Goals

Internship Goals

Black and white image of a confocal microscope next to a strand of DNA
Strand of DNA with a protein or molecule bonded on the strand
Two scientists performing research in a lab

Learn the Basic Skills in Lab Research

Learning and mastering a variety of lab skills will be very beneficial, not only for my internship, but also for my long-term goals since many of the techniques I want to learn are transferrable skills in this field.

The tasks, responsibilities, projects, or activities I will do to meet this goal are:

1. Learn how to complete CRISPR independently from start to finish

2. Learn how to do immunoblots

3. Learn how to do reproductive assays


So far I have successfully completed the CRISPR/Cas9 process from start to finish for one worm mutant somewhat independently. Once I gain more confidence doing microinjections, I should be able to do it independently. I also have plans to learn immunoblots and reproductive assays by the end of the semester.

As the semester comes to a close, I was able to learn how to do an immunoblot, and have successfully completed one on my own. I've also done a control run for the fertility assay procedure, and plan to do a full experiment in the near future.

Understand the Biology Behind the Project

Learning and understanding the theory and mechanisms behind the procedures I'm doing in lab is very important for engaging with the project, problem solving through issues, interpreting results, and determining the next steps in a research project

The tasks, responsibilities, projects, or activities I will do to meet this goal are:

1. Discuss biological process at different steps in lab procedure

2. Attend research journal club when possible

3. Read research papers related to project.

So far, I have a much better understanding of the biology behind my experiments since I've had to re-design primers multiple times. I've also arranged my spring semester schedule to be able to attend more journal clubs and read more research papers in the future.

I have been able to do much more in depth research into the biology behind the project through my work to write a project proposal to continue my research through UROP funding. I've also learned a few new lab procedures and gone through whats going on from a scientific perspective as I've been learning it.

Decide Whether to Incorporate Research into my Profession

Since beginning my internship, I've gained more insight into the field of research and the opportunities it provides in my pursuit of becoming a doctor. Delving deeper into research as a potential part of my career will allow me to determine whether these opportunities are ones I want to pursue.

The tasks, responsibilities, projects, or activities I will do to meet this goal are:

1. Attend different research events with the lab when they arise

2. Work towards being able to do projects independently.

3. Do research into career possibilities.

So far, I have been semi-regularly attending Gene Regulation Meetings within my lab's department to gain more exposure to research in other labs. I've also been working towards doing projects more independently as a whole.

Approaching the end of the year, I've been able to do significantly more research independently. I've also continued to attend various research related meetings as my schedule has allowed. Over the summer and into the next school year I hope to have the opportunity to attend more research events with the new experience I have gained this year.

Career Goals

My ultimate career goal is to become an anesthesiologist working in the OR, preferably in a level I or level II trauma hospital. This has been my plan since high school when I discovered my love for chemistry, and decided I wanted to incorporate it into my pursuit to become a doctor. This is also what led me to choose Biochemistry specifically for my major. I am currently deciding on whether to pursue through medical school or through an MD/PhD program after I complete my bachelor's degree. So far, I have really enjoyed my time in a research lab, and it is something I could see myself pursuing long term. Currently, the largest factors I'm considering are what specifically I would want to study for my PhD within the field of chemistry and how performing research as a part of my career would fit into practicing medicine as an anesthesiologist. Ultimately, I will be pursuing my MD whether or not I decide to get my PhD as well. One of the reasons I am so sure of this decision is because in my freshman year of high school I had the opportunity to job shadow in the Eskenazi Hospital OR and observe multiple different doctors and their cases. At one point I shadowed an anesthesiologist and the anesthesia team as they prepped a patient for surgery, and it was a very engaging experience that confirmed my desire to pursue this career field. 

Over the summer I plan to continue working towards my career goals by shadowing more physicians in surrounding hospitals, as well as doing more volunteer work at places such as the Damien Center. I'll be doing this in tandem with continuing my research at the Aoki lab through UROP funding. I plan on continuing my research throughout my undergraduate degree, and hopefully publishing before pursuing medical school. While my internship hasn't affected my career goals much, it has definitely influenced how I get there. Going into college I wasn't planning on doing much research outside of a year or so for the experience, but now I'm looking forward to having a long-term research project and a stable commitment at a lab. It's also given me a lot of insight into what I want out of a career, which I plan to use as I continue my journey towards my career.

Anesthesiologist giving patient anesthesia with a face mask

Career Goals for end of Spring

-Research scholarships for continuing my research over the summer and beyond

-Research different MD and MD/PhD programs as well as the requirements involved

-Update resume and LinkedIn profile (in Cornerstone on Chemistry class)

-Schedule appointment with neuroscience advisor to discuss neuroscience double major

-Begin more independent research for project (and poster)

-Stay on top of good grades

Career Goals for end of 2023

-Shadow more physicians in neighboring hospitals

-Begin studying for MCAT

-Finalize decision for which MD or Md/PhD programs to apply to

-Present research