Scholars Event- Study Session

Just the past week I had the opportunity to attend the Bio Sci Scholars Study Session. I got to meet many upperclassmen from Bio Sci and study with fellow members. Through this experience I gained new knowledge on the scholars program such as insight on current events occurring this month; genuine camaraderie was also developed through this experience as my fellow peers and I studied for upcoming exams.

About Me

My name is Aashka Parikh, and I am a 1st-year Bio Sci Scholar.  I was born in Elyria, Ohio and then moved to Avon, Ohio (Cleveland area) after nine years. In high school I tried to pursue a variety of activities from swimming to dance to internships at the Cleveland Clinic.

After my freshmen year of high school, I had some inclination towards the medical field, so I decided to apply to the Junior Ambassador Program at the Cleveland Clinic to expose myself more to a prospective career.  As a Junior Ambassador, I worked under doctors, met and greeted patients, assisted nurses with clerical work, and more; it truly jump started a new perspective of medicine as I got to meet a number of inspirational people who have really motivated me and helped me gain experience and knowledge. In fact, I shadowed doctors that met at the clinic and was offered an unpaid clinical research internship position that is now my future career goal.

My interest in medicine and clinical research were partially reason for me applying to the Scholars Program. In addition, I believe that my ambition and work ethic, developed through activities I participated in throughout the years, allowed me to pursue the Scholars Program.

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.

Throughout the years, my goals have evolved from simply riding a bike with my training wheels off to becoming a medical practitioner involved in clinical research.  The foundation of my goals has almost always derived from the influence of my parents and my personal motivation. As an only child, the immediate people I looked up to were my parents. Their hard work and determination, from studying in India among tens of thousands to adjusting to a foreign land, have truly inspired me to, cliches aside, reach for the stars.

Reflecting on the immediate past, sophomore year of high school, there was some discrepancy in my future career of choice; I was thinking of pursuing medicine in primary care. As the years progressed, I had explored many aspects of the medical field such as participating in the Junior Ambassador program at the Cleveland Clinic, working under researchers, and volunteering at local hospitals. While working under doctorates, who I had the pleasure to work with, researching small-cell lung cancer, I met the clinical researcher who, in essence, was the leader of the pack; he called the shots and remained a team player. It truly inspired me, and sparked my interest in clinical research as a specific prospective career field; you get the fun of a being researcher while still having the pleasure of a being practitioner.

Many strategies should be implemented in hopes of achieving this goal. First, for this month, I should formulate a concise schedule in order to maintain organization as college is truly an adjustment; this schedule will include important dates for major events such as deadlines, activities, and exams. Fortunately, I already had an appointment with my academic adviser and have chalked out a class schedule for the semesters to come, so I can check that off my list. Next, for the semester I need to figure out a proper work ethic that allows me to pursue the extra-curriculars I want to do while maintaining good grades. I also need to figure the bus system before winter sneaks up on me. Perhaps, by the end of this year or semester, I should find opportunities to explore health care at the college and professional level, for example, volunteering at the Wexner Medical Center. Another goal to work towards sophomore year is possibly getting involved in more research. However, with all this in mind, I must remember that it is essential to maintain such goals with a positive and healthy mindset as goals are here for sheer motivation and accomplishment.

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

The month of my birthday also happens to be cardiac health awareness month, so I decided for my 16th birthday, rather than throwing some lavish party with guests I don’t know the names of, I’d make heart-shaped pillows for cardiac patients at a local hospital.  I gathered supplies and ended up making 32 pillows; the sheer satisfaction of seeing the smiling faces of those who were in so much pain and discomfort was truly better than any materialistic gift I could possibly receive in my opinion. I enjoyed making the pillows so much that I decided to make them every year; I even got members of my dance school to join in on making them. I consider this experience as something I’ve grown from in that I learned the significance of simplicity, that even the most minuscule things can make the greatest impacts. I also learned the art of leader including taking initiative and influencing followers (i.e. those members of dance who will continue to make heart pillows in my absence).