Goals and Learning

To be able to develop on essential lab skills throughout the year

Since I am a biology major there will be many opportunities for me to be in a lab environment and these skills that I acquire through the program are going to be very beneficial to me. It also makes it easier to work under similar conditions in the future. 

So far, I have been able to get a good understanding of various lab techniqes and am able to grasp new information regarding lab skills at a faster pace as compared to when I first started of. 

To be able to learn more about the field of Ophthalmology and hence use the information acquired when needed

I plan on entering the medical field in the near future, I want to gain experience in this specific specialization. Ophthalmology has always been a subject that I have been interested in, so this is a great opportunity to obtain more information on it. The research perspective of this will also give me a new perspective on this subject which I am eager to get to know. 

During my internship, I had the chance to interact with numerous ophthalmology experts through sessions led by professors and doctors from different institutions affiliated with the ophthalmology department. Their guidance has enriched my learning experience significantly.

I am determined to work for a project under the supervision of my supervisor and his esteemed team.

Through doing or helping with a project in this lab, I gain experience in doing a variety of research and conducting different experiments based on the research. I also get to develop on my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In addition to this, I also get to see the behind the scenes work and hence help with publishing scientific articles.

I was able to work on an experiment on testing the presence of Amyloid beta in rat muller cells by myself and formulate a project based on the experiment conducted. 

Plans for the summer:

During the summer, I intend to undertake a research internship (Capstone) through UROP where I will also be presenting my works in a conference at the end of my research. During this time I will also be preparing for the MCAT exam and hence start my medical school application process.

What I have improved on: 

I am most confident in my communication, teamwork and problem solving skills. Since I am starting an experiment by myself in lab I am developing my critical thinking and problem solving skills. I am able to assist in coming up with alternative solutions on how to handle various problems that might arise while conducting an experiment. In regards to communication and teamwork, I always make sure to ask my peers or supervisor any questions I might have. Since I am able to hold good communication with the respected team, I believe that these are the important skills that I am confident in as of now. 

Independence and Integration are the skills that I was working on mostly during the time of my internship. Due to the relatively new experience of conducting an experiment by myself I found myself still depending on the faculty and my supervisor to guide me in order to initiate the process smoothly. I was aware that these are necessary first steps that are to be taken however, once I got more practice in doing such experiments, I got the hang of the concepts behind these experiments. Gradually I was able to develop my application as well as independency skills by learning from the feedback I received. 

What I will continue to work on:

One area I'm keen to improve on is my time management. Juggling classes and coursework made it challenging initially, but utilizing tools like Google Calendar and Reminders helped me stay organized with submissions and presentations. I aim to further refine this skill to enhance my efficiency in managing time.

Building on previous experience: 

As a Biology major I have had previous experience in labs and am familiar with such settings. Therefore the skills and knowledge regarding various concepts  I have acquired through prior experience help me apply different techniques and show certain strengths when it comes to working in this lab. 

The Internship is definitely giving me a deeper understanding of my coursework since a lot of concepts that I am studying in my classes are being covered in experiments and lab techniques. Apart from this, I am also getting to read more literature, creating an experimental plan, learning new techniques,  figuring out the reasons behind why the experiment should be done in a certain way, etc. Hence, I am getting to develop my critical thinking, problem solving and decision making skills through all these avenues that the research lab presents to me.