Next Gen Intern’s Diary: Finding My Way Back to Storytelling

Shortly after my final paper in May 2026, I was overwhelmed with mixed feelings and uncertainty that’s common among typical Nigerian fresh graduates. 

After years of rigorous training, completing medical school brought a sense of accomplishment, but it also ushered in a period of reflection and uncertainty about the next stage of my professional journey. It was within this transition period that the Next Gen internship opportunity with New York Amsterdam News arrived.

The timing could not have been better. The internship opportunity felt like a providential opportunity to redirect my energy towards storytelling, something I find exciting, after the boring and exhausting examinations.

The onboarding session with the New York Amsterdam News’ Digital Editor, Josh Barker, on 26th May 2026, served as an introduction to the internship programme. It also provided an opportunity for us to understand the objectives of the placement and gain an overview of the expectations that would shape our experience over the coming weeks.

Orientation and Story Development

In the first week of June, I resumed the internship alongside two other interns, all of us recommended by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). We were welcomed by the Digital Editor, Mr Barker and Senior Fellow, Franchette RJ.

The session provided an overview of the internship programme and our expected responsibilities. Mr Barker introduced us to the Social News Desk application, which the newsroom uses for social media management and scheduling. Although the introduction was brief, he indicated that a more detailed training session would follow. He also encouraged us to begin developing story ideas for discussion in subsequent meetings.

The remainder of the week was devoted to finalising our work schedules. Interns were expected to contribute ten hours weekly. During this period, I developed and submitted a solutions journalism story pitch examining how a student-led initiative at a Nigerian university was working to prevent sickle cell disease through genotype awareness and free screening programmes. The story was intended to coincide with World Sickle Cell Day, observed annually on June 19.

Training and Editorial Feedback

Our second meeting took place on Wednesday, 17th June. During the session, Mr Barker conducted a more comprehensive training on the use of the Social News Desk platform, guiding us through the process of scheduling and managing social media content.

Following the training, each intern presented their story ideas and received feedback. We were encouraged to proceed with reporting and developing our proposed stories.

Mr Barker also scheduled an individual meeting with each of us. The purpose of the meeting was for me to demonstrate my understanding of the Social News Desk application. However, he informed me that I will now work as a reporter in the newsroom and will no longer be on the social media team, as there were sufficient hands already available for those tasks.

As a result, our discussion shifted to my sickle cell disease story, which I had submitted earlier that day. Mr Barker provided editorial guidance and recommended improvements to the submission format. I revised the story accordingly and promptly resubmitted it.

Programme Adjustment and Current Progress

During our subsequent general meeting on Wednesday, 24th June, 2026, Mr Barker informed us of a change in the structure of the internship. Rather than combining social media responsibilities with reporting, we would now focus exclusively on storytelling.

Since completing and submitting my first story, I have begun preliminary work on a second story ahead of my weekly one-on-one meetings with Mr Barker, which are scheduled for Tuesdays.

Although the internship is still in its early stages, it has already provided valuable exposure to newsroom operations, editorial processes and story development within an international media organisation. The experience has also reinforced the connection between my interests in medicine, public health and journalism.

Most importantly, it has provided a meaningful and productive bridge between the completion of medical school and the next stage of my professional journey. I look forward to deepening my reporting skills, producing impactful stories, and learning from the editorial team in the weeks ahead.