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Improving the Quality of Life since 1996




My name is Julie Kara and for my internship experience I chose to work at Odyssey Healthcare in Austin, Texas.

My number one goal and desire in life is to attain a career that involves working with the aging population.  So for my internship, I thought a hospice agency would be the most practical place for me to be.  Working here has been quite an experience!  Some days I work in the office helping my supervisor with various tasks.  But what I look forward to most is my mock case load.  I have a mock case load of 10 patients, and I go to visit them once a week.  While visiting them I try to be the best companion I can be, while also assessing their current health.  I take logs of each visit, which in turn helps the agency.

Hospice is definitely a career for those with a different kind of heart.  One must be empathetic, yet realistic.  Life is short, but it is a wonderful feeling to know that you can make an impact on the quality of life of someone on a daily basis.  This experience is something that will stay with me forever!