Goals & Learning

Career Goals

Looking back at the goals I set on my LHSI application, I feel that they have stayed largely the same. My primary goal has always been to pursue a career in medicine, and I am still committed to attending medical school and making a meaningful impact in healthcare. However, my experiences in the lab have added a new layer to my goals. After spending more time working in the lab and gaining hands-on experience, I’ve become more interested in research and have begun considering the possibility of pursuing a Ph.D. alongside my medical career.

To make progress toward these goals, I plan to stay with my current lab throughout my senior year. This will allow me to gain more hands-on experience and deepen my understanding of research, all while working with a great team of individuals who continue to mentor and support me. This summer, I intend to focus on developing my lab skills further, assisting with ongoing projects, and potentially exploring new areas of research that align with my interests in healthcare.

During the rest of my time at IU Indianapolis, I will continue to seek out opportunities that allow me to combine my passion for medicine with my growing interest in research, whether through more lab experience or shadowing healthcare professionals. This combination of practical experience and academic growth will help me make informed decisions about my future career path.

Internship Goals

Learning Goal #1: Creative Problem Solving within the Lab Environment
Relevance: Creative problem solving is essential in medicine, especially for diagnosing complex cases and personalizing treatments. Developing these skills in the lab prepares me for challenges in my future medical career.
Action Plan:

Work independently on tasks and troubleshoot issues before asking for help
Contribute to discussions on experimental challenges
Contribute to study design

Progress: I’ve made progress by troubleshooting minor issues on my own and contributing to team discussions. However, I still find some challenges in experimental design. I plan to keep working independently and contribute more to study designs moving forward.

Learning Goal #2: Advance my Lab Skill Techniques and Be Able to Transfer Them to Different Lab Settings
Relevance: Mastering lab skills is important for accurate diagnoses and advancing medical research, which will be essential for my future career in medicine.
Action Plan:

Expose myself to various experimental methods and analyses
Learn clinically relevant diagnostic imaging techniques
Critically analyze scientific literature

Progress: I’ve started working with different experimental methods and learned some diagnostic imaging techniques. I’ve also become more confident in analyzing literature. My next step is to continue practicing diagnostic techniques and reviewing more research to deepen my knowledge.

Learning Goal #3: Develop Confidence within a Laboratory Setting
Relevance: Confidence in the lab will improve my decision-making, problem-solving, and leadership skills—important for both lab and clinical settings.
Action Plan:

Take on solo lab assignments, asking for help when needed
Continue enhancing existing skills
Work with more experienced team members

Progress: I’ve taken on more solo tasks and am gaining confidence in troubleshooting. I still need help occasionally, especially with new equipment, but I plan to keep working independently and learning from my team.

Learning

- - - - Since fall, I’ve grown more confident in my communication and teamwork skills. I continue providing clear updates through emails and face-to-face interactions, adjusting my approach based on the audience. My independence has also improved, as I’ve managed tasks with minimal supervision and only sought help when needed. My problem-solving abilities have strengthened as well; I now brainstorm solutions more confidently and proactively. Overall, I feel more capable of handling responsibilities independently while maintaining effective communication and collaboration with my team.
      - I’d like to continue working on incorporating constructive feedback and enhancing my problem-solving skills. To improve, I plan to actively seek feedback from my coworkers and supervisor throughout this semester, especially after completing tasks or projects. I’ll make a conscious effort to apply their suggestions more effectively by reflecting on how I can integrate their advice into my work. To strengthen my problem-solving skills, I’ll take on more complex tasks and challenge myself to brainstorm multiple solutions before seeking help.

This internship has been incredibly meaningful in helping me connect classroom learning to real-world applications. In courses like biology and anatomy, I now better understand how the material translates into medical practice and patient care. Seeing healthcare professionals apply the concepts I’ve studied has made the coursework feel much more relevant and impactful.

My experience in the lab has also deepened my understanding of scientific research. It’s helped me see how topics like experimental design and data analysis are used to explore injuries and disease in a real-world context. This hands-on experience has shown me the importance of bridging theory with practice. Most importantly, it has reaffirmed my passion for medicine and strengthened my commitment to pursuing this path.

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