Professional Goals

Internship Goals

My learning goals include researching more about the background information of human retinal endothelial cells, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, and the mechanisms behind the effects of canagliflozin. Other goals include communicating more with my supervisor, staying organized with my project, perform procedures carefully, and analyze the results of my experiments correctly. I would also like to improve my problem solving skills by working on practice problems in classes and information related to research, learn and take detailed notes when performing new lab techniques such as Alamar Blue Proliferation Assay, and be able to explain scientific information to people who are not familiar with it.

Actions to Achieve Goals

In order to achieve these goals, I have been going to the lab about 4 days a week to check on my cells and do any necessary procedures. I have received training and take notes of everything I can in order to memorize protocols or know what an experiment looked at a certain time. This allows me to go back when I made an error in my experiment. I'm really interested in learning about how to store a frozen stock of cells, which I will have the opportunity to do later on. I also need to read more articles related to my research and stay focused when learning about new protocols and experiments that have to be done in my cells. Over the next few years, I need to work on self-disciple to turn in my assignments on time and prepare enough time to work on them. Also, the more I understand a scientific topic, the easier it is for me to explain in general terms. Two skills that I really want to work on and acquire are persistence and focus.

Career goals

I intend to enroll in medical school in order to become an orthopedic surgeon. If I don't end up going to medical school I would like to get my PhD in biochemistry and become a professor with a research lab.

Internship & Career Goals Similarities

My goal of being able to explain scientific information to others matches my career goals since if I become a physician I will need to explain things to patients from complex terms to something more simple, that most people can understand. I enjoy talking about medicine and explaining scientific things to others, especially when I talk about a topic in a simple way. It makes me happy when I explain to people with no higher education about things such as how diabetes works, how cancer works, what the functions of the organs are, or what the properties of common chemicals related to everyday life are, and they understand it and are eager to learn. The goal of learning more about the background information of human retinal endothelial cells, SGLT2 inhibitors and the mechanisms behind the effects of canagliflozin, matches my interests as well since they are all related to medicine and learning about them might be beneficial for me if I attend medical school. I also enjoy working in labs and practicing new laboratory techniques, which matches with my goal of learning and taking detailed notes when performing new laboratory techniques. As for my improving problem solving goal will be highly beneficial in the future, especially in school and at work.

In high school, I took many biomedical classes as well as anatomy and physiology. These classes confirmed my interest for medicine, which I'm still continuing to pursue. I also have done multiple internships and programs such as Hoosier Health Academy (sophomore year of high school), Project SEED (summer before senior year in high school in which I was an intern at a lab), an internship at the Glick Eye Institute as part of my Biomedical Innovation course (senior year of high school), and a internship in which I wrote a medical interpretation booklet in English and Spanish (sophomore year of college). That is the reason why I wanted to be an intern for LHSI, because working on a project at the Glick Eye Institute has allowed me to do what I enjoy (medicine and science) and has let me to learn new laboratory techniques and sharpen my scientific literacy.

In order to grow and explore the career pathways I'm interested, I should probably shadow a physician, which I have not done yet, and maybe one of my science professors as well.

Spring Goals

• My career goals have not changed. I still plan to attend medical school or get a PhD in chemistry and become a professor, or work in a research lab (or both). Medical school is my first option and I'm really interested in orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology and oncology.
• In order to reach my goals this semester I need to manage my time better. I need to set aside a lot of my time to study for my classes and go to my lab more. Some of my goals include getting good grades this semester, applying what I learn in my courses to my internship, learn as much as I can about my research project and learn more laboratory techniques related to my project.
• This semester I hope to improve my focus and self-discipline. Good time management has been challenging for me but I will continue to strive to be better at it.
• I plan to complete a medical interpretation course over the summer and volunteer at a hospital during the fall semester. I also aspire to have the best grades I can and study mainly to learn useful information rather than just to get good grades. Next year I will be a junior so I will reduce my course load to 12 credits during my spring semester to study for the MCAT.

Goals for the Summer

• During the Summer I will be retaking Organic Chemistry 1 and 2 in order to improve my grades and master the material before I take the MCAT.
• I'm also planning to work as a Spanish medical interpreter either remotely or at a hospital.
• Improve my study habits and work on my self-discipline
• Plan how to study for the MCAT and choose a study guide/ MCAT prep

Goals for the rest of my time at IUPUI

As a sophomore I have participated in two internships and a volunteering experience. My main goal is to change my study habits and improve my grades considerably. I also want to attend more IUPUI events and join clubs such as the Undergraduate Women in Science, the American Medical Student Association Premedical Chapter, and the Minority Science and Technology club. During my junior year I will begin studying for the MCAT, which I intend to take during the summer of 2021.

Assurance of goals

My career goals have not changed considerably. I still want to enroll medical school or get a PhD and work in research. I thought about becoming a professor or lecturer but that is something I changed my mind about and I'm not interested in anymore. I also considered getting a PhD in biochemistry and working for a pharmaceutical company or doing medical research. As I observed PhDs at my internship place, I saw that I liked their schedules and lifestyles. I talked to one of them, who I had an internship my senior year of high school, and he told me that he liked the salary and the lifestyle balance of that work. As I was able to experience I liked the schedule as well and the type of research they do. I'm interested in ophthalmology, and I would love to work at the Glick Eye Institute after getting my doctorate degree (if I don't decide to enroll in medical school). I'm also planning to work as a Spanish medical interpreter at a hospital and shadow doctors, so I can decide if I would prefer to stick with scientific research or are more passionate about treating patients and working at a hospital.