Testimonial of my Virtual Research SHSM Health and Wellness Co-op Experience PLUS a Timetable Exemplar
Hello! My name is Natalie and during my SHSM Health and Wellness Virtual Research co-op experience with the Foundation of Student Science and Technology, I acted as a Research Assistant. I worked with another student since we researched the same general topic of COVID-19 vaccine development, but we both wrote separate research papers on more specific subjects. I finished a literature review about factors affecting unwanted immunogenicity from single-domain antibodies and the applications of that knowledge for developing a vaccine targeting COVID-19.
Did you get help from anyone else? What did you learn?
My mentor provided me with valuable information about editing this report along with insights about studying and succeeding in his career field. I gathered a lot of academic knowledge from all my research, but I also practiced my communication and writing skills. I especially improved my analyses of research articles. This experience helped me explore and narrow down a new career path. I can use this co-op opportunity to support that I have had experience in research, which I could cite when applying to help a professor in university with their research; this could make it easier for me to get another research opportunity and advance in my career. My mentor gave me a lot of valuable information about how I could improve my work.
When I heard that the internships would be online, I was accepting of the circumstances but still disappointed because I had hoped to volunteer at a hospital or pharmacy. However, this co-op experience exceeded all my expectations; it felt completely natural and I believe that it was just as worthwhile as another in-person experience. This experience was extremely positive and I continue participating in FSST events to foster the relationships that I have created. I would definitely recommend this program to all other highschool students. My advice to other students taking this program is to manage your time efficiently- good luck!
How much time did you spend working each day?
I spent about 6 or so hours researching and writing everyday, the length of a typical school day. However, I logged about 7 or 8 hours everyday because under typical circumstances, those kinds of hours are required. Not all of those 6 hours were spent productively, so I would say that closer to 5 hours were used for actually working.
What benefits did this experience provide me with?
I was drawn to SHSM because of its co-op opportunity which would allow me to exercise the skills I already have and develop new ones.
Doing research and expanding my knowledge of vaccines allowed me to explore a potential pathway in pharmacology. Having had these experiences, I realized that all of these opportunities were enjoyable to me, which was useful for deciding what I will specialize in at university. With this experience, I gained a better idea of my interests and the pathways I should thereby follow. My mentor was a very helpful guiding force and I could not have completed this without him and his insights.
In order to be successful, I identified that I will need to do more STEM and humanitarian work. I should try and volunteer with an ophthalmologist, pharmacist, or engineer. I may face a challenge gaining access to those opportunities, but I can use my references to help gain access to them. I developed my leadership skills, independence, and initiative. I learned that it is necessary to communicate with your employer to address your areas of development and improvement. It is necessary to let them know what you need help with, and what you are doing well thing. I also realized that I need to set deadlines in order to manage my time efficiently, this keeps me accountable and on track. My co-op experience has allowed me to realize that I am interested in academia and research- as a result, I would be interested in following this path one day and learning more about it.
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