Weekly Report (11/17-11/30)

During this week in ISM I have completed my sixth research assessment, research speech self-evaluation, call log, and showcase invitation lists. Through my research assessment I learned the impact certain drugs can have on individuals and how the medical society is still progressing and developing. For instance I learned that the drug Digoxin is actually detrimental to a patient’s health since it causes an increased risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Originally it was assumed to have the opposite affect and benefit the patients with these problems but was recently found false. I learned that the medical field is still dynamic since new information can surface any moment. For ISM I also finished making a showcase invitation list with people who I plan to invite for the research showcase during late December. The research showcase will allow me to represent all that I have accomplished in ISM so far. Lastly I finished a self-evaluation of my speech that I presented last class. Overall I thought that my speech was good but could have been much better. In class during ISM we did a team building activity in which was similar to the game “telephone”. Each individual had nine note cards in which we passes around to each other guessing the image or word the previous note car holder had drawn or written. Through this activity we learned that communication is quite important and that it’s always beneficial to surpass this barrier. This week has been a wonderful week and I hope to accomplish more in the future.

Weekly Report (11/10-11/16)

During this week in ISM I had given a ten minute Research Speech on cardiology and had a phone interview with Dr. Parin Parikh. The phone interview with Dr. Parin Parikh was rescheduled once as the doctor needed to attend a conference meeting with some other professionals relating to an issue with a new patient that had occurred. From the interview with Dr. Parin Parikh I learned that the life of a cardiologist is quite busy, especially with his sub-specialty of cardiology. I learned that anything can occur at any moment and that I must be prepared for that. Through my Research Speech I was able to share with the class my current knowledge of cardiology and the background story behind my pursuance. I mentioned the assessments and interviews that I had accomplished so far and the knowledge gained from every single one of them. I felt that I had given a great speech and that I truly accomplished something great. The flaws that occurred in my speech were that I used a tad too many filler words, needed to smile a bit more, had a shaky introduction, and a struggling conclusion. Hopefully the mistakes that I saw in my speech will help me learn and improve for my future speeches. This week has been a wonderful week and I hope to accomplish more in the future.

Weekly Report (11/3-11/9)

During this week in ISM I went on my third Research Interview, have completed my third Interview Assessment, and have continued to prepare for my upcoming Research Speech. For the Interview Assessment I essentially talked about the experience with Dr. Amit Khera who is a Preventive Cardiologist. I truly appreciated the time with Dr. Amit Khera since he was in such a high position and was buys quite a lot. During my Research Interview Dr. Khera explained to me the unique duties he accomplishes and does yearly. As the director of Cardiology at UT Southwestern and Head of the Fellowship Program there Dr. Khera held a high position. I learned the key roles he plays and the different branch of Cardiology in which he works for. I learned the two different paths in which one could lead from Cardiology which was truly intriguing. The knowledge gained from the interview was truly outstanding. During our class time in ISM we mostly watched speeches given by other students. From the speeches we learned the experiences that each student had and what they accomplished. I’ve learned that for my speech I shouldn't make the mistakes that past students made on their speeches. This week has been a wonderful week and I hope to accomplish more in the future.

Weekly Report (10/27-11/2)

During this week in ISM I have completed my fifth Research Assessment and second Interview Assessment. For my Research Assessment I analyzed an article that covered the fundamentals and functions of the heart. I learned and memorized the parts of the heart and the responsibility each chamber has. The key information from the article will be useful when I’m with my future mentor since I wouldn’t have to waste his time with learning about the basics about the heart, instead we could move forward and talk about more intricate ideas. For my Interview Assessment I reflected on my second interview with Dr. David Harper who explained to me the key aspects of Cardiology. With his father also being a Cardiologist, Dr. Harper emphasized the amount of work and dedication needed to become a Cardiologist. I learned from Dr. Harper the depth of studies needed to become a Cardiologist and the amount of time one must place since it is a serious and crucial job. During class time we critiqued each other’s display board layouts so that we could present our boards could be professional and sufficient. For my display board I was thinking of integrating a three-dimensional heart in the center of the board since my topic of study is Cardiology. This week has been a wonderful week and I hope to accomplish more in the future.