Posts

Turning in my badge

img_5798

This is a picture of my medical center ID that I recently took as I was turning it in. For the past year, I have worked in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, manipulating and developing tools for clinical data for ongoing research studies here at OSU. Turning in my badge caused me to reflect on my time at the position, and the events that led me there.

I had first heard about jobs at the medical center the summer before I entered college. As a premedical student with a deep interest in clinical and translational research, the positions listed online appealed to me greatly, specifically the one in biomedical informatics. I applied for the position over the summer, and ended up being accepted and starting as soon as I got to campus.

This position has taught me a lot more than just clinical data management. As with the college transition, this experience has taught me what it means to act professional. Having an actual job, an actual boss, and being part of the “actual world” is quite new to me, and I have had to adapt and develop to be successful. I have had to develop my interpersonal conduct, attire, and personal ethics, and I believe that through this job I have matured a great deal, making one more step in the progression of my career.

 

Genesis – 1st place at Midwest Dhamaka

This is a recording of my dance team’s performance at one of our competitions. I am on an all male fusion dance team here at OSU, called OSU Genesis. We put together a routine consisting of indian (modern and classical) and western style dances, and travel the country performing and competing against teams from universities from all parts of America. This performance represents the culmination of hours of practice, hard work, and memorization, and embodies the spirit of what it means to be an Indian American. Being part of this team is more than just dancing, it represents a brotherhood, connecting with my roots, and providing an outlet for my creative expression.

Sophomore Year in Review

Global Awareness

Global awareness is a key component to the viewpoint with which I view the world. Knowledge and appreciation of a diverse set of perspectives is critical to open thinking, and involvement with my own culture allows me to better appreciate and understand my own heritage and perspective. To this end, I have made a concerted effort to get involved with Indian cultural organizations, specifically the Indian American Association and OSU Genesis. Through IAA, I have served as an awareness chair, educating the Ohio State community on different aspects of the Indian American social group and raising awareness for issues affecting it. This experience has allowed me to learn about issues affecting my own community and has increased my knowledge about the Indian American community at OSU. OSU Genesis is an Indian Fusion All-Male Dance Team, and has given me a unique look at the creative expression present in Indian culture. Tying in choreography from rural Indian villages (Bhangra) and from Indian cinema (Bollywood), I have learned about the emotions and rituals tied to these unique cultures.

Original Inquiry

As a student on the premedical path, research and original inquiry are crucial to the progression of the field. Admission into medical school even requires involvement in scientific research to ensure students have the requisite skills and knowledge specific to the generation of new knowledge. To this end, I have taken a deep involvement in biomedical research, specifically through the Spinal Cord Injury lab of Dr. Jessica Lerch. I have committed 15-20 hours a week for the past year and a half to this endeavor in an effort to understand, learn, and practice the process of original inquiry and scientific research. I have learned laboratory techniques, the scientific research process, personal accountability, and project management through this experience, all skills that will equip me for a career centered around original inquiry and research in the future. I plan on continuing this commitment for the remainder of my time here at OSU, and possibly beyond.

Academic Enrichment

Undertaking a rigorous and thorough curriculum has been a cornerstone of my college experience. I have made an effort to take challenging and diverse courses, and have resolved to take as many courses as I can manage. While my first two years at OSU were heavy with premedical courses, I still made time to engage in courses from a diverse set of fields. Coursework in linguistics, philosophy, and food science allowed me to venture outside of my comfort zone and challenge myself in new ways.  As I continue to take new General Education requirements I will be making an effort to venture into new fields and studies, expanding my breadth of knowledge.  As I start to engage in graduate coursework next semester I will be challenged with a new form of academics, and I will be able to prepare for my studies into medical school. Continually raising the level of difficulty and diversity in my studies allows continued growth, and will serve as a head start for graduate studies to come.

Leadership Development

Through my extracurricular involvement I have strived to take on roles of leadership and responsibility. I currently serve as an awareness chair for Indian American Association, Vice President of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Outreach Organization, and as a Neuroscience Ambassador. These roles have allowed me to develop skills of communication and organizational management that will be crucial to my career as a physician. More specifically, I have been engaged in the Buckeye Leadership Fellows program through the Office of Student Life. This program has pushed me to work outside of my comfort zone, and has given me critical feedback to improve my leadership style. Through the lens of healthcare management, I have been able to apply leadership theory to specific, real world problems through the challenges of the program. I have seen immense growth and development since joining the fellows, and look forward to continued involvement.

Service Engagement

At the onset of my college experience, I set a goal of involvement in community service to achieve at the end of 4 years. I spoke with my premedical advisor and to other medical students, and determined that a goal of 700 hours would be both ambitious and feasible for my involvement. This would also translate well into my medical application, as would a diversity of experience in community service. To this end, I have volunteered with Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the Emergency Department, at the Nisonger Center here at OSU, at my local temple, and with various organizations supporting those with neurological disease. I plan to continue this in the future and get involved with organization outside of medicine.

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

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

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

13177048_1153944891306697_2418853099532212137_n

I am a Second Year Honors Student at The Ohio State University majoring in Neuroscience with a Capital Program Specialization in Management and Human Resources. I am on the pre-med track, and I hope to use my management experience to complete an MD/MBA program, with sights on a career in healthcare administration. My on campus involvement includes research and volunteering experience, as well as leadership roles in student organizations ranging from cultural organizations to special interest career groups. I am currently seeking more ways to expand my outreach experiences, as well as to gain insight into the world of healthcare administration and management at the hospital and healthcare network level.