This page is no longer being updated and remains online for informational and historical purposes only. The information is accurate as of the last page update.
For questions about page contents, contact the Communications Division.
Three upcoming seniors spent their summer break learning about the academic and clinical aspects of health care in an internship with renowned surgeon David Albala ’78, professor of urology and head of minimally invasive surgery at Duke University Medical Center.
The students are Keith O’Brien ’03, a neuroscience major from Staten Island, N.Y.; Marquis Scholar Jill Krapf ’03, a behavioral neuroscience major from Downingtown, Pa.; and Shelley Jazowski ’03, a biology major from Middletown, N.J.
From the first week of June through mid-August, they observed clinic sessions and cutting-edge surgery, performed their own surgery in the laboratory, helped residents with their lab experiments, and assisted researchers with papers being prepared for publication in academic journals, among other responsibilities.
The students established patient databases that will be used to write articles about urology for medical journals. For this work, they searched through patients’ medical charts, identified relevant surgical and procedural information, and entered the information into a database.
The interns said they learned a great deal by spending time with Albala and his residents and fellows, including other leading physicians in the fields of pediatric urology and pediatric neuro-oncology. After researching patient charts in the procedures of hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy and retropubic and perineal prosatatectomy, the students witnessed the procedures in the operating room.
“We observed three hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomies, a minimally invasive surgical approach to removing diseased kidneys,” says Krapf. “In addition, we observed a radical retropubic prostatectomy and a radical perineal prostatectomy, two surgical approaches to removing cancerous prostates. We also shadowed Dr. John Weiner, a pediatric urologist, in the operating room. In the urology clinic, we shadowed Dr. Albala, observing his interaction with the patients and viewing a cystoscopy, which is a procedure where the doctor inserts a camera into the bladder to look for abnormalities or disease.”
Watching one of the largest tumors (of the kidney) removed laparoscopically was a high moment of the internship, says Jazowski. “Not only were we talked through the process, but we also got to observe the dissection and measurement of the specimen.”
For all three students, a major highlight was attending Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Nephrectomy, a course in endourology presented by Albala and his fellows that was taken by urologists from throughout the country. The class provided certification for doctors seeking to integrate laparoscopic surgery into their own hospitals and practices. Albala pioneered the highly effective procedure for removing kidneys affected by cancer or stones and has traveled around the world to teach it to other physicians.
“In addition to attending lectures, we had the opportunity to operate on a pig using the latest technology in laparoscopic surgery,” says Krapf. “This was such an amazing experience; we could actually apply the knowledge that we gained from reading patients’ operative reports and observing surgery that Dr. Albala performed on patients to do a hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy on a pig. A resident assisted us with the surgery and also pointed out the differences between the anatomy of the pig and that of a human.”
“Each student was able to stick their hand in the pig through the gelport while also getting the opportunity to operate and control the camera within the abdomen,” notes Jazowski. “This was very exciting, for we got to do the procedure that we had seen, read, and researched. It was a definite hands-on experience.”
“Getting to scrub in and use all of the instrumentation that is required with humans allowed me to have an unparalleled experience of operating on a live pig,” adds O’Brien, who spent two summers interning with Albala. “The experience allowed me to have a substantially greater respect for these operations that Dr. Albala performs in that it was very hard to master the techniques that he does so effortlessly.”
Krapf found her time with Albala and his staff to be the “most exciting and rewarding” of her internships.
“I had the opportunity to gain medical experience that has not only re-confirmed my desire to become a physician, but will aid me in my application process to medical school,” she explains. “I learned medical terms and anatomy, but even more important, I gained an understanding of academic medicine, the interactions of the doctors with each other and with the patients, and the importance of applying and conveying to others the information you learn.”
The experience gave Jazowski significant knowledge of the medical profession, she says.
“Not only do you learn the medical terminology and abbreviations, as well as steps of surgeries, but more importantly, you never lose focus on the primary objective of it all, the patient,” says Jazowski. “With the opportunity to sit in on the consultation of the patient’s family (after surgery), you’re strongly reminded that not only did the doctor remove a defective kidney or cancerous tumor, but more importantly, the surgeon saved and prolonged the life of the patient. Along with learning and absorbing this knowledge, I came away with the understanding that one of the main points and jobs of being in the medical profession is having the ability to convey and pass on your knowledge to another, which is something that Dr. Albala did for me.”
“Every day I came in to work, I could be sure that my knowledge of medicine and urology would be greatly expanded by the end of the day,” says O’Brien. “In addition to learning the terms and meanings of countless medical terms, I greatly developed my knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. Likewise, I learned how to interpret a CT scan, X Rays, patient charts, and other forms of technology used today such as the PSA test and Gleason score. Since urology is such a diverse field, my experience allowed me to learn about many different aspects of medicine, from how to treat kidney stones to the physiology of Viagra.”
Albala was extremely enthusiastic, encouraging the students to make the most of their time at Duke, adds Krapf.
“He gave us the opportunity to not only observe his work in urology, but also provided as many hands-on experiences as possible,” she says. “Dr. Albala always explained the background of the surgical case and what he was doing during the surgery. He taught us how to read CT scans, looking for tumors and other abnormalities. He even tested our knowledge of anatomy and other information we learned since we started attending surgery and other procedures.”
O’Brien also believes that Albala went “above and beyond” as a mentor to provide an “unforgettable” internship experience.
“His amiable personality coupled with his expertise and world-renowned reputation are a great combination,” notes O’Brien. “He was very approachable and willing to explain or answer any questions we had. In the same way, whether in the operating room or in the clinic, he quizzed us about how we would approach the patient as a doctor or what course of diagnosis and treatment we would suggest. On the whole, I am very happy that Dr. Albala invited us to be interns since his contribution to our interest in medicine has been unforgettable.”
“Dr. Albala’s primary strength as a mentor was that he always paid attention to us, the students, and always made sure we knew and understood all that was going on,” says Jazowski. “His enthusiasm about the world of medicine was contagious and spurred us on to learn as much as possible.”
At Lafayette, Krapf has found Wendy Hill, William C. ’67 and Pamela H. Rappolt Professor of Neuroscience and department head, to be “extremely helpful” in guiding her. She has worked with Hill, her academic and honors thesis adviser, as a psychology lab assistant for the past two semesters and will continue this fall. She also credits Charles Holliday, professor of biology, for being “a great motivator.”
“Lafayette College has given me the opportunity to participate in research, teaching assistant positions, and internship opportunities that may not have been possible at other institutions,” says Krapf, who is minoring in healthcare and society. “I also think that Lafayette’s neuroscience program is excellent and its growing popularity over the past couple years represents the strength and importance of this field of science. Also, from my experiences, the alumni of Lafayette are very enthusiastic and eager to help current Lafayette students.”
O’Brien is grateful to the neuroscience department for helping him pursue his interests in medicine and science.
“Most notably, I have enjoyed classes and guidance from Dr. Wendy Hill and Dr. Elaine Reynolds, who are two of my favorite professors,” he says. “Outside the scientific community, I am indebted to Professor Jack Truten in the English department. Since taking freshman year writing with Professor Truten, he has remained one of the most intriguing professors and closest friends that I have made at Lafayette College.”
“From my time at Duke University, I have come to value the strengths of an education at a small liberal arts school,” adds O’Brien. “I believe Lafayette’s strength is the community of students and teachers that represent the best approach to learning through small class size and rigorous educational ideals. Likewise, I would suggest that our close alumni involvement makes Lafayette a standout from other schools in that our alumni care so much about the value of the undergraduate experience. In the same way, my experiences with Dr. Albala over the last two years have shown me that alumni are actively involved with the school.”
For Jazowski, the entire biology department has played a part in guiding and preparing her for the future.
“All of the professors in the department have been very helpful and successful in presenting various fields of knowledge and information in the numerous areas of biology,” she says. “Also, their willingness to answer questions and meet with students plays a large part in their role as teachers.
“The strengths of Lafayette College lie mainly in the small class and lab sizes, which allow the student to not be lost in the huge crowd of a larger class setting. The mood and atmosphere set by the professors contribute to the learning environment.”
O’Brien has served an internship with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Manhattan, N.Y. His extra-curricular activities include volunteering in the emergency room of Easton Hospital, tutoring biology students, and membership in Lafayette Society for Neuroscience and Kappa Delta Rho fraternity. He will conduct neuroscience research with Reynolds this school year. He also plans on establishing a program in the Easton community to provide prenatal care in conjunction with Easton Hospital.
Named to the Dean’s List every semester, Krapf is a member of Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology; secretary of Lafayette Society for Neuroscience; vice president of mental advancement for Pi Beta Phi sorority; and a tutor for Northampton County Prison through Lafayette’s Landis Community Outreach Center. She took a three-week Lafayette January interim session course in Kenya and Tanzania.
In addition to serving a summer-long internship at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital in Cape May Courthouse, N.J., Krapf has shadowed alumni in externships at the Arrhythmia Clinic of Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. and at University Community Hospital in Tampa, Fla.
Jazowski volunteers with physically and mentally handicapped adults. She has been a tutor and will be a biology teaching assistant this school year.
Marquis Scholar Jill Krapf ’03 examined chicks’ behavior and physiology in senior honors research with Wendy L. Hill, Rappolt Professor in Neuroscience.