Kaeberlein Lab

When I arrived at UW, one of the last things I wanted to do was do research. The idea of being stuck in a sterile lab clicking away at data and tables was the complete opposite of what I wanted to do with medicine. But was my freshman and sophomore years went by and my understanding of research and medicine began to mature, I started to recognize that doing research was an important, indeed perhaps necessary, experience for someone who wanted to go into medicine. So, I began to search and apply to various labs and positions, and ultimately landed a position on the yeast dissection team of the Kaeberlein lab in the Department of Pathology.

This position had quite a number of important perks. For one, the skill set required was easy to pick up, the hours were very flexible, and the lab itself was very large, giving me access to a wide range of mentors and support. My own personal duties were at first very basic: as a yeast dissector, my duties were to take petri dishes covered with carefully organized yeast colonies, separate and count daughter cells, and ultimately tally up the number of new cells. It wasn't as exciting of work as I would have liked, but fortunately this served as the gateway to more interesting experiences. The veteran researchers were always open for help, and eventually I was helping manage data, setting up new colonies, filling up agar plates, and all sorts of other responsibilities. By the end, I had gathered a great deal of laboratory experience and skill that I probably would never have gotten outside of a lab. More importantly, the lab gave me the opportunity to present at the undergraduate research symposium, something I would never have imagined doing when I first entered college.

Ultimately though, the most important thing I learned through the lab was actually an affirmation of a previous belief: I could not see myself working in a wet lab as part of a career. While I definitely had a deeper appreciation for the work of researchers, I definitely did not feel the same level of excitement and passion I felt interacting with patients. Fortunately, this research experience did open me up to the possibilities of clinical research: at the moment, I'm a clinical research assistant, a position I got in large part due to my previous research experience at the Kaeberlein Lab. While I don't know how much more of my life I'll spend in a wet lab, I know that the skills I gained for being a part of the dissection team will serve me throughout my life in medicine.

Research abstract and poster

Summer 2017 Internship

Getting an internship was among one of my top priorities for this school year, involving countless applications and attempts. The searching period opened my eyes to the harsh realities of job hunting, as denial after denial chipped away at my confidence in finding a position for the summer. Fortunately I did not give up, and eventually I was accepted into the Scans Design Innovations in Pain Research Program, a summer research internship involving research in pain medicine.

The program itself was, while interesting, rather typical to what I expected out of a summer program: a handful of lectures, a few guest speakers, and a much needed $5000 stipend. Of course, the program was the least of my interests, and the opportunity to jump into research alongside experts in pain medicine was extremely exciting and at the core of my summer experience. I was assigned to 3 mentors: Dr.Michele Curatolo from UW Medicine, Dr.Monica Vanilla from HIPRC, and Dr.Elizabeth Powelson from Harbourview Medical Center. While the level of support each gave to my research experience varied significantly, all of them were clearly experts in their field, and I was honored to be able to work alongside them.

I was involved in 3 research projects: a lower back pain study at the Rehabilitation Institute of Washington, a study on chronic headache treatment at the Roosevelt Pain Clinic, and a study on chronic pain after trauma out of HIPRC. Their methodologies and styles varied greatly, which was a great thing for someone new to clinical research. My responsibilities varied greatly, and I was largely independent with my work: be it scheduling new patients, running tests, modifying procedures, managing databases, and doing patient interviews, I was going all over Seattle keeping up with my work. By the end of the program, I felt that I had accomplished a great deal, and helped keep the project moving forward smoothly.

It wasn't just research I was involved with: my mentor Elizabeth Powelson offered me the chance to shadow here in the OR, and I learned a great deal about surgical procedures and life as an anesthesiologist. Another big part of the program was preparing a poster and presenting at the summer research symposium, another new opportunity for me: while I have done a presentation at a symposium for my yeast research lab, I had never made a poster. It was an exciting and eye opening experience.

All in all, this was an excellent experience for me, opening me to the possibilities of clinical research in the future. I hope to continue working with my mentors throughout the school year, and even if I can't work full time anyone, I wish to shadow them further and explore more about medicine.

Junior year overview

For future detailing and emphasis:

Kaeberlein lab + Yeast RLS
Undergraduate research symposium presentation
Getting into more in depth global health studies
Getting into my Biology major
Looking towards Medical School
Preparing for and taking the MCAT
Summer Research Internship