TWO STEPS

Discovering what it is truly like to be a student in ISM...

The reason why I wanted to become a part of the Independent Study and Mentorship Program (ISM) is to decide between pursuing a career in Engineering or Medicine. I have been taking electives that teach me about Computer Science, but because my interest in Medicine has developed just recently, I have been able to take only two courses that expose me to biological sciences. Thus, I chose to study the field of Pediatrics, based off of my interests and personality, as well as in order to see whether medicine is a field I feel passionate about. In these first four weeks of ISM, I began my full year of research about Pediatrics. I truly realized that a job that seemed so simple is yet to elaborate. Not only does it require completing four years of undergraduate, four years of medical school, several years of residency and practice, and taking the General Pediatrics Certifying Examination, but it also requires patience, sympathy, and diplomacy when working with patients and their parents, qualities that are difficult to develop in such a short time.

The program not only helps students research the career field of their interest and find mentors that can provide the experience they desire, but it also helps build the student’s professional profile. In the past, I have attended interviews for organizations and programs, but never in the real world for jobs or even internships. But in just these first few weeks, I was able to learn a lot more about professionality in a job setting than I knew. From professional attire to how to first impressions to interactions with professionals on social media to basic etiquette on how to speak to someone over the phone, I have begun building a professional presence both in person and online. I consider this a huge achievement because even though I knew a little about professionality, I realized that there is much more to just dressing appropriately and keeping a smile on your face when you meet someone new. I’ve become more knowledgeable about Pediatrics and I know that there’s much more for me to learn, such as terminology and the technology used in the clinic, but I am excited to see what more there is to the field more and begin finding a specialty to focus the rest of my research on.