ChicagoCareersinHealthProfessions

HealthandMedicineQuestionnaire:Year3

DATE:

Aug 18, 2011

LASTNAME: FIRSTNAME: UCID:

Cheng Renee
1

Pleaseinsertyour photohere

3 9 6 9 2

EXPECTEDYEAROFGRADUATION:

ACADEMICPREPARATION:Whathavebeenyourgreatestacademicchallenges? Describehowyoumetthem.
I think my greatest academic challenge has been balancing extracurricular activities and academic studies. And to be honest, I've often picked extracurricular events and meetings over my studies. I think that my "lowest" point was 2nd year winter quarter. Math 201 was very difficult and I struggled to find motivation to study the material. I would often find myself doing things for RSOs over studying. After getting disappointing grades both winter and spring quarter, I realized that something needed to change. So, I now realize that when I struggle to find enough hours in the day to get everything done, I have to muster up to courage to say NO. I've had an epiphany-- that I'm here to be a student first. This, I imagine, is going to be a continual struggle, but it can and will be met with a little discipline and a powerful little word thatis no.

PASSIONFORSCIENCE:Howhaveyoudevelopedyourcompetencyinscience?
I've developed my competency in science by taking more classes in chemistry and biology. My research position in the lab has taught me a lot about the biological markers of breast cancer and cancers in general. It has also expanded what I viewed as the process of science. Doing lab work has required me to read papers and studies related to the research, further developing my competency in the sciences. Lab work has also improved my laboratory technique, range of laboratory skills, and understanding of lab protocols.

HEALTHANDMEDICINEEXPERIENCE:Describeyourexperiencesinthefield(e.g. research,clinical,policy).
My experience with health and medicine has come through many different channels. My first interaction with the medical field was in high school, when I volunteered at Cook County Hospital. I spent one summer reading to pediatric patients through The Reach Out and Read program. The following summer, I volunteered with the Social Services department. The last two summers, I spent my time volunteering with and a shadowing a breast oncologist. The summer following my first-year of college. I did a research project for the American Cancer Society that involved looking at patient compliance and how a patient navigation run by the ACS could potentially help improve patient compliance. During the Spring quarter of my 2nd year, I started working in a lab, looking into identifying cell markers on Breast Cancer cells that allow it migrate to the bone niche.

MENTORS:Namethreefacultymembersyouplantoaskforlettersof recommendationtwoscience,onenonscience.Whytheseindividuals?
Professor Erin Fehskens- Humanities professor. I really enjoyed her class. Also, for our final project, we had a translation project, which she really loved and had even recommend me and some other students to be interviewed for an article on primary texts. So, she can attest to my expositional writing ability, as well as my creative side.

Professor Rustem Ismagilov- Organic Chemistry professor. The quarter I had Professor Ismagilov was by far my best quarter of organic chemistry. He's written me a recommendation before, so I feel comfortable asking him again.

Professor Stuart Gazes- Physics professor. I have yet to have him, but I've heard great things about his teaching style and his attitude towards undergrads and would like to get to know him and potentially ask for a recommendation. CIVICENGAGEMENT:Tellusaboutyourvolunteerexperienceanditsroleinshaping yourprofessionalaspirations.
I volunteered at Cook County hospital and it's made me realize that I want to serve in an urban hospital, or an area where the people are under served. That might even mean overseas, especially after reading about the great work physicians and health advocates have been doing in developing nations. I also volunteer at Comer hospital, tutor at an ESL program in Chinatown, and tutor through the Office of Special Programs at the University. Volunteering through these programs and institutions has helped me realize how to interact with and related to people of different ages and backgrounds. It also helped me understand overcoming communication barriers. Tutoring has helped me realize my "backup plan", which is to teach-- to share my knowledge and understanding of subjects with others.

LEADERSHIP:Tellusaboutyourleadershipexperience.
Most of my leadership experience in college has been through leading in Asian-American InterVarsity (AAIV) as a coordinator on the fellowship team, small group leader, and as president this year. Leading in this capacity is all about caring for people and managing group members and other leaders to get programming done. It's about being able to lead discussion, being able to articulate a point in front of a large group, being able to motivate people to carry out a a plan, and being able to be work and delegate amongst peers.

Some of my other leadership experience has been through Students Embracing Newfound Diversity (SEND) as treasurer and as one of six core exec board members that got the new RSO started. As a leader, I have to network with other RSOs and be able to creatively "sell" what our RSO does to schools and tutoring programs in the neighborhood. It's also about being able to interact with the high school students who attend the cultural events that the University hosts and being able to find ways to relate to them-- to be their friend, yet lead them as an authority figure. Other leadership experience has come through leading in athletics, such in our badminton club team as one of the top players, or in my church.

APPLICATIONPLANNING:Whendoyouplantoapply?Whyhaveyouidentifiedthis time?
I intend to apply during the summer after my 3rd year. I haven't quite decided whether or not I can or want to take a gap year,so right now I'm planning on going straight into medical school after college. The only reason I'd want to take a gap year is to get a break from the academic setting and school, but there are always options to take breaks during medical school. My PI told me that she took a research year after her third year and loved it. So, I don't necessarily see why it's necessary to take that break right after college.

CAREEREXPLORATION:WhatisyourPlanA?WhatisyourPlanB?Why?
My plan A: Get into medical school and become a physician. What I do with a MD is a question I haven't quite figured out yet. Part of me wants to do clinical research, part of me wants to do laboratory research, part of me want to go overseas, part of me wants to practice in an under-served area, and part of me wants to look into health policy. However, at the end of the day, the core of what I want to do is patient care.

My plan B: Some sort of research, clinical or laboratory. Improvements to the medical field can't be made without research.
My plan C: Teach high school. I actually really enjoy teaching, especially in a one-on-one setting. So I think that if I get a masters in teaching and biology, I could potentially make it as a teacher.

PLANNINGSTRATEGICALLY:Whatareyoursummerplans?Inwhatwayswillthey enhanceyourapplication?
I plan to continue working at my current lab job. I may potentially consider writing an honor's research paper, so the lab would be integral in making that happen. It also allows me to make connections and to really seek out my principal investigator as a mentor, considering that she is a new attending physician. Also, if she were to write a paper, I could potentially get my name published on a paper.

SELFREFLECTION:Tellusaboutalifeexperiencethathasbroughtperspectivetoyour careergoals.
My four years at Cook County Hospital allowed me to see the different aspects of patient care, whether it's as simple as making young patients less apprehensive about their doctor visits or seeing the patient-doctor interactions that eventually lead to intricate surgeries. Shadowing Dr. Marcus from Cook County around the clinic, has motivated and inspired me to want to become a physician. To be able to diagnose a disease, explain it and the required treatment in a way that's understandable, and to be able to seemingly melt away fear with a smile and words of encouragement. Medicine is much more than just the skills required to diagnose and perform a procedure, but it's also about how you are able to relate to people.

Also, auditing a course in Health and Human Rights and reading about people like Paul Farmer have enhanced my understanding of health care in different countries and in the US. It has taught me has there are intervening cultural, socioeconomic, and bureaucratic factors that affect patient care and the quality of that care.

YOURAPPLICATIONPROFILE:ASelfAssessment 1
Asanaspiringprehealthprofessional,itisimportantthatyouareawareofthevariables admissionsofficersconsiderwhenevaluatingyourcandidacy.Theseinclude:(1)undergraduate GPA,(2)standardizedtestscores(e.g.,MCAT),(3)lettersofevaluation,(4)involvementin healthrelatedworkexperiences,(5)interviewingskills,(6)engagementinextracurricular activities.Inlightofthesevariables,itisessentialthatyoustepbackandhonestlyassessyour developingprofileasafutureapplicant.Whatarethestrengthsofyourdevelopingapplication profile?Whatareasneedattention?Whataresomewaysyoucanimproveyouroverall application?Considerthefollowingselfinventory.Behonestinratingyourselfaccordingto thefollowingscale: 1=needsconsiderableimprovement 2=needssomeimprovement 3=OK 4=verygoodshape 5=outstanding Yourinvolvementinhealthrelatedexperiences Rating= 5 Yourinvolvementinextracurricularactivities Rating= 4 Yourabilitytopresentyourselfinperson Rating= 3 Yourabilitytopresentyourselfinwriting Rating= 3 Howwelldoyourelatetoothers Rating= 4 Waysinwhichyouexhibitindependence/initiative/perseverance Rating= 4 Waysinwhichyouexhibitleadershipskills Rating= 5 Yoursenseofpurposeandmotivation Rating= 4 Yoursenseofintellectualcuriosity Rating= 4 Yourcommonsense Rating= 4 Yourabilitytohandlestressfulsituations Rating= 3 Yourinterestinscienceandbiomedicalresearch Rating= 4 Yourbreadthofinterests Rating= 4 Howhaveyoudemonstratedcommitmenttoservice Rating= 4 Howwellyourprofessorsandadvisorsknowyou Rating= 2 Strengthofyourundergraduate/postbacscienceGPA Rating= 2 Strengthofyourstandardizedtestscores Rating= 3

Remember:Acareerisaprocess,NOTanevent

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Verrier,David&GaleLang.AssessingYourApplicationprofile:AWorkshopforPreHealthStudents.TheAdvisor,March 2000/Vol.20No/2,56