Growing up, Bristol Finley spent a lot of time at Audubon County Memorial Hospital. Whether it was visiting family or watching her mom get her blood drawn, the hospital was always a familiar place. Now, she’s come full circle, working as an intern lab technician while earning her Biology/Medical Laboratory Science degree at Upper Iowa University. 
Finley says one of the biggest reasons she chose this career path was ACMH’s lead phlebotomist, Bridget Obermeier. Watching Obermeier work with patients made a lasting impression on her. “She made getting your blood drawn seem a lot less scary and actually kind of interesting,” Finley said. “I’ve always wanted to help people, and seeing how she cared for patients made me realize this was something I could see myself doing.”
Her journey at ACMH started during her senior year of high school when she needed an internship for class credit. Since she’d grown up around the hospital, she reached out to Human Resources to see if there were any opportunities. After finishing her first year of college, one of the lab techs she had worked with told her about an internship in the lab. Finley was intrigued and applied right away.
Today, Finley spends her days drawing blood, running lab tests, and reporting results for patient charts. While she enjoys learning the technical side of the lab, what she appreciates most is the people. “I love getting to know the patients,” she said. “In a small town like Audubon, you really get to build relationships with people. It makes it easier to help them feel comfortable.”
The internship has taught Finley more than just lab skills. She’s learned how to multitask, pay close attention to detail, and trust herself by becoming much better at talking with patients. “I used to be awful at small talk,” she laughed. “Now it’s just part of the job, and I actually enjoy it.”
Balancing school, work, and life wasn’t always easy, but with support from her supervisor, Finley found a schedule that worked. Looking back, she says the experience has made her even more confident that she’s in the right field. She plans to return to ACMH next summer while continuing school and hopes to work in a hospital laboratory after graduation.
“At ACMH, our goal with internships is to provide students with more than just a place to complete required hours. We want them to gain meaningful, hands-on experience, learn from our team, and feel like they are truly part of the healthcare family. By giving students the opportunity to build real-world skills and confidence, we hope they can explore their career interests and see the impact they can make in their community,” said Haillie Bruch, SHRM-CP, CMT, ACMH Human Resources Director.
Finley says her experience is one to recommend, “You get hands-on experience, you learn so much, and everyone here wants to help you succeed….” Now that the internship is in its final weeks for the summer, Finley takes away more than just experience, but family.
“It feels like one big family, and that’s what makes this place so special.”
Contributed by Eleanor Greving
