at CPMC?
A: I was consistently proud to be part of the teams at Sutter’s CPMC. The professionalism and quality of care and research set the standard for what I will now seek in choosing institutions to train and practice at.
Q: How did the Margaret Page program help you see the role future physicians can play in meeting community healthcare needs?
A: The program introduced me to many physicians across a range of specialties, giving me the chance to identify the attributes I want to carry forward in meeting the needs of patients.
Q: What skills or experiences did you gain during the program that will shape your future in medicine?
A: I strengthened my communication, research, teamwork and programming skills while gaining exposure to many specialties and a deeper understanding of how healthcare systems operate. I also had the chance to see innovation and collaboration in action, whether in surgeries and procedures, the research I helped conduct, or during rounds and multidisciplinary team meetings. These experiences raised my expectations for the kind of institutions I hope to be part of. Most importantly, the program showed me how clinical research can improve care and introduced me to Interventional Radiology, a specialty I’m now passionate about and intend to pursue.
For more on Sutter Health graduate medical education, visit the website.
