C105 Recitation Leader

I have been fortunate enough to help give back to STEM students at IUPUI by being a TA for several courses. My first experience being a recitation leader was in my second semester of college. I became a C105 (first semester general chemistry) recitation leader, and in this position, I have learned a great deal about myself and what being a leader is like. As a recitation leader, I have been able to engage with many students and guide them through difficult chemistry subjects, all while building strong relationships with my students while also mentoring them in other aspects of college such as available resources, opportunities, and general advice. A unique aspect of this position is the fact that the class size is usually around 9 students. As such, it is easier to foster relationships with the students and give more tailored academic support. I have maintained this position up until the present, and I plan on continuing until my graduation.

K103 TA

The second academic opportunity I have taken up is being a K103 (second semester general biology) TA. In this position, I create material for my recitation session based from the lecture content that is being covered that week. I use various engaging activities which not only promote learning in non-traditional ways but also create bonds between students such that they can make new friends in the section. Unlike the chemistry section, this position involves facilitating up to 30 students at once. This stark contrast makes both positions very distinct from each other, and especially in the methods I use to maximize student learning. In the K103 TA position, I frequently break the classroom into smaller groups and have them collaborate with each other to create a final product. This encourages relationships between students and utilizes a form of peer learning as they can answer each other's questions.

Reinforcement of Skills

Both of these positions have served to improve my leadership in a variety of ways. One of the most important ways is managing conflict. Often, students will come up to me with some sort of issue. Knowing how to deal with these issues on a case-by-case basis seems easy, but it is certainly a skill which must be developed. Like any skill, it improves with practice, and I feel that I have greatly improved this aspect of my leadership. Another critical way in which these opportunities have affected me is by improving my adaptability. This is an extremely important skill to have since often, one creates plans, but they do not go accordingly. For instance, I have had cases in K103 where I have an activity planned for my students but due to some technical issue, it is not possible to complete it. In this case, I must come up with an engaging activity quickly such that my students can still learn. Articulation of ideas and thoughts is also a huge skill to improve on. This could also be called communication, and it is extremely important. From my experience in leadership with students, I have learned that expressing your expectations for the course on the first day is critical for everyone's success. Communicating your expectations and policies early ensures that the course progresses smoothly for everyone. Other soft skills include pedagogy, teamwork, and refining my academic knowledge of the courses. I will be able to employ these skills in my career, particularly when it comes to patient interactions and staff management.

Medical Scribe - St. Francis ED

Since my ultimate goal is to become a physician, it seems reasonable to pursue a job in the medical career. I first heard about medical scribing from a professor in my first semester of college. I loved how it sounded, and I immediately applied. A few months later, I was in the St. Francis Indianapolis Emergency Department working alone alongside a physician. As a medical scribe, I work alongside a physician and handle the documentation of the patient's chart for the visit. In the ED, this includes the HPI, ROS, Physical Exam, Procedures, MDM, documenting critical care, and other tasks. This experience has proven to be extremely fruitful in a large variety of manners. The advice that I have gotten from physicians and medical students alike is invaluable, and I get to experience first-hand what a typical ED looks like and how it functions. Additionally, I have deepened my medical knowledge. This includes topics such as medical terminology, medications, procedures, vitals, documentation, billing, and patient interactions, amongst others. I love working with the medical professionals in the ED, and I have learned greatly about alternative career options such as being a PA, DO, or even a nurse. The connections I have made with the medical personnel is one of the biggest benefits of being a scribe, and I look forward to continuing my learning.

Lilly Summer Research

In the summer of 2019, between my junior and senior year of high school, I participated in a summer research program at Eli Lilly. I was there through Project SEED, a program specializing in recruiting underrepresented populations to perform biomedical research. This ACS funded program opened the doors for me to perform research with my mentor, Claudius Tapia at the Lilly Technology Center North. For 8 weeks, I worked with my mentor to created assays which determined the concentration of a host cell protein (HCP) of interest in proprietary Lilly drugs and then investigated purification methods to remove those HCPs. To present my findings, I created and presented a poster outlining my work. Being at Lilly was the first time I had ever worked in a professional environment, and it greatly shaped my career path. It kindled my interest in science and was a huge contributor towards me pursing a Biology degree and ultimately pursuing a career in medicine. Additionally, it was my first venture into research. Though it was in industry, being at Lilly provided me a unique opportunity to accrue research experience as a high schooler, and I used that experience later to pursue more research as an undergraduate.