This summer I will be working with Dr. Edelson who is an Ob/Gyn doctor and also a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow at MGH. Before the program start, I do not know what to expect. I know I will be helping out with research projects related to women’s health and global health. But besides that, I have no idea what kind of work environment I will be in and how I will fit in in a setting or a team where people around me are much older and knowledgeable than I am.
Therefore, I am very excited and a little anxious before starting. I think this will be a great opportunity to learn. I have some healthcare experience before this program. I became EMT certified when I was a junior in high school and worked in a local ambulance base for awhile. I had also shadowed with a Orthopedic PA in high school. I am also a volunteer at the imaging department at MGH where I help patients get ready to image and help navigate patients around the hospital. Through these experiences, I was able to gain insights on how to provide basic emergency help to patients and see how do health professionals interact with patients.There activities also inspired me to continue the pre health track.
I hope working with Dr. Edelson this summer can help me gain a better understanding of clinical research. I have been working in a biology research lab at Brandeis for a year now and it has really inspired me to dive into the research field in the future. With my passion for healthcare and research, seeing what clinical research is like can help me decide if the MD/PHD path is a possible option for me. This summer I also hope to meet health professionals who are not only doctors but also clinical lab PIs, nurses and PAs. In addition, I wish I can gain insights on the long journey of becoming a doctor. Is it really worth it to spend the next ten years pursuing a medical degree and how to prevent potential burn-out in the future? I know I want to go into medicine but I hope this program can help me strengthen my decisions.
I look forward to this summer!