Postgraduate internship: Gatera Fiston Kitema
Gatera Fiston Kitema shares his experiences of undertaking a postgraduate internship at the University of St Andrews.
My story – Gatera Fiston Kitema
- Course: PhD School of Medicine
- Year of study when you completed this internship: 2nd year
- Employer: University of St Andrews, School of Medicine
Why did you apply for this internship?
I applied to the EDI internship to enrich my knowledge and previous experience in equality, diversity and inclusion promotion.
Describe the application process and what you learnt from the different stages
I found application process was smooth. It included the submission of my CV through the Careers Centre within a specified time and an invitation to attend an interview which I passed.
Can you tell us more about your internship?
My internship was overseen by the EDI leads in the School of Medicine and the School of Arts and Divinity. The internship task involved the evaluation of the he belonging experiences of postgraduate students using a mixed methods study with the help of another fellow intern.
The team guided me in the process of exploring this topic through literature, workshops and meetings which allowed me to stay organized during the internship period. The internship supervisors were very kind and encouraging, and they allowed me to work flexibly which allowed me to navigate both engagements.
What did you gain from this internship?
During the internship, I developed my communication skills, adaptability and data analysis in the EDI field. Apart from this, I learnt much about EDI at the University and how to approach it in terms of research and proposing SMART changes. This combination of skills and lessons acquired will add value to my career journey after the completion of my PhD.
Would you like to share anything with students who are interested in applying?
I would highly recommend this internship! As a future intern, be ready to learn and collaborate!