Reflecting back on my first blog post, it is really awesome to see how much I have grown since May. When I wrote that first blog post, I remember thinking that every laboratory task felt incredibly complicated. Even simple things, like knowing where different solutions were stored, were unknown to me. Tissue extraction and microscopy techniques that felt insurmountable weeks ago are now daily tasks I complete efficiently and successfully. It is encouraging to think that I have developed my laboratory skills so seamlessly that it has gone relatively unnoticed to me until reflecting on it for this blog.
One big goal I had was holding myself accountable for asking questions when I needed help. I was successful with this goal, and two great things resulted from this. First, I acclimated to lab procedures more quickly. Rather than working under assumption and hoping my guess was correct, I made sure to seek clarification from those in the lab that had more experience. Learning how to do procedures and techniques correctly the first time helps solidify skills. Second, I grew closer with my lab team. Asking questions allowed for open dialogue between my mentor, my coworkers, and myself. What has made my previous UROP experiences, as a traditional UROP student and UROP peer facilitator, incredibly meaningful has been the supportive community surrounding me. I can now confidently say that I have found this special aspect of UROP in my research lab with Dr. Soofi. I am excited to continue to learn and explore research methods in this lab, fine-tuning important technical skills that will serve me well in medical school and beyond. Additionally, exposure to research ethics, scientific inquiry, and teamwork in this lab experience have helped develop my character.
To the future WAGSFP fellows, I encourage you to appreciate every second of your research experience. 10 weeks will go by incredibly fast, and you truly get out of the experience what you put in. I encourage you to seek projects of particular interest led by mentors that are involved and committed to giving you a meaningful experience. The team you are surrounded by will truly make the research experience special.