This Is Not Going At All Like I Anticipated...

If you've been reading this blog lately, you know that I have recently taken up another task - one that I love - the role of Internship Director. My intern is starting her third week with us this week, and nothing has gone like I planned. Now, from the get-go, let me tell you that none of this has anything to do with the intern. She's been doing exactly what she's been told and seems to be taking things in stride.

Nope. Everything that is going on is on my end. Would you like the rundown?


I was fortunate to get her into the three day behavior management training during her first week. I perused the calendar very carefully and sent her to the place indicated on the training calendar. They had moved the training to a completely different location. The training calendar did not have the correct times listed on it for the training that she was supposed to have. We ended up working several hours extra because the trainers said, and I quote, "Well, we don't really follow the schedule. We just put everything in all together."

AARRRAGGGGGHHHHH! For a schedule fiend like me, this was very frustrating!

Then I met with the trainers to try to determine exactly what I need interns to attend and do and what we can skip. They want my interns to be in training for about a month, on and off. I refused. There is no reason why a volunteer to the music therapy department should have to sit through things like "Time Cards." Most of what happens in the new EMPLOYEE training does not have anything to do with VOLUNTEERS! The training department does not seem to understand that situation. My intern does have to go back for some additional training this week, but that's it! I'm done!!

I am currently in the throes of a rough allergy attack. Last week, the primary difficulty was asthma. This week, things seem to have manifested in laryngitis. It is difficult to sing with either of those health considerations, and now my intern has to observe me doing things that do not include much singing for the second week in a row. Ugh.

I am trying my best to do what I know that interns need during their orientation periods. After all, I used to teach others about all this!! At the same time, I am also trying to find my footing again after a three year hiatus from this part of the job. I know I will be much more organized when the next intern arrives in September, but I have to figure out what is going on right now.

At the bottom of all this is a certain amount of shame. I am ashamed that I didn't know where to send my intern - I checked and double-checked and was not included in emails about schedule changes - even though the miscommunication was not on my end. I am going to have to be more proactive with the training staff members as well as with my own training schedule. After all, the trainers at work have NOTHING to do with being a music therapy internship trainer. I will spend some time today consolidating my training topics and discussions about things relevant to being a health care provider as well as being a music therapist.

There is just so much to do and only so many hours in the day. 

Maybe I should make a new graphic for my posts about being an internship director...hmmm. Put it in the book! Time to get going on the rest of my morning routine!!

Happy Monday.