For my internship, I am working in the healthcare technology and medical research industry. More specifically, I am interning at the Medical Imaging Informatics Laboratory (MediSC) within Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH). The lab focuses on combining healthcare with technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR), including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Researchers at MediSC develop technologies that can improve patient care, medical education, diagnosis, treatment planning, and other healthcare experiences.
After my first week, one thing that has stood out to me is just how interdisciplinary the field is. On any project, there might be doctors, researchers, engineers, designers, and data scientists all contributing different perspectives. Healthcare problems are usually too complicated for one person or one area to solve alone, so collaboration is a huge part of the work.
Key Skills and Strengths
Being in the lab every day has made me realize that you can’t just have technical skills. Of course having knowledge of AI, programming, medical imaging, or XR technologies is important, but just having those skills is not enough to succeed in this industry. Problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability are some of the most important strengths. Technology in healthcare is always evolving, especially with the rapid growth of AI and XR tools, so researchers need to be willing to learn new technologies to improve their work.
Communication is another important skill. Since people from so many different backgrounds are working together, researchers frequently need to explain technical concepts to healthcare professionals who might not have a technology background. At the same time, doctors and medical experts need to express their needs and challenges to engineers and developers. Being able to communicate between both sides can make a huge difference in whether a project is successful. Watching these conversations happen has shown me how important it is to be open to different perspectives and learn from the people around you.
Working in South Korea
One thing I’ve been paying close attention to during my internship is how workplace culture in South Korea compares to what I’m familiar with in the United States. Even after only a week, I’ve noticed how much value is placed on professionalism, teamwork, and consideration for others. Everyone in the lab has been incredibly welcoming, but meetings and workplace interactions are very organized and deliberate. People are respectful of each other’s time and there seems to be a strong emphasis on maintaining positive working relationships. It has been interesting to see these differences firsthand rather than just reading about them before arriving.
Another competency that feels especially important here is cultural awareness and adaptability. Even though English is used in some research settings, there are still language and cultural differences that require patience and flexibility. Some of the work I am doing requires me to think past direct translation and think about how a Korean patient might interact with technology differently than an American patient. As someone with only beginner-level Korean skills, I’ve also learned the importance of paying attention to context, asking questions when I’m unsure, and being open to different ways of working. These skills have helped me navigate situations where communication might not always be straightforward.
The Weeks to Come
One part of MediSC that I find interesting is its ability to connect research with real healthcare needs. Because the lab is located within Seoul National University Hospital, researchers have opportunities to collaborate directly with medical professionals and develop technologies that can eventually be used in healthcare settings. This connection allows their research to be focused on real-world problems instead of just theoretical ideas.
After just my first week, I’ve learned that success in this industry requires much more than technical knowledge. One thing I’ve learned already is that no one can do this kind of work alone. The best ideas seem to come from people with different backgrounds working together and learning from each other. I’m excited to keep developing those skills and see what else I can learn over the next few weeks.
