Post Mentorship Review

        Now that my yearlong mentorship has officially ended I am eager to move on and have new experiences. With all the knowledge I gained this past school year I am confident that I will have a wonderful and successful time in my collegiate career. Whether it be continuing my knowledge of basic human Biology, Chemistry and Cardiology or learning new and challenging subjects, I know that my buildup of endurance and resilience this past school year has provided me with confidence to become the great doctor I want to be.
        Not only was my mentorship fun and exciting, but it provided me with a challenging environment that allowed me to learn about my strengths and weaknesses and my likes and dislikes. I worked with several doctors that all taught me in different ways. There were those who allowed me to ask questions while they answered them, and there were those that questioned me about health and cardiology facts, which helped expand my knowledge. Throughout this process I learned that I retain knowledge through visual situations, rather than information I simply acquire through auditory situations. Knowing this has allowed me to implement my best learning methods in school, which has  helped me greatly.
        My mentorship this year has given me the ability to see what my life will be like in the future. Going off of that, I realize that while I loved every procedure and aspect of what I sat in on, I want to devote my future to something a little more hands on. For this reason, I am now interested in being a cardiothoracic surgeon. While I know that the amount of schooling will be longer I am prepared to spend as much time needed in school to become successful. I will always appreciate this year-long experience with the doctors. My experience only assured me and gave me the motivation to go through medical school expecting anything and awaiting a great future. For those interested in joining Honors Mentorship, I fully encourage that they do it in an area you are seriously considering, as it provides a lot of insight and experience.

                                                                            * found on google images. 

My Presentation

        Although an exact date has not been set yet, my presentation is coming up soon and I am both excited and nervous about it. In all my years of school I have only done two fairly serious presentations, and they were both in front of a very comfortable crowd. I will say that the first time I had to present to my peers was in my Theory of Knowledge class, and that was all but pleasant. To begin, I had no water to clear my throat, which was lousy considering I had a serious case of cotton mouth. Even more, I was not as well prepared as I should have been, therefore my ideas were not very coherent and well-stated. All in all, the experience was not fun and I don't intend to relive it.

        Therefore, in order to make my presentation go a whole lot smoother that my prior experience, I have learned that the number one method to remember is to prepare in advance. For this presentation I plan on making some note cards that will allow me to stay organized and on topic. I will also have some kind of visual to support what I am saying, to make the presentation understandable and fact-based. I will then present this information in a manner that is appealing to my young audience. Therefore, as long as I prepare well enough and present my information confidently, my overall presentation will go well, and the students I will be presenting to will leave with new and beneficial information regarding some rising health problems in today's society. 

        As the following few months have gone by and my exposure to the medical field has increased, I have come to conclusion that this is the career path I will follow in the years to come. When I initially began asking my mentor questions as to why she chose her career and some of the things she did to help reassure her that the choice was correct, she simply told me, "I just couldn't see myself doing anything else." While it's not the elaborate response I was looking for, it's the one that has helped me the most, because I truly can't envision myself as anything other than a doctor. All I need is patience, dedication to my studies, and resilience. 

        My experiences the last six months of this mentorship have taught me a great deal about my likes and dislikes of the job. While I love every part the job entails, I have realized that I don't enjoy the part of the job that is more routine-based. I enjoy a more fast-pased, action-filled environment that comes with being in the hospital. Knowing this I going to be crucial in how I plan my actions and studies from here on out. I began this mentorship simply exploring the career I had in mind, but now find myself near the end and ready to commit to the long journey and rewarding experiences that I await me in the future. 

My interview with an EMT

1. Do you think the education system is lacking in heart health education and awareness? What are your opinions on that?
Answer: From my experiences, most schools teach health classes that cover general anatomy and physiology, but students today are not taught the importance of a healthy heart.
My Reflection: I completely agree. Although I have been taught how to maintain not only a healthy heart, but overall health, teachers have not enforced the importance of implementing the healthy habits we are taught, and the negative outcomes that can occur if you don't maintain a healthy lifestyle.

2. If you could design a curriculum, what would you suggest are some of the major subjects that should be taught?
Answer: My curriculum would include how to achieve a healthy heart through proper diet and exercise.
Reflection: Again, I completely agree with that. However, I would also want to discuss how one's family health history can affect their health, and the negative effects that can occur if one does not attain healthy habits.

3. What are some of the most common risk factors that lead to Heart Disease?
Answer: Some of common risk factors of heart disease include uncontrollable factors such as age or genetic inheritance. However there are controllable factors such as diet, exercise, and smoking. 
Reflection: According to my research, these are the main factors I discovered. I also found that those with a Diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure have a higher risk of Heart Disease. 

4. What is the range of the patients you see with heart problems? 
Answer: I have treated people with heart problems ranging from those in their late teens to elderly people.
Reflection: While this answer is kind of shocking, it is evident how heart health and awareness lacks in our education system. Not many teenagers believe they have to worry about being heart healthy, but we can see that it affects people of all ages. 

5. What is your most common age group that you see who have heart problems?
Answer:  In my experiences, most people with heart related problems that I have to treat are 40-60 years old. Most people with newly onset Heart Disease fall within this category. 
Reflection: His range of patients is very interesting. The doctor I shadow has a slightly higher age range. 

6. What are some things that you suggest people should do to prevent diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.?
Answer: To me, the best prevention for any medical problems is diet and exercise. Eating a healthy and natural diet will go a long way. Physical activity will also keep your heart healthy and strong, wether its walking the block everyday or a strict workout regimen.
Reflection: As much as a lot of us hate to do this, exercise is the number one method to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing life-risking conditions such as HD and Diabetes. 

7. What is one thing that you believe has to be done in order to stay heart healthy?
Answer: Diet and exercise = Heart healthy!
Reflection: This is short and simple, but it signifies and reiterates the importance of exercise in everybody's lives. As much as we might hate it, it;s a necessity to staying healthy. 

8. Do you suggest that those with a family history of heart disease get checked regularly or go through extra health precautions?
Answer: If you have heart disease as a family medical problem, I do believe that you should pay special attention to the controllable risk factors as well as keep on top of receiving routine medical evaluations.
Reflection: This makes sense!  If you know you have a higher risk of attaining such problems, taking extra precautions is only logical. Even if you don't necessarily have a family history of these diseases,   extra health precautions aren't necessarily a bad thing, but allow you to be prepared. 

9. What do you think about aspirin as a daily regimen for prevention for cardiac related problems?
Answer: I believe that it is a necessity for those who have suffered heart attack or strokes. However, I do believe that it is over prescribed and can cause serious health problems for those that may not need it. These health problems include internal bleeding and ulcers. 
Reflection: There is a huge debate between people in the medical field regarding the over prescription of Aspirin. I think this is a very interesting point of view and it would be interesting to see varying opinions. Furthermore, it would be interesting to see how an EMT's opinion varies from that of a doctor, and how that might vary from one of a nurse. 

10. Do you think the amount of heart related problems seen in patients will continue to increase in the future? 
Answer: Definitely! In America especially, there is a rising trend in being fast and saving time, therefore, picking up a cheeseburger with fries is the easiest thing to do. Furthermore, exercise has been on the back burner for many years now, which promotes a very unhealthy generations to come. 
Reflection: I couldn't agree more. Speaking from experience, when times get too bust, I do tend to pick up fast food. Therefore, I think we must all begin to promote healthy habits more in order to decrease the rising health problems that are occurring nowadays. 

        This week I have been working on the fact-based information pertaining to my project. I processed the data from the surveys I took, which asked people how aware they are of their family health history and about questions regarding their own healthy habits. With this information, I will then see if there is a relationship between those with a family history of Diabetes and those with unhealthy habits. I have also been working on collecting more facts and studies regarding my project so that I can make a brochure or information packet to hand out. Next week, I will be working on preparing the visuals for the project. Ultimately, all of this information will come together to support my conclusion and to make my project more well-rounded and supported holistically.

        According to the World Health Organization, Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death worldwide. This can result from unhealthy life choices and/or family medical history. Fortunately, I am aware that my family has a history of heart disease, therefore I can make health decisions based off of that, but there are many people who aren't aware of their family's health history, the health problems associated with this disease, or what they can do to prevent them from having it.  For this reason I have slightly altered my essential question to following: How can one integrate the knowledge of their family's medical history with their current life choices to prevent Heart Disease? 
        In order to conduct this project,  I will be using my research to generate questions that I will ask a wide range of people. Next, I will use the data I receive from the survey to come to a conclusion about my essential question. I will then orally present and explain the answer(s) with a powerpoint and maybe a model to help demonstrate any facts or visuals needed for the project.

My Essential Question:

How can I integrate my family's medical history with my current life choices to prevent Heart Disease?


I chose this question not only because of my interests in Cardiology, but because ailments such as heart disease and hypertension run in my family. Heart disease is currently the number one cause of death in the United States. For this reason, I am eager to learn about the actions I can take in order to prevent these conditions from occurring in my life, and in the lives of those around me. Because of my desire to pursue a career in the medical field, I know that researching more into this topic will be very helpful for my own personal life, but also will prove beneficial for the community as a whole.

Up until now...

      As I briefly mentioned in one of my previous posts, I have had the wonderful opportunity to not only shadow one great Cardiologist, but I have also worked with a couple of her colleagues. Because of this, I'm getting three times the knowledge I began with, and I'm exposed to three different ways of implementing that knowledge, which allows me to learn even more. Throughout the past month, I've experienced events ranging from a procedure in the operating room to ordinary appointments at the hospital clinic, all of which have been wonderful opportunities for learning. One thing is certain, had I not taken classes like Biology and Human Anatomy and Physiology class, I would not be able to keep up as well as I've managed to.
      If I had to pick one class in particular that has helped me the most it would undoubtedly be Human A&P. While my Biology class is great and informational, much of what I am learning now isn't pertinent to what I need to know for my mentorship. The information I learned in Human A&P, however, has served me very well. This aids me in answering questions the doctors ask me and also in retaining much of the knowledge they teach me.
      All in all, it's been an exciting month and I am eager learn and experience more new things.

Building Social Intelligence

      It's been brought up that a lot of youth these days aren't aware of the manner in which they should interact in a professional setting. Many say young adults come across as lacking self awareness and are unprofessional.  Nowadays, young people tend to show up to work late, don't show up in the proper attire, and even treat their workplace like it's their home, leaving a mess everywhere. I think it's about time that this changes.
      One of the solutions to the problems is building social intelligence. This is important as one should expect to make a lasting impression wherever they work. This interested me the most, because I think if you have the ability to interact properly with any group of people you can really leave quite the mark, and people will look at you respectively. As young people, we need to learn how to adjust to those in different environments, especially if your career depends firsthand on interactions between people. We need to spread the word to the up-and-coming generations, and show how wonderful we are. To read the article and learn more about some of the things you can to to become better in the work place, visit this URL: http://growingleaders.com/blog/first-soft-skill-develop-students/

A Little Bit About Myself

My Profile: You know how there are those who say they knew what they wanted to be ever since they were five years old? Well, in a sense, I can say I am that person. In all seriousness, I have always had increased curiosity for science. In fact, I am currently a senior enrolled in the International Baccalaureate diploma program at North Hall High School. For the past couple of years, I have had the opportunity to take classes such as IB Biology and IB Chemistry, which have allowed me to learn some of the essentials. I have also taken a separate Biology and a Human Anatomy class my first two years of high school, all of which, have also increased my passion and determination to become a doctor.

My Mentorship: This year I have the amazing opportunity to shadow a wonderful Cardiologist at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Since the beginning a couple months ago, I have used my prior knowledge and applied it to what I experience at my mentorship, which allows me to learn and retain a lot of information. Not only do I get the opportunity to work with one brilliant doctor, I also have the chance to work will some of her wonderful colleagues. This entails me experiencing more medical procedures, and in turn, gaining more knowledge and exposure. Even more, the doctors take it upon themselves to make the experience twice as unique and fun by testing my knowledge, thus challenging me to learn more. Overall, what I have gained so far will most definitely aid in me pursuing my career as a Cardiologist. The part of it all is that I have still have many more months of exposure to come!

My Future: Since it is my last year of high school, I'm planing on attending college in the year to come. Although I will hate leaving this experience behind, I don't intend on making it the last of it's kind. Wherever I do end up attending college next year, I do plan on continuing my exposure to the medical world. This might entail volunteering at the local hospital, or maybe getting a job that I qualify for. Whatever it is, I do know that I am excited and eager to becoming one step closer to my future.

My Enlightenment

        Looking back at it now, in the beginning of my internship, I had no profound reason as to why I wanted to become a doctor. My view on the matter was quite the cliche: I love science, and I want to help others, therefore, being a doctor would be the perfect job for me. And although these are two great reasons for pursuing this career, I've discovered a more profound and meaningful motive for my aspirations. 

        Prior to any experience at the hospital, my view on everything was very simplistic and inaccurate. For instance, I had this overwhelming perception that doctors were the driving force of every operation, every procedure, and virtually every life that is saved. In actuality, the doctors, while they are wonderful, only perform a part of the job. In the medical world, every single person has their place in the line of operation. And although one might think that one job might be more important that the other, it's not in the grand scheme of things. If one person was missing from a part of the line of operation, it would cause backup and confusion, and all the tasks after that mixup wouldn't be performed properly. 

        All in all, I've learned that I don't want to become a doctor for hat M.D. at the end of my name, or for the sake of simply saying I'm a doctor. I've come to the conclusion that it shouldn't be about the people that save lives, but more about the lives saved when a group a people come together and work for the greater good. It sounds cheesy, but I genuinely believe the more I think and practice this idea, the better doctor I will become in ty he future.  

Partners in Education

        My ability to expect the unexpected when I walk into the hospital is very high. Even though I follow the same routine week by week, seeing the same procedures done over and over again, I have yet to be less intrigued. A part of this has to do with my passion for science and medicine, but another part of it has to do with the people I have encountered.
        I've come to the conclusion that my drive for becoming a Cardiologist increases with the amount of exposure I receive. Besides my wonderful mentor, every other doctor, nurse, and associate I've worked with has gone out of their way to help me. There are those who explain a procedure step by step so that I know what is going on, and there are those who constantly test my preexisting knowledge, and challenging me to improve. The list of generous acts goes on and on. For this reason I say that they are part of my drive to become a doctor, because without the knowledge and experience they pass on to me, I wouldn't be so set on Cardiology as my future.
        Besides being my partners in education, they have also contributed to the success of one goal of mine: sociability. Before I started the program, I had no problem being around and talking to new people. When I started, however, I found that I had trouble meeting and socializing with people of superiority. Each time I had to meet someone new, I was anxious to do it by myself. After experiencing this several times, I have realized that I shouldn't be worried, because up to this point, I have yet to encounter someone disrespectful and unwilling to work with me. And although I'd like to say that I don't feel anxiety when I meet a new doctor, or medical staff, I still do. I know that one day I will encounter someone who is truly worth my anxiety, but until then I should stop being so nervous. I guess the more I experience this emotion, the less worried I'll feel in this type of situation.
        All in all, I give thanks to those who willingly take part in furthering my education, as they are the ones that are shaping the future of medicine. As for the situation I fear the most (those who are unwilling to work with me), I also give thanks, because they are the ones who will help me get over this fear I have, so that I can worry about more important things, like becoming a successful doctor.

My Experience So Far

        A year ago, if someone would have told me that time was precious and so much could happen in such a little amount of it, I would have been skeptical. In fact, I recall having a similar conversation, and I was indeed doubtful of the matter. Since the beginning of my Cardiology mentorship, however, I have learned that time has something to do with everything. I've spent the last month coming to terms with the famous saying "use your time wisely." In merely four weeks of observing heart procedures, I have learned a substantial amount of information regarding the people I work with, and even myself. 

        On my very first day, I remember being worried and extra cautious of every little thing I did, because I didn't want to break hospital protocol, or overstep the boundaries that come with being a student. Funny thing is, I found out quite fast that I didn't have to be that guarded and uptight. It's interesting to note that every person has their place in a hospital, and not one job or position can  function without the other. When performing a procedure, every person in the room has a specific task they must uphold, and when doing anything regarding the procedure, everyone has to agree on it.  This aspect came to a shock to me, because I've always viewed the doctor as being the person who calls the shots, but in actuality, it's everyone coming to a mutual agreement. 

        Another aspect I found very interesting is the dress code. As previously mentioned, each procedure is a team effort, and each person has their own job. With that being said, the nurses have different colored scrubs than the techs, who then have different scrubs than the doctors. But despite having a minor difference in their uniforms, everyone has their own spot in the team lineup. Although this is a minor detail that might be overlooked, I find it very organized and helpful, especially for a student like me. 

        The last aspect that came as a shock to me was my ability to learn. Up until this point, I have always been the type that has to study more than others; I've never been able to simply listen and retain. To my surprise, I've retained the majority of the information I've learned while at the hospital, and even apply it to other cases I see. I don't know if this is because of my prior background due to the classes I have taken, or because I have an increased interest in the subject, or both. Either way, I'm learning. 

        With all this being said, my experience so far has been amazing. The knowledge I build every time I go in the hospital is going serve me well in the future, and is assuring me that I chose a perfect career that best suits me. 

The Next Step

        Although I've know for a long time the career I wish to pursue, I have been stuck choosing the most appropriate school best fit for my standards and needs. For a good while, I didn't know what I was looking for in a school besides a couple of obvious aspects like, my intended major and diversity. Now that I am at the point where I should be applying, I have found three wonderful schools that I know will give me the education and experience I am looking for. With that being said, the information below made a huge impact in my college decision and helped guide me to following  schools: University of Georgia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Emory University.  

           - Major in Biology

           - Diversity 

           - Great campus life

           - Great scholarships/ financial aid

           - Study abroad/ Internships

           - Guaranteed freshman housing

           - AP/IB credit

           - Honors Program

          Now that you know some aspects that were factored into my college choice, let's discuss each school. First up is UGA. This university is located in the beautiful town of Athens, Georgia, and has a lot going for it. Their Biology program is ranked in the top fifty in the nation. Even more, they have countless internship and study abroad opportunities suited for my program of study. I am looking forward to applying to this school and can definitely see myself going there in the months to come. 

          The next school is Emory University, which is located in Atlanta, Georgia. This is a private institution known for its science programs and areas of study. They offer world-class education and internship opportunities for Biology, and have a great honors program. This school is ranked number thirty in the nation for biological sciences, and offers just about everything I am looking for in a college, rendering it another incredible school to attend. 

         The last school, and undoubtedly my favorite of the three, is UNC-Chapel Hill. When I was researching universities, I found that this school had everything I was asking for. The campus is beautiful, and quite diverse. There is a lot to do around the school, and guaranteed freshman housing. They accept AP/IB credit, and their honors program is top of the line. Best of all, they are ranked twenty-six in the nation in biological studies. 

         Ultimately, all of these school are incredible, and I would be excited to be an student at any of them. Also, with a little help from the David Wright Davenport Scholarship, the Tommy Aaron/ Charlie Aaron Foundation Scholarship, and the Chuck Massey Memorial Scholarship, I could calmly attend these institutions. 

         If you have any further interest in these three extraordinary Universities, please explore all they have to offer at http://uga.edu, http://unc.edu, and http://emory.edu. 

 

        

The Year-Long Interview

           I recently read an interesting blog post regarding healthy internships, and have acquired some more helpful information. Thanks to the author, Tim Elmore, I now have a new and perhaps better way of looking at my internship opportunity. In his blog, he states the top qualities in interns lean more towards their attitude rather than aptitude. Basically, students should be eager to learn, take initiative in what needs to be done, be proud of their work and have passion for what they do.
           When I start,  I'm going to take him up on his advice and be sure to carry out these four components of obtaining and maintaing a healthy internship. Like he says, it will be a time to observe and be observed; a stimulator, allowing me to practice now what I'll need later. In the words of the wise, an internship is a twelve-week interview. Its's a simulation of the job you'll have one day. Therefore, giving everything I have every time I'm on the job will most definitely ensure me the career I wish to fulfill, cherish, and maintain for as long as I can. With that, I am very appreciative of Mr. Elmore for the great help he has offered and will not be a stranger to his wonderful blog at http://growingleaders.com/.

Note to Future Self

       I recently found out a little bit of information regarding the location of my mentorship, and since then have not able to stop thinking about it. As if I haven't said it enough, I am wholeheartedly anticipating the experience and exposure. Walking into this, I understand that what I am going to do is not only an honor, but a privilege. Like the saying goes, "with great privilege comes great responsibility," something I want more of.

       From the first day forward, I want to create a great relationship with my mentor. Establishing a relationship with those I work with will make my experience beneficial and meaningful. I want them to be able to comfortably and easily rely on me for whatever task they want me to perform. Not only that, I want to be able to explore and experience as much as I can with confidence, and be able to learn something new with each encounter my mentor and I have. 

       Besides the exposure, I also hope to gain confidence and motivation for my future. I already have  a strong longing to become successful, but I could never have too much excitement and drive to lead me there.  In fact, the more the merrier! If everything goes as planned, at the end of the school year I will walk away accomplishing all of my goals and a little taste of what it's like to live in the real world.

Let the Mentorship Begin!

        While preparing for my mentorship, either for school or on a personal level, I have come across some insights and elements that I have yet to be exposed to. Whether it be an aspect I've heard of, but never before experienced, or a completely foreign concept, I am confident I'll end the school year a different person. With this experience, I will gain good work habits, such as punctuality and how to dress properly according to my work setting; all of which will surely prepare me for my future.

         Overall, the aspect I'm anticipating the most is the exposure. This mentorship will contribute great insight into the future I aspire to have. I expect to take full advantage of each opportunity I'm presented with to observe, learn, and get as many questions answered to help aid me in my decision for the future. With the end of the month creeping in, all of the arrangements are near completion, meaning I'm one step closer to beginning this exciting journey. Let the mentorship begin!