Workplace

Since I am working in a research lab, I get to use and apply all the skills that I have learned in previous labs for school. For example, I already knew how to pipette, how to properly handle different solutions, and other lab skills. I also have some leadership and collaborative experience from being on the executive board of RHA, being a peer mentor through OTEAM, and participating in a virtual study abroad course. For example, being an executive board member of RHA, I plan and execute events while leading the Hall Councils through it and working with my fellow board members. I am looking to expand my research knowledge so that I can really understand the impact and importance of the work that I'm doing. All of these skills will help me succeed at my internship and in my future career because they are the main focuses of my duties in the research lab and what I will be expected to do in the medical field.

This year, I have been an enthusiastic and supportive team member. Once I learned the proper ways of doing things and how to follow procedures, I was able to work independently without taking my coworkers away from their duties. From this, I have honed my ability to problem-solve. At the start of this internship, I was just the new girl in the lab who didn't really know much about the work that was being done. Now, I feel that I am being integrated more into the project and am being trusted to work alone. Because of this, we are able to get more work done in a shorter amount of time, thus our theories/hypotheses are being tested at a faster rate. While my role may be a smaller one compared to others, I have the crucial job of making sure the microscope slides are stained properly in order to be viewed and analyzed with our imaging software. These steps are necessary to determine which treatments are improving or worsening the mice's tumors. 

Successes and Challenges

In the lab so far, I have successfully prepared too many slides and tissue samples to count. This means that I have done the proper procedures in order to preserve and stain the samples so that we are able to view them with the microscope and collect the data presented in each image. Another way I have succeeded so far is learning how to use the technology involved in imaging the slides. We use a desktop computer connected to the microscope to present the images with a complicated software. This was a learning curve in itself but I eventually got to the point I'm at now, where I can confidently use it on my own. These successes come from time, practice, and some help from my experienced lab-mate. Recently, I had the honor to actually work hands-on with the mice. With my supervisor and lab-mate, I collected the blood-glucose levels for each of the mice in order to see if their new food was succeeding in giving them diabetes. This was a huge step for me because I usually just stay in the lab and work on the microscope slides. This was my first opportunity to be hands-on and it was an amazing learning experience. All of these successes put together will help me in any future research endeavors I decide to pursue. From comfortability in the lab and around mice, to working in a professional research environment, I feel that this internship is a great stepping stone for my future. 

The most challenging part of my internship is honestly knowing what it all means. I can follow directions and procedures all day long but there is no significance if you don't understand the reason for everything. This was a concept that I didn't really grasp at first, thinking that I just had to do what I was told and I'd be okay. What I finally realized is that the impact of doing this kind of work can affect and help so many people that are suffering with this cancer. Knowing the weight of this and also the reasons for each step also hold me accountable to not take shortcuts or miss any steps. Another challenge I've faced at my internship is just getting used to my new workplace. We share our lab with another research group so being able to know where our things are and where they go is really important. We work with a lot of important stuff, such as chemicals, acids, antibodies, and more that need to be kept at certain temperatures or in certain environments. Some things that have helped me remember where everything goes are taking notes and repetition. As I previously mentioned in this section, I recently got to work hands-on with the mice for the first time. This in itself was challenging for me at first because I had never touched a mouse before, let alone take blood samples. I put a brave face on, however, and got the job done. My lab-mate and supervisor made sure I was comfortable using the glucose device before entering the room so that there were as little uncertainties as possible. They also helped me by being the main ones to hold the mice since I didn't yet know the proper and safe hand placement. By creating trust and dependability in this situation, they helped me in succeeding and pushing my research career forward.