Year in Review | Sophomore Year

Wow! Time has gone by so fast, and I’m almost at the end of my second year at OSU. I have learned so much, and I’m very grateful for all the people who have helped me along this journey! Here are my reflections on Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement.

Global Awareness

Last year, I volunteered at the Physician’s Free Clinic in downtown Columbus with Alpha Epsilon Delta. One of the things I learned when I volunteered there was the need for interpreters, especially in Spanish, because many of the people did not speak English fluently. This experience began to highlight to me the importance of language in medicine. This understanding was furthered when I took MedColl 2000.21, where I learned about the core competencies that medical students and physicians are expected to have, which included cultural awareness. This interest in utilizing language and gaining cultural competency skills for medicine motivated me to take Korean 1101.51 and apply for study abroad programs in Asia. This summer, I will be studying at the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan with the TUSA Global Ambassador Scholarship Program. I’m very excited to travel to Taiwan to further my understanding of Mandarin and learn more about the culture as a Taiwanese American. Beyond academics, I am currently a part of J2K, an Asian pop dance organization. Our organization is focused on connecting students, who share an interest in Asian pop culture and dance, through dance performances, workshops, competitions, and dance shows. My involvement in J2K has helped me develop my global awareness through meeting many people from different backgrounds and having fun dancing to Asian pop music.

Original Inquiry

During the second semester of my general chemistry course last year, the main focus of our lab component was to research the role of perovskites in solar cells. The first half of the semester included an introduction of what they are and how they are used to conduct electricity in solar cells. The second half of the semester challenged us to find a perovskite that could also conduct electricity and be more environmentally friendly. This experience gave me an introduction to what research was like, which I really enjoyed. I like the process of conducting experiments and determining whether my findings corresponded to my initial hypothesis. Currently, I am a student research assistant in Dr. Daniel Wozniak’s lab, where I am studying the effects of bacteriophages (viruses that target bacteria) on bacterial infections. I have always been fascinated by the nature of viruses and bacteria, and how despite being invisible to the naked eye, they have greatly affected society. Research has shown me how an idea transforms to a reality, providing patients more effective treatment options.

Academic Enrichment

At this point of my academic career, I plan on going straight to medical school after graduating. I have followed my passion for science and medicine through pursuing a biochemistry major and business minor. I chose to pursue biochemistry because I am fascinated in how biology and chemistry connect and how they are the backbone for life. I am pursuing a minor in business because I am interested in learning about how business works and how the principles of business are applied to hospitals. During my pursuit for medicine, I have taken the introduction to medicine course and am currently taking the undergraduate shadowing course through the College of Medicine. This experience has helped me gain a better understanding on the pathway to becoming a physician and an insight to life as a doctor. The introduction to medicine course has challenged me to think of my reasons for becoming a physician and how I can show medical schools that I am a worthy candidate. The undergraduate shadowing class has challenged me to consider tough topics related to medicine, such as burnout and various ethical issues. These two courses have better prepared me to apply for medical school and pursue my goal to becoming a physician. Furthermore, I am currently taking a History of HIV, which investigates how the HIV epidemic began and how it has affected different countries. This course has enlightened me on not only the logistical and scientific aspect of the HIV epidemic, but also the effects that it has had on different populations around the world. The courses that I have taken have challenged me to consider different perspectives and has ultimately helped me become a stronger candidate for medical school.

Leadership Development

As I began my journey as a Buckeye, I became involved in many student organizations on campus. Currently, I am the secretary of Best Food Forward, which is a bulk buying food club aimed at providing affordable produce to college students as well as promote awareness for food insecurity. I am a member of the Event Board for J2K, which is an East Asian dance organization that hosts dance workshops and dance shows, as well as performing dance covers of popular East Asian pop songs. I play the flute in Collegiate Winds, which is an audition-based band from The Ohio State University School of Music. Lastly, I am a part of Alpha Epsilon Delta, a national pre-professional honor society, as well as Helix Tri-Beta, which is an honor and professional society for students in the College of Biological Sciences. My involvement in many student organizations on campus have ultimately shaped my development as a leader through strengthening my communication, time management, and problem-solving skills, which will ultimately help me as I pursue medicine.

Service Engagement

Currently, I volunteer at the OSU Wexner Medical Center, helping visitors find their way as well as working in patient care units. I have also worked as a poll worker for the Franklin Board of Elections, where I have obtained many leadership roles. Additionally, I was an intern in the TOPS program, where I assisted students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the academic and social setting. I have also participated in service through going on Buck-I-Serv trips to Detroit and Chicago. Lastly, I am a part of Best Food Forward, which is a student organization aimed at providing affordable produce to college students and the community. These experiences have helped me gain a better understanding of what I can do to help the community around me. One of my goals to continue to engage with the community is to further my knowledge of Chinese and become an interpreter for a hospital or free clinic. Hospitals are a daunting place especially for people who are not fluent in English or did not grow in the United States. I hope to use my knowledge of Chinese to eliminate the language barrier between patients and their physicians.

 

Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio

Hi everyone! My name is Anna Chen, and I am a first year biochemistry major and business minor at the Ohio State University. I hope to use my e-portfolio to share my experiences at the Ohio State University. Currently, I am a member of Collegiate Winds playing the flute, Club Swimming at Ohio State, Alpha Epsilon Delta (AEDelta), and J2K. Ultimately, I want to pursue medical school and become a primary care doctor with a specialization in sports medicine and pediatrics. Welcome to my Honor & Scholars e-Portfolio and I hope you enjoy reading about my experiences.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

During my academic career at the Ohio State University, I plan on enriching myself with all the resources and opportunities that the Ohio State University has to offer.

Global Awareness:

During the summer before attending the Ohio State University, I spent two months in Taiwan, spending time with family and exploring Taiwan’s rich culture. Additionally, I spent a week in Seoul, South Korea. During my experience in Taiwan and South Korea, I learned a lot about the culture and how it differs from the United States.

Coming to the Ohio State University, I want to continue to enrich myself about different culture through joining campus organizations that promote diversity and different cultures. Currently, I serve as a freshman representative for J2K, which is a K-Pop, J-Pop, and C-Pop dance organization. It has been really interesting to meet other students, who share the same interest in East Asian pop culture.

I am also interested in enriching my awareness to global cultures by learning a new language and pursuing study abroad opportunities either in Taiwan or South Korea.

Original Inquiry:

I think it is fascinating how students at the Ohio State University can explore and conduct undergraduate research in a different fields, which can be different from their major. Although I am a biochemistry major, I am also very interested in pursuing research in microbiology, especially in the field of infectious diseases. I want to learn how viruses and bacteria infect healthy cells, and how to prevent the onset of illness or suppress the symptoms.

Academic Enrichment:

I chose to be a biochemistry major because I really enjoy learning about chemistry and biology, and how they interact. I think it is fascinating how all of the fields of sciences are interconnected, and I am very excited to take classes to discover more about biochemistry.

Additionally, I am also pursuing a minor in business because I believe it is very important to understand the foundations of business that governs our society. I’m extremely interested in learning about management and how to run a business.

One of the GE classes that I’m extremely interested in taking is Theatre 2341H. Theatre 2341H is a course, exploring different aspects of film through the eyes of the producer. While the majority of the courses that I am taking involve science and math, I have always been very interested in the art of film making. I am inspired how a story line can evolve from paper and immerse the audience in the vivid world of the film. I’m interested to learn how filming angles, scenery, and film scores come together in the production of film.

My selection of classes will allow me to explore different aspects of academics and society beyond science. For example, it will allow me to continue my passion for music and connect with other musicians, through playing the flute in the Collegiate Winds.

Leadership Development:

Currently, I serve as a freshman representative of the dance organization, J2K. As a part of the executive board for the club, I am learning how to organize large scale events and how to problem solve conflicts. I am also a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta (AEDelta), Collegiate Winds, and the Club Swimming team. Furthermore, I would like to pursue different internship opportunities such as becoming a TA or tutor. I would like to share my own knowledge and experiences to my peers and help them excel in class as well.

Service Engagement:

Currently, I am a member of the pre-med organization Alpha Epsilon Delta, which regularly volunteers at the Physician’s Free Clinic. The Physician’s Free Clinic is a clinic that provides free medical services to people, who are unable to afford the full price of health care. It is a very humbling and enlightening experience to volunteer at the clinic. We are able to interact directly with the patients and have a crucial role in making sure that the clinic can run efficiently. Aside from volunteering at the free clinic, I hope to explore more volunteer opportunities around Columbus.

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.   For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts

For our university resources presentation, my group introduced the Writing Center. Located at Thompson Library and Smith Labs, the Writing Center is a free resource, where students can get connected with writing tutors on all stages of the writing process. For my Psych 1100H class, I had to write an analysis paper on a recent psychology study. During my final stages of editing the paper, I scheduled an appointment at the Writing Center. During my appointment, my writing tutor and I sat down and talked through the entire paper, which was really great because I was able to figure out what parts to improve from a different perspective. My writing tutor was extremely friendly and patient to look through my long paper. Overall, my experience at the Writing Center was really great and I would definitely schedule another appointment for any future writing projects. My only advice to anyone interested to schedule an appointment is to schedule it in at least a week in advance because the schedule slots fill up pretty fast. Anyway enough of me, here is the commercial that my group created about the Writing Center. This Writing Center Commercial was created by Anna Chen, Kayleigh Queiser, Lillian Ahmad, and Nathan Cohen.

About Me

Hi everyone! My name is Anna Chen and I am a second year majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Business at the Ohio State University. I am from Columbus, Ohio, and went to Worthington Schools for most of my life. I graduated the top of my class with the Honors Diploma from Worthington Kilbourne High School, May 2017. During high school, I was very involved and held various leadership positions in the school organizations. I swam for my high school’s swim team for all four years, and am a 3 year varsity letter winner. Additionally, I have played the flute since 6th grade, and was a part of Wind Ensemble, our high school’s highest level band.

I was the vice president of our National Honor Society chapter, in which I designed a website to promote our chapter’s beliefs and promote the many volunteer opportunities available locally in Columbus. Additionally, I was the secretary of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, a musical honor society created to unite the performing arts, including Band, Orchestra, and Choir. For the past few summers, I worked as a lifeguard for the Worthington Pools, where I was able to be a part of the facility I grew up in and watch over the well-being of the community. Furthermore, I have worked as a Machine Judge for the past two elections, including the November 8, 2016 General Election, helping citizens vote.

In college, I have joined many student organizations as well. I have continued my passion for swimming and music by joining Club Swimming at Ohio State and Collegiate Winds. Additionally, I am part of the leadership board for the upcoming student organization Collegiate Winds and J2K, a student dance organization, specializing in K-Pop, J-Pop, and more. I am also a part of Alpha Epsilon Delta, a pre-med student organization, where I am going to be volunteering at the Physician’s Free Clinic, a clinic that provides heath care to those who cannot afford it.

I am proud and excited to be a student of the Ohio State University.  My ultimate goal is to go to medical school and become a primary care doctor. My passion is working with children and making sure they are growing up with the best healthcare possible. I want to make an impact in children’s lives, and help them dream big and achieve their goals. I also want to pursue undergraduate research, preferably in biochemistry or microbiology. Going to the Ohio State University, I believe I can achieve my goal no matter how tough or long it takes.