Employer Spotlight: Elizabeth Shelley, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Today's blog post is an employer spotlight on: Elizabeth Shelley, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

What was your major and/or first internship when you were in college?

My major was Labor Studies and Employee Relations. My first internship when I was in college was with Deloitte & Touche. There I worked with the Director of Employee Relations.

What role do you hold in the organization?

I am currently the College Recruitment Coordinator at MSKCC. 

How long have you worked in your current role?

I have worked as the College Recruitment Coordinator for 2 years but have been with my organization for a total of 4 years. 

Can you briefly describe what your organization does?

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, established in 1884, is the world’s oldest and largest private institution devoted to prevention, patient care, research and education in cancer. Throughout our long history, MSKCC has set the standard of care for people with cancer. 

What kind of opportunities does your organization have for our students (internships, full-time jobs, networking opportunities, events, etc.)?

We have several full-time job opportunities for liberal arts new grads interested in healthcare or those interested in pursuing research.

·         Session Assistant: acts as a liaison between the patient, family, and the clinical team during office visits. Responsibilities include orienting patients and families to Ambulatory Care, assisting with patient flow between the waiting and clinical areas, and ensuring that medical records are available to complete prior to the office visit.  These positions are on a healthcare management track. Open to liberal arts background with an interest in healthcare.

·         Physician Office Assistant: acts as a liaison between the patient and clinical team on a daily basis but less face-to face contact and instead over the phone. Responsibilities include screening patient calls, scheduling patient tests and appointments and handling all administrative functions associated with the practice. Open to liberal arts background with an interest in healthcare.

·         Research Study Assistant: An important function at MSKCC is the acquisition and analysis of data related to therapeutic and/or diagnostic protocols. The RSA is actively involved in the review of patient histories, the collection and computerization of information, and the development of reports. As a member of a multi-disciplinary research team made up of Physicians, Nurses, and Clinical Support staff, you will contribute to the development of standards of excellence in cancer treatments. Open to liberal arts background with an interest in healthcare.

·         Research Technician: The Sloan-Kettering Institute (SKI) is the state-of-the-art laboratory research facility at MSKCC. The research staff provides support to the laboratory in the completion of the assigned experiments. These roles vary based on the lab that a Research Technician would be based in. Open to students with a BA/BS in Natural or Biological sciences with previous lab experience

For a listing of our complete full-time opportunities, please visit www.mskcc.org/jobs.

We also have a formal internship program for our science students and students interested in Healthcare.

·         Summer Support: As a Session Assistant or Physician Office Assistant at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center over the summer, you will act as resource to patients and a liaison between the patient and the clinical team and work alongside full-time Session Assistants and Physician Office Assistants. This position requires attention to detail and strong computer skills, excellent communication and customer services, an interest in healthcare/hospital administration and the ability to work in a team. Applications are found on-line in January.

·         SURP (Summer Undergraduate Research Program): This ten-week research program is designed for approximately 20 outstanding undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in biomedically related sciences. Students in the program have the opportunity to obtain hands on research experiences in cutting edge laboratories, interact with faculty, postdocs and students, and present their research at a special poster session at the end of the ten-week program. Information about the program and applying can be found at:  http://www.sloankettering.edu/gerstner/html/54516.cfm

When is the best time for our students to look for these opportunities?

The entry level positions above are recruited for year round. If you are graduating in May, the best time would be to apply in March or April. If you are a December grad, you can apply in November. Alumni are encouraged to apply today!

For our internship opportunities, we suggest that you contact us in December or January regarding any questions and application processes. 

What do you typically look for from our students?

Each position is requires a different skill set, however we look for candidates who have strong computer skills, excellent communication, ability to work in a team, and a strong passion for our overall mission which is the progressive control and cure of cancer through patient care, research, and education. 

What advice do you have for our students to be successful?

It is important for students to take advantage of all the opportunities that are offered. Utilize your career services as they are often the first to hear about job and internship opportunities. If you are unable to find a job or internship, volunteer in an area that aligns with your career goals. Create a LinkedIn profile and follow the organizations that interest you on their career pages. Also, once you have landed a position, work hard and always go above and beyond your job description.

Is there anything else you might like to include (LinkedIn web address, organization’s: website, blog, twitter account, facebook page, etc.) 

You can follow us on our LinkedIn Careers Page and find more about us on our website: www.mskcc.org and see a listing of all our job openings at www.mskcc.org/jobs. 

Do you find these topics interesting? Have you ever thought about writing a blog? If so, join our team! Please send any interests, inquiries, or articles to Cassie Sklarz at sklarz@fordham.edu. We'd love to hear from you!