Genetic Counseling

During an internship experience at Eli Lilly, I spoke with a genetic counselor who also began her career in neuroscience. She understood how fascinated I was with the inner working of the brain, and she introduced me to the concept of diving deeper into what makes us unique individuals. With her guidance, I studied the way genetic abnormalities can affect how patients behave and think. How one small transcription error during development could make someone incapable of independent living. I loved working with people, patients, anyone I could talk to about their experiences in genetic counseling, furthering my interest in the field. Within a year, I had made up my mind: studying genetic interactions with patients is my passion, and I will do anything to get there for the rest of my life. That being said, things change. As I began studying genetics in college courses, I struggled more than any biology course I had taken previously. It was hard for me to admit that maybe this passion was not where I was meant to be, but I finally decided to explore a little further and think outside of the box. And I came across PETM...

Science Museum Event Coordinator and Fundraising Specialist

I explored a certificate or minor in events managment, as well as began to explore careers in event planning, specifically any companies that have a solid base in scientific research. I looked at a few universities and medical graduate schools to see what their event planners needed: as it turns out, many universities don't plan their own conventions, but hire a separate company to do the heavy lifting. I came across a job at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago for a Fundraising Specialist: this position is responsible for planning two separate formals geared towards getting sponsorships for new exhibits at the museum. The specialist is responsible for showcasing parts of the new exhibit, as well as making sure the guests enjoy the event...this easily sounds like the coolest job I have ever heard of. This is what I know I will be working towards for the next three years.