Learning Goal #1: My goal is to learn more about how research is conducted
What tasks, responsibilities, projects, or activities will you do to meet this goal?
1.I will package blood results. Packaging the blood tests will help me when learn how professional testing is conducted, and the relationship between the patient and provider as well as the provider and the lab.
2. File research specific paperwork such as consent forms. Filing consent forms will also give me hands on experience for some of the boring stuff in the field. It will allow me to really feel all that is needed when conducted research or working with patients.
3. I will learn data entry on redcap. Learning data cap is a very important tool to learn when wanting to conduct research. It is used by almost everyone and is a very universal skill.
Midway progress: I have been able to make progress on this goal by doing some of the administration work. I have done a decent amount of paperwork, and looked over a lot of patient information. I have seen a lot of what is taken for each patient and how it is used. I still have to work with redcap, which I will be doing soon. I also am learning to package and distribute samples. I still have yet to do so, but I may shortly.
Learning Goal #2: I also want to learn what it is like to work with patients in a clinic
What tasks, responsibilities, projects, or activities will you do to meet this goal?
1. I will shadow patient visits in clinic. Shadowing patients in the clinic will help me directly learn what it is like to work with patients in the clinic. I will able to see how patients and doctors work together, and interact. I suspect I will learn more from watching how the physicians interact with patients, and comparing that to how they interact with colleagues.
2. I will collect consent forms from patients. Collecting the forms will give me an opportunity to interact with the patients myself, and learn from experience.
3. I will discuss what past patient visits have been like with doctors. These discussions can give me a great opportunity to learn what normal visits are like and what the exceptions have been. They will also give me an opportunity to understand the visits from the eyes of the physician.
Midway Progress: I have made a lot of progress on this goal. I have been able to shadow many visits in the clinic. I have then learned how physicians, and others in the clinic, interact with patients and colleagues. I am also shortly going to start taking patients through the consent process. I have also had the oppurtunities to talk to providers and understand what it is like for them in a clinic visit. It has been useful to understand why they have their clinic visit, and what they expect to gain from the visit.
Learning Goal #3: Learn more about molecular genetics in a clinical setting
What tasks, responsibilities, projects, or activities will you do to meet this goal?
1. Dr. Vitrini will teach me how to analyze genetic results. Analyzing these results will be a direct way to begin to learn the genetics used in clinics and how they apply.
2. I will shadow in the URDC molecular genetic clinic. These shadows are mentioned earlier but have multiple benefits. The shadowing experience will help me learn different genetic diseases, and how these specific clinics treat the diseases.
3.I will study materials given to me by Dr. Conboy. Studying text books will likely be boring, but give me foundational and some intermediate knowledge in genetics with application to the clinic.
Midway progress: I have learned some about molecular genetics in clinic. I have been able to study books and other materials from the doctors at the clinic. I have learned of common issues that arise from many different genetic diseases. I still have more to learn from Dr. Vitrini, and will help him with genetic research in teh future. This will com ealong with further explanations of genetic concepts.
My current goal for the future of my academic career is either medical school or graduate school. These goals are mostly goals of requirement. My true career goal is to be able to help people in a medical format the best I can. I believe the education from these higher level schooling is required to do so. This could mean that I end up being a physician, or end up developing treatment or prevention methods. I was pretty certain of my academic goals coming into college, and I have kept that same level of certainty. I have become more confident in my future career goals, and I believe that my personal strengths will push me into the field. I am certain of what I want to do on a career level, and I believe that will push me to my academic goals.
Since working in the clinic I have had time to reflect on my goals. I originally had goals surrounding gaining experience. I have made progress on these goals and have started to "feel" the environment. I now know what it's like to work with patients and other professionals. My goals are now more specific. I understand what it is like to work with patients, and now I want to learn and perform the process of giving clinical and research consent.
I overall career goal of going to further education is a clear goal, but doesn't have one way to succeed. This means that I willl have to guess as to what I can do to best my chances. The important part I have found is to make sure I stay happy while pursuing my goal. This month to achieve my goal, I can continue to study and stay on top of school. I can also begin to look at possible job/ internship opportunities for the summer. By the end of the semester I should have some oppurtunities lined up for the summer, or maybe even after. By this time next year I should hopefully be either prepping for the MCAT, or have figured out what alternative I have chosen for after undergraduate.
For the summer I am going to stay at my LHSI site. I will also likely join a project researching how those affected with rare diseases use social media. I am going to continue to pursue my career goals through URDC and I will diversify my career opportunities through other things. I am going to continue to work on personal projects, and learning more about fields that I find interesting outside of college.
My internship has shown me that I do like working in the medical field. There is a lot to learn, and when you learn it helps others. I have learned that to operate at a high level in the field it isn't easy but there is a million reasons to do it.
I feel confident making career decisions based on my knowledge and experience; however, I am also confident that I am going to change my decision. I have learned that what I want to do now is not what I am going to want to do in 30 years, and the best thing to do is to pursue what I enjoy now.