A baseball team is only as successful as the people in it. If you have a weak pitcher or a conceited shortstop, the rest of the team will suffer. I’m a huge baseball fan, specifically the Yankees. I played Little League, club baseball, and, of course, Fantasy Baseball. With all of this experience, I always know what to expect in baseball.
When I started my internship at TenEleven Group, I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know a lot about behavioral health and I knew even less about working in an office. Any knowledge I had on both topics came from watching shows on TV so I knew I had a lot to learn. But I figured I would get more career experience than corralling carts all summer, which was my other option.
What I Actually Did
I spent my summer with TenEleven creating a training program. Our eCR™ product can be very complicated. My first task this summer was to learn our software. After I was somewhat proficient, I spent my time creating training guides for its various functions. I would communicate with our project managers and help desk to see what issues often came up with our customers. I would then create a training guide for the issue consisting of step by step instructions and pictures. These guides were then posted to an online forum our customers have access to.
In the last few days of my internship, I held training sessions for the office. I walked everyone through the online forum created to house these guides. I also showed them how to create new guides and update current ones. This would ensure that the information was always accurate and up to date. And yes, I made a training guide for the session.
What I Learned
My two most valuable pieces of behavioral health internship advice are more related to how to be successful working in an office than behavioral health.
- Take the Time to Establish Relationships
This might be the hardest part of starting a new job. It’s scary to go into a new environment not knowing anyone and not knowing where you fit. I learned that finding something in common with another person was the easiest way to build a relationship. I formed a connection with one of my coworkers about Fantasy Baseball. Knowing that I found something in common with one person made it easier to reach out to other people as well.
- The Little Things Do Matter
I also learned the importance of the little things. Something like the way you name pictures might not seem important, but it can make your process more efficient in the long run. Taking the time to figure out that numbering your pictures in the order that you’ll need them will make it easier to insert them into a document.
Though neither of these lessons directly relate to behavioral health, they are both equally important in a clinical setting. Establishing relationships is not only important for clinicians to do with their co-workers, but also with their clients. Being able to find common ground makes it easier to form those connections. Similarly, paying attention to the little things is an important lesson for clinicians. Clinicians are so busy that having ways to make their jobs easier, like handy training guides that help them navigate their EHR, make a large difference.
Bottom of the 9th
Overall, I really enjoyed my internship with TenEleven. I was given the unique opportunity to look at behavioral health from an outside perspective. I also found a bigger similarity between baseball and business than I thought I would-their success is only as good as the people in it.
And in case you were wondering, I definitely learned more than if I had corralled carts all summer.
About Brandon
Brandon is going to be a sophomore this year at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York. He’s studying accounting and hopes to go into business. He plays club baseball and is involved in the accounting club. When asked, he said he would consider working at TenEleven after his graduation.
