Internships

Eric Kazarian ’12

My internship at the Rothman institute focused primarily on the clinical study of ­infection in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Specifically, we were interested in ­identifying whether or not patients were more likely to contract infections with the use of latex-free gloves, which have been shown to demonstrate a significantly higher puncture rate than the standard latex glove. Thus, my responsibilities were to attend patient operations, ­record surgical information, and log long-term patient wellness into a patient database that I had programmed during the previous summer. This database allows us to store the patient information in a unified system which will ultimately allow us to investigate any potential correlation between glove type and infection rates. Given the nature of my ­responsibilities, and the incredible amount of personal contact that I had with the patients, I was able to gain a rare insight into the medical world, particularly in regards to the doctor/patient relationship. I believe these skills will serve me very well as I plan to pursue my own career in medicine.