07/18/2022
One of the major requirements of being a McNair scholar is conducting research and being able to communicate about your project. This summer, I am fortunate to join the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of Wisconsin - Madison where I am engaged in research in collaboration with the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (WADRC) and the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP), funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH). This has presented me with several awesome opportunities I would love to share with you.
Networking:
I am a firm believer in the power of network and knowing people. Conducting research in a field as broad and as fluid as neurodegenerative diseases requires you to be on top of new knowledge. One of the ways to achieve this is to be on a constant lookout for new publications in the field, as well as socializing with other experts. I am honored to have the opportunity to work alongside some of the giants of the field namely Rob Knight of UC San Diego - La Jolla, Sterling Johnson, and Barbara Bendlin, both at UW-Madison.
Aside these highly influential people, I also got the opportunity to network with other undergraduate students in my cohort, all from different institutions. These are highly inspirational folks who contribute a lot to my dedication to the path I have chosen.
06/28/2022 MSTP summer scholars after engaging in clinical simulations.
Clinical Research
One of the downsides of being on a smaller campus is the limitation in opportunities. Although UW-Eau Claire strives to provide students with the best through collaborations, there is still a great limitation to how much clinical research students can engage in. Fortunately, this program provided me the opportunity to understand the scientific process in clinical settings through hands-on experiences. I have also acquired skills that are relevant to my research topic such as analysis of brain images by MRI or PET scans as well as segmentations. I have also gained substantial microbiological skills including but not limited to 16s rRNA bacterial genome sequencing.
Other Cool Clinical Opportunities
My favorite experience this summer was when we visited the simulation clinic where we learned and practiced intubation on dummies. We also had the opportunity to use other cool clinical instruments like ultrasounds for hearts, and laparoscopic instruments.
06/28/22 Dummy intubation by myself and Nick Arp (MSTP G1)
I am extremely grateful for the support I got from the McNair office prior and during this great experience. I am looking forward to doing greater things in the near future.