This week was very intense compared to the rest as we got to do a little bit of everything in a relatively short amount of time.
On Monday we attended a Sampling Plan & Validation training which really helped understand the way processes are guaranteed to do what they are supposed to within manufacturing lines. We got a glimpse of how Minitab is used to calculate many different aspects that determine different aspects of validation plans. This was all very new to me but I believe I got the hang of it so far (we were even tested on it!). Training sessions are a lot more concrete than simply reading documents which tell you about it so I am thankful for this learning opportunity. Since this training was done in the Coyol site, we got to see the contrast in size and complexity compared to the Heredia site.
The rest of the work week at BSC consisted in more of my process characterization project but we also had to tend to a pressing request from our peers. We had to help them meet a deadline regarding some technology assessments; I was very glad to help as it is something I was familiar with from my training as an electromedical engineer. Even if the main purpose of the internship is to learn as much as we can, sometimes it is refreshing to help with things you already feel more comfortable with. For that assignment I had to consult dozens of documents in the database, do some research and, best of all, I got to run through all -and I mean *all*- the production lines in a single afternoon just looking at equipment and their respective processes. I am glad we managed to help the other engineers within such a short notice. Sometime in all that working frenzy, I accidentally dropped my keys in a meeting room but I was impressed how easily I got them back from the security department!
One other thing we did this week was visit the Viña Christian Community Center at Bajo de los Anonos, Escazu where we met up with Giancarlo and George from the CWB Foundation. We picked up Carolina, a GP who donates part of her time to help children without access to much healthcare, on our way to Anonos. I enjoyed working all morning to help mostly single mothers and their children; even if I don’t have proper medical training, I helped organize the time table, record-keeping and basic pharmaceutical inventory. I figured that before determining what was needed, we had to organize what was already available. I also had Jean Carlos drive me to my family’s office to get a few face-masks mostly due to my personal concerns that the patients might catch something by just being in the waiting room, especially with the ongoing respiratory virus alert emitted by the National Children’s Hospital.
We were toured around the neighborhood (with due precautionary measures) which always serves as a reminder on how much need for social intervention these places have. This one in particular is of a lot of interest to me since my grandmother helped this same neighborhood a few years back, and the fact that it is so close to where I used to work and where I live makes it even more accessible for any future help I can provide.
Another week has gone by and we are already halfway through the internship. We have the upcoming GMI short course which in my case I feel very excited about! I already took the same course last year (which is mostly why I applied to the program) so I get to see what changes have been made and I get to review everything from a different perspective as a Rice student. I think the only thing I am not really looking forward to is all the traffic we might encounter on the way to San Pedro and back, but if I did it for almost five years I am sure I can cope for a single week – definitely worth it!