[The Home Page will show a running blog of your recent posts, which are categorized and show on that category’s page. Please delete this post or edit with your own information.]
Year in Review
When I was a freshman in HSS I really had no idea how to actually start accomplishing my goal of become a doctor. It is easy enough for anyone to say that they are pre-med. My freshman year was a huge learning experience. I had to get used to being away from home, and being an adult. There was a learning curve, and there were quite a lot of bumpy moments that first year. I took pre med classes, but that was really the only aspect of my future that I was actively pursuing. HSS really helped me find other people who shared common interests as me, but the majority of my experiences had to come from myself, and my own will to buckle down and lay out goals so that I could accomplish my dreams of becoming a doctor. My second semester I made it a goal of mine to become involved in research. I carved out time in my schedule and began interviewing in different labs. Once I had that piece of the puzzle sorted out, I decided to hunker down on my service project at the Ronald McDonald house. I can finally see all of my hard work coming together in the shape of a very impressive medical school application and I am proud of everything that I have accomplished these first two years in HSS and in school in general. It has not been the easiest road, but I have plugged through when many of my peers had given up.
G.O.A.L.S.
Health and Wellness: I have been attending “Werk-it” which is a cardio dance class taught by one of the Theatre 2100 TA’s here at the university. He promotes his class during Buckeyethon, and I feel so healthy, and confident after taking his class. He makes me feel beautiful in my own skin, and I feel so energized after dancing around like a crazy lady.
Global Awareness: I traveled to German village to get a taste of authentic German food, as well as get to explore the city and culture of Columbus because it is so different than the small beach community I am from at home.
Original Inquiry: I am currently an undergraduate researcher in the Neurosurgical Department
Academic Enrichment: Informational Interview
- Why did you select this individual to interview?
I interviewed the post doctoral researcher in Dr. Farhadi’s research lab. His name is Duane Oswald. He is my mentor and boss in the lab, and he has conducted countless hours of research, as well as taught me literally everything I know about being an effective molecular neuroscientist.
- Describe the major responsibilities associated with their current role.
Dr. Oswald comes in everyday and assigns us our duties and responsibilities for that day’s work. He oversees and manages all of our experiments, and he is always there to teach us, not only about the experiments, but about the actual theory behind what we are doing in the wet lab. He also manages the money for the lab and the office to make sure that we never run out of supplies or grant money.
- Discuss how the person prepared for this role, and if they provided you with any advice as what you might be able to do to prepare for a similar career.
He went to undergrad at University of Pittsburgh and got hi PhD. at Boston College. He is a post doctoral fellow, working on getting published in our current lab. He also served in the US Armed Forces. He is helping me a lot in applying to medical schools, and he has promised to write me a glowing letter of recommendation.
- Summarize any insights from the interview that might be helpful in your academic or career preparation.
He told me that there is a difference between having dreams and having goals. Dreams seem unattainable until it turns into a goal. My working in the lab is turning my dreams of being a doctor into a goal, and he says that I am taking all of the necessary steps to obtain my goals and dreams in life. He truly is an inspiration, and I am so lucky to have a mentor such as him in my life.
Leadership Development: I am the Vice President and the Assistant Captain of the OSU figure skating team.
Service Engagement: I volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House twice a week as a front desk manager.
Career
Artifacts
Major Service Project:
- Describe your involvement with this organization
I work at the Ronald McDonald House front desk. I am in charge of accepting donations, leading tours of the house, answering incoming phone calls, and checking guests in and out of the house. I usually am running around like a crazy person helping out all aspects of the house function as a unit.
- Describe what you gained as a result of this experiance
- This house has become my second home. I love working there because it is really eye opening. It allows me, a future physician, to see the ripple effect medical diagnoses have on the familial unit. It has created a sense of compassion within me, and I truly believe that my experiences serving there are going to make me a better doctor down the road.
- Describe positive changes to the community as a result of your service experience.\
I get to help provide a loving home to people who are going through the difficult time of having a sick child who is in the hospital. People seek comfort during hard times, and I get to help the families out, and it is truly a blessing.
- Describe a person with whom you interacted that made a strong impression on you, positive or negative.
There is a little girl who lives in the house name Rory. Her younger brother is very ill, and the family has lived in the house with a child in the hospital for over a year. She is the light of the house, and she makes everyone smile, regardless of how difficult their day has been.
- Complete the following sentence: “Because of this service experience, I am__________”
Because of this experience, I am more compassionate. I have seen the other side of medicine, the side that doctors do not always get to see, and it has opened my eyes. When I am treating a patient in the future, I will not be able to forget the experience I have had working at the House.
Informational Interview:
- Why did you select this individual to interview?
I interviewed the post doctoral researcher in Dr. Farhadi’s research lab. His name is Duane Oswald. He is my mentor and boss in the lab, and he has conducted countless hours of research, as well as taught me literally everything I know about being an effective molecular neuroscientist.
- Describe the major responsibilities associated with their current role.
Dr. Oswald comes in everyday and assigns us our duties and responsibilities for that day’s work. He oversees and manages all of our experiments, and he is always there to teach us, not only about the experiments, but about the actual theory behind what we are doing in the wet lab. He also manages the money for the lab and the office to make sure that we never run out of supplies or grant money.
- Discuss how the person prepared for this role, and if they provided you with any advice as what you might be able to do to prepare for a similar career.
He went to undergrad at University of Pittsburgh and got hi PhD. at Boston College. He is a post doctoral fellow, working on getting published in our current lab. He also served in the US Armed Forces. He is helping me a lot in applying to medical schools, and he has promised to write me a glowing letter of recommendation.
- Summarize any insights from the interview that might be helpful in your academic or career preparation.
He told me that there is a difference between having dreams and having goals. Dreams seem unattainable until it turns into a goal. My working in the lab is turning my dreams of being a doctor into a goal, and he says that I am taking all of the necessary steps to obtain my goals and dreams in life. He truly is an inspiration, and I am so lucky to have a mentor such as him in my life.
About Me
Hello! My name is Taylor, and I am a second year Molecular Neuroscience major at OSU. I am planning on applying to medical school, and my goal is to become either an OB/GYN or a Sports Neurologist, I know, two very different medical specialties. In my free time I am on OSU’s Figure Skating team, and I am also involved in research and volunteering. If I am not in class, the library, or in the lab you can definitely find me at the ice rink either practicing or watching hockey.