This past summer, senior Helene Starkey completed an eight-week nuclear medicine internship at Spartanburg Regional.

Nuclear medicine is a branch of medicine that uses radioactive materials to diagnose and treat diseases.

Starkey said she originally applied to be an ultrasound technician but didn’t expect to be selected.

“I said I wanted ultrasound, but I didn’t think I would get it because of how many girls signed up for it,” she said.

Although she didn’t receive the ultrasound placement, Starkey said she quickly grew to love nuclear medicine.

“I walked into the internship, and I immediately fell in love,” she said.

During her time at the hospital, Starkey helped patients, prepared medication and worked frequently with gallbladder imaging. The team used radioactive tracers and cameras to observe how the gallbladder would shrink and function.

Starkey said the internship inspired her to pursue the field as a career.

“I would want to do nuclear medicine in the future,” she said. “I am currently looking at going to school for it.”

She said the experience was both meaningful and memorable.

“I loved my experience there,” she said. “I had a really good department, and I got really close to everyone I worked with.”