From Harvard to the NIH

This past week, I finished my 10-week research experience at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) through the Harvard Catalyst Summer Clinical & Translational Research Program. It was a humbling experience, and I was blessed to spend my summer with other amazing pre-medical undergraduates.

MGH

My project strove to understand the associations between residential mobility and risk for depression among ethnic minority youth in the United States. My findings may advance our understanding of the roots and prevention of depression, as well as help to clarify the barriers that exist to service access within a population suffering from disparities in care.

I wasn’t able to explore as much of Boston as I’d have liked (or even take a trip down to Cape Cod like I originally planned) because of medical school secondary applications and other responsibilities, but I’m grateful for what I was able to see and visit. Here are a few examples:

• 4th of July by the Charles River. Amazing fireworks show. 

• Museum of Medical History & Innovation: MGH has a very rich history. Founded in 1811, it was the first hospital to be established in the U.S., and now it boasts over 50 research and care centers and services. Just recently it was named the number one hospital in the nation by US News and World Report’s latest rankings. 

• I had the opportunity to shadow a neurologist in the NeuroICU, and observe the critical care fellows during their rounds.

Harvard Summer Clinical & Translational Program Interns after our

closing ceremony

I had a phenomenal time here, working alongside world-class researchers and getting to know other talented undergraduates from across the country.

Tomorrow (Monday), I will delve right into my fellowship at the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) through the Post-baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Program.

National Institutes of Health

I’m excited to join a community of post-bac fellows, and I’m eager to take advantage of the endless opportunities that are offered to the Post-bac research community, including service projects, lectures by world-class investigators, and biomedical coursework at the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) Graduate School at the NIH.

I have quite a few good friends down here in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area, as well as my own sister, who I’m looking forward to living nearby for the next year.

Advantages of a gap year

I planned to take time off after college to gain real-world experience by engaging with diverse groups of people within programs that would broaden my horizons on a professional, educational, and interpersonal level. After speaking with a few mentors and other individuals who took gap years themselves, I gained a deeper understanding of the value of taking time off prior to graduate or professional school to grow, develop intellectually, self-reflect, and perhaps explore other aspirations.

I encourage anyone considering a career in Medicine to also consider taking a gap year (or more) after college for self-discovery, and to determine if this profession is truly what you plan to pursue.