Amelia Thorn

This past summer, I was a supply chain intern at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. I had never been to Chicago prior to this, and it was the first time I lived in a major city. At my internship, I worked with sourcing, logistics, distribution, and vendors of the hospital system. I didn’t have a ‘regular’ schedule and my days varied from office work, to vendor meetings, to setting up a new surgery center, and even viewing surgeries. 

Since I had never lived in a large city like Chicago before, and I didn’t realize how different living in a skyscraper or the mentality of city living would be. The experience opened my eyes to the conveniences but also the downsides of city life. Additionally, while working at a hospital, it opened my eyes to the world of healthcare which I didn’t have experience in before. It was very gratifying to be in a work environment where you can see the impact you’re making and how you can touch people’s lives. 

This internship made me realize that the connection point between my three majors is supply chain. I love the work and would like to pursue a future in the supply chain industry, and I would not have had these experiences without the help of the internship grant as it afforded me the opportunity to keep up with the high costs of city living.