Year in Review: Sophomore Year
This year, I participated in four honors experiences across three categories. I took an honors seminar in the fall: Intermediate Composition. I studied abroad in the spring to Belgium and the Netherlands through the seminar Responding to Global Threats: The Role of International Institutions. This past summer (2015) I participated in a research program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center called the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). I’m also participating in SURF in the summer of 2016, but as it is still ongoing, I’ll write about that in next year’s Year in Review! One of my biggest challenges this year was going overseas. While an unforgettable trip, during which I learned a lot, travelling overseas to a city that had just experienced a major act of terrorism with people I didn’t know was a daunting experience. From this experience, I learned that being uncomfortable is sometimes just something to be overcome, but it’s also okay to listen to your instinct. I, as well as my family, had some concerns going on this trip regarding safety, and while you can never guarantee your own safety, I learned a lot about how to keep myself safe and always be aware of my surroundings. I also learned to develop relationships with the people around me, even if they don’t seem like the “logical” choice for friendship. My biggest accomplishment this year was getting a scientific paper published. A paper I co-wrote with my mentor from the Biomed RaMP program was published in the Annals of Dyslexia (click to follow link to abstract). Before writing an article for submission to a publication, I assumed I knew the amount of work and time that went into the process. From this experience, I learned just how much time and effort it takes between the time a paper is submitted for publication and the time it is accepted in its entirety. Once is a paper is conditionally accepted, it goes through several rounds of comments, edits, changes, and rewrites from peers and the publication before it is published. I struggle with accepting constructive criticism at points, even though I know it was given in order to help me improve as a writer and scientist. I had to learn how to accept criticism and use it in order to improve my work. In the end, all the time was worth it to see my name in print.
Since January of this year, I have worked in a research lab connected to an autism and developmental disabilities clinic. Getting to experience patient interaction in a clinical setting has been incredible. While I’ve worked at Children’s Hospital previously, this has been my first experience really interacting with patients. Studying a premed curriculum can be discouraging in pursuing a career in medicine, because the courses themselves have a lot more to do with general science and math education than medicine. I was starting to question a little bit my interest in medicine, but this experience has encouraged me to continue on my path. It has continued to show me all the great things about a career in medicine, and has allowed me to continue to pursue my path with passion. My goal for this upcoming year is to not lose sight of this passion, no matter how difficult my classes get. I will accomplish this my setting hours during every week to work in the clinic and continue my interactions with patients and members of the medical field. For the upcoming school year, I am excited to continue to volunteer with the Bearcat Buddies. Having worked with children with learning and reading disabilities, as well as with autism disorders and developmental disabilities, I am excited to put what I have learned into good use by tutoring at schools throughout the city in which children may not have access to the resources that I am privileged to help provide.
This year, I participated in four honors experiences across three categories. I took an honors seminar in the fall: Intermediate Composition. I studied abroad in the spring to Belgium and the Netherlands through the seminar Responding to Global Threats: The Role of International Institutions. This past summer (2015) I participated in a research program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center called the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). I’m also participating in SURF in the summer of 2016, but as it is still ongoing, I’ll write about that in next year’s Year in Review! One of my biggest challenges this year was going overseas. While an unforgettable trip, during which I learned a lot, travelling overseas to a city that had just experienced a major act of terrorism with people I didn’t know was a daunting experience. From this experience, I learned that being uncomfortable is sometimes just something to be overcome, but it’s also okay to listen to your instinct. I, as well as my family, had some concerns going on this trip regarding safety, and while you can never guarantee your own safety, I learned a lot about how to keep myself safe and always be aware of my surroundings. I also learned to develop relationships with the people around me, even if they don’t seem like the “logical” choice for friendship. My biggest accomplishment this year was getting a scientific paper published. A paper I co-wrote with my mentor from the Biomed RaMP program was published in the Annals of Dyslexia (click to follow link to abstract). Before writing an article for submission to a publication, I assumed I knew the amount of work and time that went into the process. From this experience, I learned just how much time and effort it takes between the time a paper is submitted for publication and the time it is accepted in its entirety. Once is a paper is conditionally accepted, it goes through several rounds of comments, edits, changes, and rewrites from peers and the publication before it is published. I struggle with accepting constructive criticism at points, even though I know it was given in order to help me improve as a writer and scientist. I had to learn how to accept criticism and use it in order to improve my work. In the end, all the time was worth it to see my name in print.
Since January of this year, I have worked in a research lab connected to an autism and developmental disabilities clinic. Getting to experience patient interaction in a clinical setting has been incredible. While I’ve worked at Children’s Hospital previously, this has been my first experience really interacting with patients. Studying a premed curriculum can be discouraging in pursuing a career in medicine, because the courses themselves have a lot more to do with general science and math education than medicine. I was starting to question a little bit my interest in medicine, but this experience has encouraged me to continue on my path. It has continued to show me all the great things about a career in medicine, and has allowed me to continue to pursue my path with passion. My goal for this upcoming year is to not lose sight of this passion, no matter how difficult my classes get. I will accomplish this my setting hours during every week to work in the clinic and continue my interactions with patients and members of the medical field. For the upcoming school year, I am excited to continue to volunteer with the Bearcat Buddies. Having worked with children with learning and reading disabilities, as well as with autism disorders and developmental disabilities, I am excited to put what I have learned into good use by tutoring at schools throughout the city in which children may not have access to the resources that I am privileged to help provide.