|
 When
I was eleven I went on my first snow skiing trip to Colorado. It was
amazing. 10,000 ft. tall mountains covered with snow. For a Southerner,
it was a world away from 70˚ Decembers and hot sticky summers. For the
next 15 years I would go back every chance I had. I’d go in the winter
for skiing or in the summer for hiking and camping. I loved the
mountains in the winter and the summers felt like heaven on earth:
crisp, clean air and huge blue skies. Every time I visited, I promised
myself that I would move there some day. That opportunity finally
presented itself four years ago when I was deciding on graduate schools
to get a Ph.D. It was everything I had worked so hard to achieve: a
great Ph.D. program in the perfect location. Fast forward four years
later… This morning I woke up, broke a sweat on the way to my car,
killed a mosquito or two that flew in the car with me, and drove
forty-five minutes on I-45 from Houston to Galveston. Later that
afternoon I did the same thing, just in the reverse order.
When I
accepted an invitation to do my graduate studies at the University of
Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) I did not foresee the two hour commute back
and forth on the “scenic” Gulf Freeway. My fiancé and I thought that
finding a teaching job on the island would not be a problem. Three
months after she moved to Galveston, she finally found one… in Houston.
Nor did I appreciate the magnitude of the phrase “one hundred percent
humidity” or “hurricane evacuation route”. Indeed, I admit that I was at
once lured by the idea of living on an island with 30 miles of beaches,
swimming in the surf, and sipping frozen drinks on the weekends. But it
was not for the sun and sand that I gave up my chance to live on
Mountain Time, and it has not been the allure of island life that has
maintained my peace of mind.
For the uninitiated, let me just say that UTMB has one of the largest
groups of tropical and emerging infectious disease scientists at any
university in the United States, perhaps the world. Behind this critical
mass of researchers follows millions of dollars of funding, decades of
expertise, and lots and lots of viruses (the kind you study of course).
When I began my search for places to get my Ph.D. the search included
some very well-respected universities. The name UTMB was new to me, but
the reputation of the scientists working there were not.
It took little encouragement from faculty members at the university
where I did my masters degree to decide to apply. When I got around to
looking for initial faculty contacts I was surprised to find out how
many people were doing exactly the type of research that I was
interested in. After sending out a few letters to faculty, I immediately
realized what all the fuss was about. Everyone had great projects,
plenty of lab space, and long-term grant support that would secure
funding of student stipends. A quick database search for research
publications of the faculty members made it even clearer that UTMB had
established itself as a major player in the study of infectious disease.
While the same could be said for many of the other universities for
which I applied, the research productivity, grant support, resources,
and personnel just didn’t add up to that put on the table by UTMB.
My
first visit to the island really sealed the deal. After being flown in
and put up at a very nice hotel, what impressed me most about the
university was talking with all of the people whose research efforts I
had been hearing about. The interview process was a breath of fresh air
after being invited to universities by a single person for a single
interview and for a single laboratory position. This was certainly not
the case as I learned more about UTMB’s unique first year Basic
Biomedical Science Curriculum (BBSC) and the opportunity to do lab
rotations with many different mentors and in many different departments.
The single greatest asset to the Graduate School of Biomedical Science
(GSBS) is the fact that each student is brought into the University by
an overarching authority, rather than a single department or much less a
single person. This gives students the freedom to choose from a number
of faculty mentors. When traveling to UTMB for the first time, I was
under no pressure to meet a single person with whom I would spend the
next several years working under. At UTMB you have the opportunity to
meet many people with whom you may work for, and best of all, you have a
choice in the matter. So when I found out that I had been accepted to
UTMB it did not take much reflection to make a decision about where I
would spend the next several years of my life. Colorado would have to
wait.
The
first year in the BBSC was difficult. Having not had courses in
Biochemistry and very little Molecular Genetics, I was especially
stressed by the work load. Help from students that had backgrounds in
these courses and from faculty and tutors made the classes bearable. I
was very focused on doing research in arthropod-borne virus studies so
the integrative BBSC curriculum did not change my perspective on what I
wanted to study, but it did broaden my outlook on the many different
approaches that one might take to study those types of viruses. I
ultimately chose the Department of Pathology because I really wanted to
study infectious diseases and the Experimental Pathology program is one
of the truly unique graduate programs for the study of tropical and
emerging diseases. I really enjoyed the personnel in the department as
well. The students and postdocs were very hard-working, the faculty very
accomplished, and the administrators extremely helpful. The curriculum
of the department was good because it gave me the freedom to choose the
courses that I wanted to take rather than having all the courses
selected by the department. While of course some courses were mandatory,
the department placed a lot of emphasis on elective courses. This way I
could take courses offered by other departments and not be constrained
by being “forced” to take classes that I had already taken or didn’t
feel that I needed to take.
Choosing rotations was a very natural experience for me. Because of my
master’s degree background, I knew that I wanted to study vector-borne
viruses. For most of the universities that I had considered, this would
have meant choosing from three or four labs. But at UTMB this meant
having a choice to rotate through as many as ten different labs. Because
of this special scenario, the rotations meant not so much having to do
decide what I wanted to do my dissertation studies on, but which lab I
felt the most at home in. Again, because the GSBS was paying my first
year stipend I was free to try many different labs and never felt
pressure from any single mentor to choose their lab. I knew I was
looking for a mentor that had a track record of productivity and who was
motivated, but I also wanted someone that had a “laid-back” personality.
I really wanted to find someone that I felt comfortable being around. It
was also important that I found someone that would be open to my ideas,
but that had several on-going projects that were of interest to me so
that I could jump into an existing project and then run with my own
ideas about how to make it a success. Fortunately for me, I had no
trouble finding this person and I don’t think this was a problem for
many students.
One of
the exceptional traits of my mentor was his ability to put my priorities
above his own. This became apparent as I began the process of applying
for candidacy. My mentor made sure that I had enough time away from the
lab to complete my course work and to do well on the qualifying exams.
Although they were stressful, my mentor was always behind me and took
the time to make sure that I was not too stressed-out by the process.
After the qualifying exams were over, my mentor took the time to help me
pick my committee members and to help in the preparation of my
dissertation proposal. He really pushed me to finish this process as
early as possible and encouraged me to publish my first paper before
entering candidacy so that it would be clear to my committee that I was
ready to begin my dissertation research phase. Not only was my mentor
helpful in this regard, but the program director was also very
supportive in terms of stress management and prioritizing my efforts.
Other faculty members also lent a hand whenever possible. This feeling
of encouragement and motivation from my mentor and other faculty has
been evident during the course of my dissertation studies as well, and
now that I have begun to focus solely on my dissertation research I am
thankful of the flexibility that I was afforded during the first two
years of my graduate studies. I have also been impressed by the
availability of intramural grant opportunities from the University. My
mentor and other faculty have been extremely helpful in helping me to
write, apply for, and acquire several of those grants. They have also
been very supportive and understanding of the importance of traveling to
conferences to present my research and to network with scientists
outside of UTMB. I have also been very satisfied by the resources
available to me, not only in the lab, but also in the department, and
university as a whole. I would also note that the experience and
technical skills of the postdocs at UTMB are exceptional and are an
integral part of the research machinery at the University.
When I
decided to become a scientist, in particular one interested in public
health and infectious disease research, I did not fully appreciate the
dedication that people have for this field. All of the faculty that I
have come into contact with instill their own spirit of motivation and
tireless work ethic into the students around them and make coming to
work every day a more meaningful experience. The work environment is
also refreshing. In the lab that I work in, we have people representing
at least six different countries of origin. This encourages a level of
social awareness that I did not always consider. I was suddenly
introduced to a world of people and perspectives that were new and
different, and at once interesting and inspirational. I began to realize
the importance of exploring diversity as a means of not only enriching
day to day life, but also gaining knowledge. I think this is really a
prerequisite for the study of health science. As we are too often
reminded, public health care problems are rarely resolved by the
initiative of a single entity. In dealing with health care dilemmas, at
either a local or global scale, partnerships between a number of
disciplines, organizations, and most assuredly, a diverse group of
people are essential. As a Ph.D. student in an infectious disease
laboratory with co-workers from a variety of backgrounds, I‘ve come to
understand the significance of working in a diverse environment. It has
taught me the importance of research collaboration when addressing
problems related to the spread and prevention of infectious diseases and
has allowed me to make contacts with researchers from all over the world
with whom I hope to sustain relationships with in the future.
Now
that my graduate studies are coming to a close, the drive to and from
Galveston reminds me of the reasons why I chose to come to UTMB in the
first place and the reasons why I would recommend the university to
anyone. Not only has the research experience been all I had hoped it
would be, but the friends and colleagues that I have made will
definitely be an attribute to my future life both personally and
professionally. As I begin my search for places to do postdoctoral
studies, I feel confident that I am prepared to take on research
projects in many different fields of infectious disease and that I will
be a valuable asset to any lab. Several students and postdocs that have
left my lab have been able to find outstanding postdoctoral and faculty
positions and have been heavily recruited because of their experience
gained at UTMB. As the reputation the University flourishes, I have no
doubt that I will be marketable as a researcher in the coming years.
While I don’t think I will miss life on the island (and definitely not
rush hour traffic on I-45) I will certainly miss the work environment
and the people that make UTMB a truly unique university.
||
GSBS Home || Return
to Table of Contents ||
Back To Top ||
 There
are several factors that contributed to my decision to attend graduate
school. One of these factors was my college education. More important
though was my undergraduate research experience. I worked as a
technician in a molecular biology lab my sophomore year of college,
which really opened the door for me to do research. The following year I
decided to apply for a job doing research in a molecular virology
laboratory. Prior to working in this lab I was set on applying to
medical school following graduation, but working in a research lab made
me seriously rethink this choice. After doing undergraduate research for
a year I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in research instead of
medicine. I primarily made this choice because I thought I was better
suited to do research. After making this decision it didn’t take me long
to decide that I would apply for Ph.D. programs. Research I had done on
the topic showed me that scientists with a Ph.D. had many more
opportunities for advancement in the field of science than did those who
obtained a Masters Degree.
The
next part of the process was to find schools that I would apply to. This
seemed like a daunting task at first but I was able to narrow the number
of schools down to a manageable amount using a few simple criteria. I
searched for schools mainly by the programs that they offered. I was
interested in studying infectious diseases and specifically viruses. In
my search for various schools that offered such programs I came across
UTMB.
In a closer examination of the university I found that the infectious
disease research taking place at UTMB was outstanding, especially in the
field of virology. I found several researchers that I was
interested in working with at UTMB based on area of research alone. I
also looked into programs that were offered by the university and the
curriculum that was in place.
The Experimental Pathology program immediately stood out as a unique and
innovative program that would give me the flexibility to follow my
specific interests. These factors came together to make UTMB a very
attractive choice for me.
The interviewing process established UTMB as a top choice for my
graduate education. I thought the interviews were very personalized for
each applicant.
In addition they were given in a casual setting, which really gave me an
opportunity to ask some good questions and learn about different aspects
of the university. Also, meeting current students and hearing their
opinions about UTMB and Galveston was very helpful in making a final
decision as to which school to attend. We were given a lot of time to
socialize with students and faculty outside of the university setting as
well which showed that UTMB was not just a school but also a community
that got along with one another.
The
day I received my acceptance letter from UTMB was a very exciting one.
Of all the schools I had applied to UTMB was the last letter that I
received. Since UTMB was my first choice school I felt especially
anxious to see the answer. So opening the letter that day and seeing
that I was accepted made me extremely proud that I had accomplished my
goal.
In my
opinion the BBSC is important for the first year of graduate studies.
Most of the classes were a review of what I had learned in my
undergraduate studies but this solidified concepts that are necessary to
know for any area of biomedical research. By the same token, the classes
in the BBSC that taught me topics I had not studied before are necessary
for my career in research as well. In these regards, I felt that the
BBSC brought all of the first year graduate students to a similar level
of understanding of the core disciplines of biomedical science
regardless of their previous scientific background. Overall, the
coursework in the BBSC really challenged me to learn and remember
concepts that will be very important in my research. I personally did
not find that the BBSC changed my perspective as to what I wanted to
study. I came to UTMB knowing that I would most likely join the
Experimental Pathology program but I did think that the BBSC was an
excellent lead-in to the course work in this department.
I
joined the Experimental Pathology graduate program for a number of
reasons. I felt that this program would give me the education necessary
to pursue my interests. The classes offered within the department are a
nice bridge between the medical and basic research disciplines. I think
that this is going to help me in my future career path. Most of the
classes place a large emphasis on reading and discussing articles from
the literature. This provides us with the most up to date material on
any given topic that is lectured on. In addition, it helps to develop
skills needed to critically evaluate research papers. Exams in
Experimental Pathology classes are often essay based and drawn from
material learned in the current literature. This has allowed me to
practice my scientific writing skills.
I
chose the lab that I wanted to rotate in early during my first year of
graduate study. The first criteria that I looked for was labs that were
doing research in my area of interest. Once I found the labs that I
wanted to rotate in I asked senior graduate students what they thought
of the mentors in those labs. The next thing I did was to arrange a
meeting with the mentor. I would determine if they had funding for
additional graduate students, what types of projects their lab was
working on, and other pertinent information. If everything looked good I
would ask to rotate through the laboratory.
During
my rotations I tried to learn as much as possible but I also used that
time to evaluate the lab. I tried to determine if I got along with
others in the lab. I also took into account whether or not people in the
lab were helpful with answering my questions and teaching me new
techniques. This is something that can be very helpful when a new
student like me is starting a project in a new lab. In the end I was
lucky to find a lab that was doing research I enjoyed and had people
that were easy to work with. I would say that, other than doing research
in my field of interest, finding a lab I felt comfortable in was
probably the most important thing for me.
I also
evaluated the mentors within the labs I rotated. Personally, I prefer to
have a mentor that is not in the lab all the time but just comes in
every now and again to see how things are going. I would not like a
mentor who was consistently coming in every day and asking for progress
reports. This was a criterion that I looked for when choosing a
permanent lab. In all three labs that I rotated in I got along very well
with the mentors and so this did not influence my decision. Although
under different circumstances, if everything in the lab was great and I
didn’t get along with the mentor I don’t think I could choose the lab.
So this too was an important criterion of mine when choosing a lab.
In my
experience the students, faculty, and staff at UTMB are very friendly.
The university is fairly small so it is easy to get to know them fairly
well. There are several planned events that allow you to socialize with
various students, faculty, and staff within the different departments
outside of class or lab as well. The university as a whole has a diverse
population of students not only from around the US but also from around
the world. This diversity gives UTMB a unique atmosphere that fosters
learning not only on a scientific level but also a cultural level.
In my
first year of graduate school I think UTMB has opened my eyes to some
new career and educational opportunities. I started graduate school with
the idea that I wanted to get into public health after I graduated. But
now I see new opportunities in industry and I am considering getting an
MBA in addition to a Ph.D. I think that UTMB is innovative in this
regard and it seems that the various graduate student organizations have
a lot to do with some of these innovations. It is good to know that
there are a variety of options to choose from when thinking about a
career path. So I think that with regards to career development UTMB is
definitely on the right track.
I am
very satisfied with my first year of graduate education at UTMB. The
university, classes, and faculty have met my expectations for the most
part. I am sure that there will be many more exciting things to come as
I further my graduate education.
||
GSBS Home || Return
to Table of Contents ||
Back To Top ||
 I
have been interested in science for as long as I can remember. Some of
my earliest memories involve life science exercises in elementary
school. I had my first inklings that I was interested in research
science while I was in junior high. I decided to attend a magnet high
school with a science enrichment program, where I could spend my
afternoons working on a Science Fair project. It wasn’t until my junior
year of college when I started interning during the summer with Dr. Glen
Evans, an MD/PhD at UT Southwestern, that I became aware of the
existence of combined degree programs.
A combined degree seemed a perfect fit for my love of applied research
and human pathophysiology.
I chose UTMB ultimately, honestly, because they chose me for their
MD/PhD program. However, I was impressed in my interviews with the
collegial attitude of the professors I met. It seemed to be a very
friendly, cooperative atmosphere compared to some of the hostility and
extreme politics which I had witnessed
at UT Southwestern. It seemed to be a laid back campus, and real estate
in Galveston was very affordable. A low cost of living made Galveston an
attractive destination for a graduate student.
I had
to apply for two consecutive years before I was accepted off the waiting
list for admissions. The program director called me at home and left me
a vague answering machine message, after my mother had directed him to
call me there. I was frustrated that she hadn’t instructed him to call
me at work. I was so excited I tried to locate his home phone number
with directory assistance so I could find out if I had been accepted. I
could think of no other reason why he would call, so I went out for a
beer with my roommate at the time. It was the next morning when he
called me at work. He meandered getting to the point of telling me I’d
been accepted, and I wanted to just ask him point blank. Once he finally
asked me if I was still interested in attending, I very quickly told him
that I was. It seemed like a ridiculous question. When I told one of the
faculty in the Center where I worked, Skip Garner, I remember him
telling me something to the effect of “Welcome to the rest of your
life…” which sort of summed up the life changing nature of my acceptance
into the program to me.
In the
combined degree program, I was exempted from the BBSC. I arrived early
to complete my first graduate lab rotation, and then entered medical
school in the Fall. I came to UTMB with relatively broad interests. I
had met Norbert Herzog and found him to be a very personable, down to
earth person. I had some interest in infectious disease, so I thought
his lab would be interesting for a first rotation. Primarily, it was a
decision based upon personality. At UT Southwestern I had seen graduate
students and technicians labor under a variety of faculty, some with
particularly nasty personalities. I knew that picking a mentor that I
could work with comfortably was very important to my long term success
and happiness. Experimental Pathology had a good curriculum for MD/PhDs
without too many required classes. In some ways, I expected more
required coursework in graduate school, but when I consider my medical
school work as a part of my overall education I’ve certainly spent
plenty of hours in the classroom. I think the most important factor is
knowing how to learn, and learning the classical basics as well as
cutting edge research, since research is such a rapidly developing
enterprise.
I
decided I’d find another faculty member in Experimental Pathology for my
second rotation between first and second year. That way, if it didn’t
work out, I could go back to work for Dr. Herzog and stay in
Experimental Pathology, which had an attractively short list of course
requirements. This decision was especially important since the MD/PhD
program required me to pick a graduate program by the end of that
summer.
I met
Dr. David Walker in my medical school Pathology lab, where he was my lab
instructor. He had us all write a one page essay on why we were in
medical school. After reading mine, he asked if I was interested in
doing a rotation with him. I told him I would read up on his research
and get back to him. I was relatively new to the field of rickettsiology,
but Dr. Walker’s prestige in the field was apparent. Not only that, the
lab was obviously funded and full of nice, friendly people with
agreeable personalities. A graduate student in my lab at UT Southwestern
had told me once to “choose a mentor, not a project” because your
project can change, but you have to be able to work with your mentor.
You need a good mentor to aid your development as a scientist.
I felt
like, in my discussions with Dr. Walker and my work in his lab, that I
had found the best mentor I could possibly imagine. Even though he was
extremely busy with his chairman responsibilities, he was incredibly
available to me. He required me to work through my thought processes and
really trained me to think like a scientist. He has a quick wit, a great
sense of humor, but seriousness about his work as well. In my case, I
felt like I didn’t have to make any concessions between choosing a
research field and a mentor I was comfortable with. I focused on finding
a mentor I was comfortable with, who was doing research I would find
interesting. As it turned out, I fell in love with rickettsiology during
my rotation, so I was able to do work that I loved for a terrific
mentor. Dr. Herzog would’ve been a great mentor, too, but his work was
more basic, signal transduction research, which didn’t excite me as
much. Also his lab was smaller, and I was used to working in larger,
well funded labs. I also found the higher level of funding more
comforting as a student requiring support over a number of years. I
don’t feel that my relationship with Dr. Herzog suffered at all.
My
qualifying exam was by far my worst experience at UTMB. While the
curriculum requirements of Experimental Pathology were not great, I did
not learn until much later that it possessed one of the most rigorous
qualifying exams on campus. Consisting of a timed written exam, followed
by a proposal writing and defense not in your area of expertise, it was
considerably more difficult than the simple proposal defenses or take
home written exams of other departments on campus. The written exam was
challenging but somewhat enjoyable. I decided to write my proposal to
study quorum sensing in Bartonella, another intracellular pathogen which
I desired to learn more about. Viewing the exam as a learning
opportunity, I threw myself into the work of writing the proposal.
My
original proposal fell victim, however, to a fatal flaw in that it
turned into a fishing expedition and I failed to recognize it. A lot of
research in the quorum sensing field has been done using broad
proteomics techniques and other related technologies that are very apt
for discovery-based research but not the best for hypothesis driven
research. While my proposal was certainly fine for the task, one of my
committee members decided it was a fishing expedition, plain and simple,
and he slowly began to pick my proposal apart. This mushroomed into a
requirement that I do a serious rewrite.
This
was a great blow to my ego, for certain. I was aggravated because the
methods that I had proposed were clearly justified in the literature. I
spent a week trying to regroup and figure out how to incorporate my exam
committee’s comments into my work. I was angry because I felt that no
faculty member on my committee had advocated for my point of view. When
I addressed this with Dr. Herzog, he asked me why I thought anyone would
be advocating for my point of view besides myself. This was a harsh
reality check that I needed, somehow, to put things into perspective. I
was going to have to do this myself. Also, the year I took the exam it
was scheduled later than usual and ran an interminably long 4 months. By
August, I was exhausted mentally and physically. It ruined my birthday
that year. To say I was downtrodden would be an understatement. I would
say that I’ve been seriously depressed three times in graduate school.
First, when I returned to the lab after the second year of medical
school and taking the Step 1 boards, and all of my medical school
friends entered their clinical rotations. Second, when I had to go
through my qualifying exam rewrite. Finally, this past Spring when my
medical school class graduated and many of them left to go to residency.
Each of these moments has left me feeling somewhat isolated and out of
step with my peers, but usually I’ve adjusted over a month or two.
Ultimately, I prevailed over my qualifying exam. In pouring over review
after review and digging into classic articles, I stumbled upon a
hypothesis which suddenly seemed clear as day. I rewrote my proposal to
test this hypothesis, and my committee absolutely loved it. They loved
it almost as egregiously as they had hated my original proposal. I was
particularly dumbfounded because the most fundamental change was that
instead of looking for a signal molecule, I was testing if something in
particular was a signal molecule. One committee member asked me why this
proposal was so much better than my first version. I suggested that the
fact that I had developed a hypothesis, some technical changes, the fact
that it was more directed, the fact that I was more confident, all
might’ve contributed but he kept saying that none of those factors were
as significant as I seemed to think. I wasn’t going to argue with the
passing grade, and he never elaborated. I’m left with the impression
that the commitment to a well formulated hypothesis, and a good
experimental plan to test it, were key to my success.
Within
the department, I would say I’m a pretty well known and well liked
person. I’ve always made it a point to treat secretaries and other
program support staff with respect and kindness, not just because they
deserve it, but because it’s good politics. They control so many aspects
of our lives behind the scenes, whenever a student bad mouths or is rude
to one of them it boggles my mind. My mentor is the departmental chair,
so I’d say we have a good relationship. Our departmental trainee
seminars provide a good way to meet faculty, so do some of our classes
and coursework. One change I have noticed over the years is that it
seems the new crops of graduate students are far less friendly than they
were when I arrived.
When I
came to UTMB, the upper classmen in the graduate school (and medical
school) were very friendly. They would invite us to go to happy hour,
share important resources (good books, classes to take and not to take,
etc) with us, and invite us to parties, all very nice hospitable things
to do. It seems like since I have been here, and UTMB’s national
prestige has increased, the incoming students have in general become
more egocentric, less friendly, and more competitive than before. I
think that in particular, as an MD/PhD, I have been singled out by some
students for particular ridicule and disdain. I have a few theories on
the negative perceptions of MD/PhD students by some graduate students.
Several times, a graduate student told me one time that they had thought
about applying for MD/PhD programs but didn’t for any number of reasons,
so I wondered if there might be some regret or sour grapes on their
behalf. Also, I know many graduate students resent the fact that our
tuition is paid by the MD/PhD program while they must pay tuition. There
is also a resentment of medical students by the graduate students, who
perceive medical students as less intellectual yet ultimately
compensated to far greater degree than most PhDs. There is also a
perception that medical students look down on graduate students but in
my experience this has never been the case. My medical school classmates
have always respected my drive and determination to get the MD/PhD and
have often complimented my research. I’ve never received any positive
feedback on my pursuit of the MD from my graduate school classmates.
The
resentment I’ve experienced has been manifest in several different ways.
One is my propensity to get badgered during my student seminars. I’ve
noticed that I, in general, get interrupted far more often than other
student speakers and asked repeated, probing questions often in a
condescending tone. At first I thought I was being overly sensitive, and
I do have a tendency to sometimes gloss over details in my talks which I
think are self-evident. However, several faculty have approached me at
different times and asked me why a certain student has a problem with
me. In another incident, a fellow student brought a text book to a
lecture I was giving to first year students and began to badger me over
semantics after we had all agreed to not question each other during our
lectures. There is one second year student right now who will not even
acknowledge me in the hallway – will not make eye contact, will not say
hello even when addressed – it is an open hostility which I cannot
understand.
Although Dr. Walker is very busy, he does keep tabs on my research and
holds weekly trainee lab meetings when he is in town. I also have a sort
of “co-mentor” in the lab, Dr. Yu, who oversees my day to day work
although I am given a great degree of freedom. Our labs are very well
funded, and I have secured fellowship funding for myself as well. I’m
allowed to purchase virtually whatever I might need. I’m very satisfied
with these relationships and the resources available to me, they’re a
part of the reason why I chose the lab
Another reason I was attracted to the lab is the way publication credit
is handled. Dr. Walker adheres to the ethical standards of publication
which were taught in our ethics class, and I am free to publish my work
as a first author with appropriate attribution to others in the lab as
coauthors. As such, I have published several first author papers during
my graduate training so far.
I’ve
assembled a terrific committee. We have only met once so far, but they
gave me some excellent feedback. I would say everyone on my committee is
on board with my project, goals, and most specifically my timeline for
graduation. I’m under a lot of time pressure due to the structure of the
MD/PhD program, and they are mindful of this. I interact primarily with
the MD/PhD office and haven’t had too many dealings with the GSBS. I
have served on several committees with Dean Cooper and he is a genuinely
nice individual with a great interest in striving to improve the GSBS
and its graduates.
My
career goal since I became aware of the MD/PhD as a career path has been
to go into academic medicine as a clinician scientist. Early in medical
school I figured that my interest in infectious disease as well as
patient care would lead me into the infectious disease subspecialty of
internal medicine. However, working closely with very accomplished
physician-scientists during my time here who are pathologists has led me
to consider pathology as my medical specialty. As my interests have
become focused in molecular pathogenesis, it seems the skill set would
be a better match, perhaps. Also, the lifestyle benefits and increasing
demand (and compensation) for pathologists is attractive. Now that I am
engaged, future time for family and raising children is much more
important to me than it was when I started school. Consequently, the
better hours and ability to more easily blend my research and clinical
responsibilities in pathology have become more important.
I’ve
had a pretty active life outside of graduate school. During medical
school I was able to socialize with my classmates on the weekends. I
have taken up the hobby of homebrewing in the past year which allows me
to blend my knowledge and love of microbiology with an end product which
others can enjoy. I bought an old house which I am constantly working on
renovating when I have time. I wish I was able to afford, in both time
and money, an occasional nice vacation. This is one thing I envy of my
friends in the simple working world – their ability to take a couple of
nice, week long vacations every year.
Good
days and bad days are almost entirely dictated by the fickle nature of
science. It is very satisfying when I get a good result, or make some
headway in my research. This usually spurs me to work even longer hours
or come in on the weekends to obtain or confirm good data. Ironically,
bad days when nothing seems to work or disappointing data arrives also
tend to spur such bursts of work, although in a somewhat darker mood.
Days when manuscripts are finally accepted, or published, are some of
the absolute best.
I have
attended several conferences. The best was the American Society of
Rickettsiology conference in Maryland in 2003. It was at an absolutely
beautiful resort. Since rickettsiology is such a small field, I got to
meet many of the people whose papers I had been reading for the past few
years. The socialization with other like minded graduate students was
also excellent, and it allowed me to meet and screen people to fill the
“off-campus” slot on my dissertation committee. I also attended the
American Society of Microbiology meeting in New Orleans in 2004. It was
a pretty large disappointment, in that it was humongous, very few people
were interested in obligate intracellular pathogens. Other than a few
poster sessions, I didn’t get much out of it, and there were so many
people there it was alienating. I did see a few old colleagues I hadn’t
seen in awhile. Still, if I go back, I’ll make sure it’s with a larger
group from my lab so I at least have colleagues to associate with
outside of the proceedings. I’ve also attended one Internal Medicine
conference to present my research. The lukewarm reaction to somewhat
nonclinical research such as mine has also played a role in nudging me
towards pathology.
I am
getting married next spring, something that I truly didn’t anticipate
when I arrived here five years ago. It is going to be challenging to
move my fiancé into my house which was purchased with a bachelor in
mind. She’ll have to commute to work in Houston because she can’t find a
job in her professional field in Galveston. We certainly don’t plan on
having children before graduation, however.
Although I came to UTMB because it was the only school where I was
ultimately accepted, I am glad I didn’t have a chance to go anywhere
else. I wouldn’t trade my experiences here for the world. It is a
wonderful place full of good, hard working people. Although I will
likely leave for residency training, I imagine there is a very good
chance I will attempt to return to be on the faculty here in the future.
||
GSBS Home || Return
to Table of Contents ||
Back To Top ||
 Dr.
Papaconstantinou,
I would like to thank you for this opportunity.
Just the other day, I commented to one of my lab
mates that we were already third-year graduate
students. That made her stop dead in her tracks,
turn to me and say, “Oh my god, I guess we are.
Where did the time go?” When I reminded her that
we’ll most likely be here for another three
years, she laughed and said that the two hardest
years were already behind us and that the rest
of these years will fly by even quicker. When I
finally got started typing the essay (which
right there is half the battle), the words came
very easy to me. I had never had the chance to
fully reflect upon my first two years, how the
events leading up to them had shaped my
decisions and my future goals. Thank you.
There is some background information that may
help when reading this essay. I grew up in a
suburb of New York City and went to Cornell
University for my undergraduate education where
I majored in the biological sciences. Upon
graduation, I went to work for Wyeth Lederle
vaccines, a division of Wyeth Ayerst. While
there, I applied to (and was subsequently
accepted) the following graduate schools: New
York University, Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, Cornell University, Columbia
University, University of Madison at Wisconsin
and the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Thank you again for the opportunity to stop,
recollect and write.
Sincerely,
Shannan Rossi
3rd year graduate student
Experimental Pathology
Ever since I was young, I have been attracted to
the sciences. During high school, I had
wonderful science teachers that challenged me to
think rather than to memorize; it was a nice
departure from my other classes such as history
and economics. Like many other students who
study biology in college, I too entertained the
idea of becoming a medical doctor. It wasn’t
until I took a summer internship in a big
pharmaceutical company that I became truly
interested in laboratory-based biology. Up to
that point, I had firmly believed that all
biology majors were somehow destined to practice
medicine. I had decided on the PhD because I
knew that to advance my career to the point
where I had control over my science, a Masters
degree would not be sufficient. It is truly
amazing how one single experience can
permanently alter one’s course of life. I was 19
when my passion was realized.
I will admit, I found UTMB fortuitously. Had it
not been for a chance conversation with a fellow
lab mate, I would have enrolled at Columbia
University or the University of Wisconsin at
Madison. I was working on Venezuelan equine
encephalitis virus at the time and read quite a
few papers by Dr. Scott Weaver. While discussing
one of his manuscripts one day, my lab mate and
I started talking about UTMB, which at the time
I had never heard of, and the outstanding
faculty that worked there. This prompted me to
do my own research and confirm what my lab mate
had said; UTMB was the hot-spot for arboviral
and tropical disease research.
The interviewing process at UTMB was much like
those I attended through other schools. The
interview process itself gave me an overview of
what was to be expected of me during the first
year or so of graduate life, but did not prepare
me for graduate school. The first time I heard
about prelims and the process of entering
candidacy, I was already admitted into several
schools. In retrospect, it would not have
altered my final decision. The recruitment
weekends consisted of meeting students over
casual dinners on the town, interviewing with
faculty and talking to other prospective
students. In one respect UTMB stood alone in my
mind: it was the only school where a faculty
member hosted a dinner, which was equally
attended by other faculty and current students.
Having come from an Ivy League school where
professors are treated like demi-gods, I was
swept away! Drs. Golda and Bob Leonard
graciously opened their house to us and it was
the best experience I had not only at UTMB that
weekend, but at any other recruitment weekend.
The students and faculty made me feel extremely
comfortable and welcomed that I instantly felt
as if I was home.
I got my first acceptance letter from Albert
Einstein College of Medicine. When I opened that
letter, I felt elation because I knew I was at
least going to graduate school. A few weeks
after that, I received the acceptance letter
from UTMB. Due strictly to timing, the initial
thrill of being accepted to graduate school (as
a concept) was not as powerful, but because I
had felt so much more at home at UTMB, I was
more at ease with my decision to pursue my
degree. By the end of the interviewing process
at all the schools I applied to, my decision to
come to UTMB was based on the strength of the
existing faculty and the potential of the school
to become a leader in the field of infectious
diseases.
When I enrolled in my first semester at UTMB, I
was mentally prepared for hard work. However,
once classes started, I became bored. During
college, I was taking the same advanced courses
and juggling additional classes, lab work and
celebrations that accompany impending
graduation. The two core classes, biochemistry
and cell biology, that presented a challenge to
my classmates were not that difficult for me. I
had already taken a biochemistry course in
college, but the material presented here was
slightly different, so I felt sufficiently
challenged. Unfortunately, since I had already
taken a graduate-level cell biology course in
college, I was struggling to stay ahead with the
readings since I found myself doing more review
than learning. It wasn’t until after the course
was over that I discovered that my college
curriculum was sufficient for waiving the cell
biology core class. In retrospect, the
coursework load would have been perfect if
rotations would have begun during that fall.
When Molecular Biology and Genetics was offered
in the spring, I asked to be waived since I had
taken an almost identical class in college.
From the moment I arrived as a student of UTMB,
I knew that I wanted to study viruses in the
Experimental Pathology department. That was the
department on campus that had the highest
concentration of well-known virologists who work
on many diverse aspects of virology, so I
naturally gravitated towards that graduate
program. Their specific curriculum was more
applicable to me since it directly pertained to
my research and overall interests. More was
expected from our class because now we were at
the level where we could critically read and
evaluate journal articles, and secondary
literatures such as textbooks were seldom used.
This made learning more personalized and more
responsibility was put on us to fill in the gaps
in our understandings. Until this point, there
were numerous crutches that a weaker or less
self-motivated student could fall back upon.
This was the first point I felt that I was truly
getting something useful and new out of class.
In addition to those classes required by the
program, I took just as many elective classes to
supplement or complement my needs and interests.
For example, I took a 2-credit class called
Workshop in Phylogenetics. My thesis work will
probably require that I use any of the methods I
learned in this class, but I took the class to
better understand and be capable of critiquing
the literature.
Choosing a laboratory to continue my graduate
work in was very difficult and many sleepless
nights were spent pondering my decision. In many
ways, I treated my decision like a bride
prepares herself for marriage. I knew that this
would be where the majority of my waking time
would be spent for the next four to five years.
In some cases, that’s longer than a marriage.
And like in reality, divorce is often messy and
painful, so I wanted to be sure that I would not
grow to regret my decision. Laboratory rotations
are essential to this decision-making process
because you can talk to the mentor during
seminars or casually in the hallways, but until
you submerge yourself in the culture of the
laboratory and witness how things work
first-hand, you really cannot get a good sense
of how the lab works and how you would fit.
My choice came down to two labs: both were well
funded, both were leaders in their field and
both wanted me to stay. I knew I would have been
successful in either one of them based upon 8-
or 16-week summer laboratory rotations. The
choice ultimately came down to lab culture. One
of the labs had just recently moved and so
everything was new; the equipment was modern,
the databases were accurate and well utilized
and I had made out my own corner in the lab
without major rearrangements to the other
already-established members of the group. The
other lab was significantly bigger, both in size
and personnel, and the research was well
established. I knew that in a smaller lab, I
could carve out a niche all my own instead of
being a link in a large chain, and that appealed
to me more than the actual focus of research. In
every other circumstance, I firmly believe I
would have been happy and productive in either
lab. My decision to join or not to join a lab
never came down to the mentor personality. I was
very fortunate that I got along with each mentor
and the people in their labs and still keep in
contact with each one of them.
Preliminary examinations have been the most
challenging academic endeavor I have ever
undertaken. Experimental pathology has a
three-part exam: an in-class written, a
take-home grant application and an oral defense
of the grant proposal. The in-class exam was
easy for me since I have been taking tests
similar in style for over 10 years. It was the
other two sections, the ones that were
completely foreign to me until the end of the
grantsmanship class, which were the difficult
hurdles to overcome. It was an experience that
was extremely worthwhile and very much a rite of
passage.
Although graduation is about three-years away, I
plan to continue my education and career in
either academia or government. Prior to
attending graduate school, I worked for 2 years
in industry and witnessed first-hand its pros
and cons. Scientists in industry do not have the
added pressure of writing grants and searching
for funding, but scientists in academia have the
intellectual freedom to pursue interesting ideas
and findings. At this point in my education, the
pursuit of novel findings is more appealing than
working with a goal of a product to bring to
market in mind. The dreams I had prior to
entering graduate school are still the same I
have now, but I’m sure as the time for
graduation draws closer, my immediate goals
might change.
Graduate school is a wonderful opportunity not
only for learning good scientific thought and
process, but also for tuning communication
skills. Being able to successfully communicate
your science to others is absolutely crucial to
becoming a good scientist. This is done on a
daily basis via talks with a mentor, lab
presentations and work-in-progress talks to the
department. During my undergraduate education, I
took and became a teaching-assistant in a public
speaking class. That class, in my opinion, was
more beneficial to my career than introductory
biology 101. This is an area I think UTMB needs
to improve upon. While I understand the time
constraints during the first-year of graduate
school, a firm foundation into the basics of
good public speaking are essential and best
learned early and practiced as frequently as
possible. Oftentimes, public speaking is learned
through brute force during lab meetings and
work-in-progress seminars. Speaking skills have
a great impact on the effectiveness of the
message being delivered, and ultimately, on the
impression the audience has of the speaker and
the presentation. Having a class that addresses
public speaking, preferably not in a scientific
context, would be greatly enhance the quality of
the education of the students.
I recently had an opportunity to present my work
at an international conference in Montreal,
Canada. That experience taught me how to
converse with other scientists about their
research and how to talk to others about mine.
In the day-to-day grind, it is very easy to lose
sight of the whole picture. I think meetings
like these are valuable because it brings people
together from many diverse backgrounds who are
not as knowledgeable about your specific area as
you are. This makes you take a large step back
and start explaining the basics. In this way, it
serves as a reminder for the ultimate goal of
the research, which so often becomes obscured by
trying to get the details down just right. Large
meetings also become a springboard for ideas.
What works well in one system might also work
well in your system, but you would have never
looked up manuscript articles in that field to
find the technique. Additionally, scientists
from other points of view could have valid ideas
and criticisms about your research that might
not have otherwise occurred to you. I came away
from that meeting realizing I had a lot of work
yet to do, but I was satisfied in the quality of
work I had already done.
Another very important aspect of being a
graduate student at UTMB that is not so often
emphasized is the ability of each student to
shape his or her own education. This is done in
small ways such as filling out critique forms
upon the completion of a class and in much
larger ways by getting personally involved in
committees and organizations that impact our
education and experiences. I was the secretary
of the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) from
2003-2004 and am currently the president of the
Experimental Pathology Graduate Student
Organization. Positions such as these require
good communication between the members of the
committee and the graduate school. The ability
to take information at a meeting, condense it
into its most important parts, and then relay
the digested and condensed message to a second
party is directly applicable to science.
Students at UTMB have the power to create
change. There are systems in place where unmet
needs can be filled and discussions can be held.
Getting directly involved in these organizations
has been invaluable to my career.
In the two full years of my graduate training, I
have experienced a wide range of emotions, from
anticipation and excitement to disappointment
and frustration, but never once did I consider
quitting. People have told me one of my
strengths and flaws is my stubbornness. Once I
put my mind to something and fully commit myself
to its completion, there is nothing that will
prevent me from finishing the task. Graduate
school a series of smaller tests and hurdles
sprinkled with moments of excitement and joy set
against a backdrop of chronic stress. Done
correctly, the graduate school experience is
utterly exhausting. So much of oneself is
dedicated to work: one’s time, one’s mind, one’s
heart and one’s soul. The process of graduate
school is very much like a piece of clay. The
potential for a beautiful piece of pottery is
there, but unrealized. The mound of misshapen
clay is worked until it is pliable and over time
becomes shaped, evaluated and critiqued, smashed
back down, reworked and reshaped and the process
continues until the clay blob has manifested
into something functional. It has transformed
from nothing but potential into a physical,
unique and beautiful object. Without time,
patience and hard work, the clay would still be
just a misshaped mound.
Somewhere in the process of shaping and
reworking, the gratification for the process
lies in small victories: a PCR that works or a
manuscript that has just been accepted for
publication. A good day is one where I’ve
learned something new that makes me think or
that can be directly applied to my research. A
really good day is when I get my experiments to
work. Through experience, I found that the
unexpected results can be more rewarding than
the result initially hoped for. I have also
learned to expect the unexpected and that close
observation is required even when doing mundane
things like passing common lab cell culture. I
have learned to cherish the small moments of
victory when they come because they give me the
strength to continue when it seems nothing else
is going quite right. I look forward to each day
because the direction of my project or the
conclusions of my research can change nearly
overnight. The last two years have been a
wonderful experience and I welcome the next
three years of my graduate training.
||
GSBS Home || Return
to Table of Contents ||
Back To Top ||
Danyel
Hermes Tacker
Graduated December 2004
 My
parents will tell you that when I was five years
old, I told everyone that I was going to be a
doctor. In my teens, I would say that this did
not necessarily mean that I would be a medical
doctor…it could also mean a Ph.D. The “simple”
goal of obtaining the highest education possible
in whatever career I chose was the only
unchanging part of my upbringing, because every
ten minutes I wanted to be something new – an
architect, pastry chef, teacher, professor,
pathologist, writer. It never ended! Throughout
high school and undergraduate study, I was
studying careers more than textbooks. In the end
it came down to one thing – what I would do
after high school, after undergraduate study. It
came down to graduate school.
When it came to deciding whether to pursue a
Master’s degree or a Ph.D., I chose the Ph.D.
immediately. My career research showed that a
Master’s in a biological science did not provide
the leverage that a Ph.D. did, and since an M.S.
is not a requirement for application to a Ph.D.
program, I chose to skip the Master’s
altogether. That was one thing that I knew for
sure…if I was going to be a scientist, I’d shoot
straight for the advanced degree. The question
remained: Where would I receive the training?
In my second year at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi
(I transferred in after three years of basic
coursework at Southwest Texas Junior College), I
met Dr. Suzzette Chopin. I was nearing the end
of my Cell Biology/Chemistry double major, and
was signing up for my final electives. I chose
Dr. Chopin’s top courses: Pathophysiology and
Neurobiology. From the first moment that Dr.
Chopin started talking about pathology, I was
gaping. I understood pathophysiology – it was
intuitive. And, it was the first time I had ever
“clicked” so quickly with a course. I was so
excited about the class that I went to
conference with Dr. Chopin and asked about
graduate school. In my years of searching for
graduate programs that sounded interesting,
nothing really caught my eye. Leave it to Dr.
Chopin to mention UTMB, and the Department of
Pathology. I was immediately interested, and got
on the Internet to find out more about the
program. Within days, I was composing an
application for the GSBS, and submitted the
application by the end of the summer, one year
before graduation. I also applied to two other
schools: the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio, and Baylor College of
Medicine.
To my great delight, I was invited to UTMB for
an interview before Thanksgiving. I was so
impressed with UTMB! The members of the faculty
were laid back, but also serious, productive
scientists. I was placed at a cozy
bed-and-breakfast for the night, and fed well
during my stay. At every opportunity, I was
placed with current graduate students so that I
could ask questions about the “grad school
experience”. Collaboration was rampant, and the
open-door mentality was reassuring. I walked
away from UTMB that day knowing that if they
called, I’d choose this program hands down.
I was not disappointed. Before I even received
calls from the other two schools for interviews,
UTMB called and made the offer to attend
graduate school. This call came the day before I
left school for Christmas break. I immediately
accepted – no second thoughts. Thus, the letter
that came two weeks later was no surprise. It
was the best Christmas present I could have
received (and I think my mom has the letter
framed somewhere).
It was in the spring after I accepted the
position at UTMB that I was invited to interview
at both UTHSCSA and Baylor. In both instances, I
informed them of my decision to attend UTMB, but
they requested that I come and interview with
them anyway. I accepted, and left for my
“interviews” with a very high standard. Baylor’s
interview was first. I was immediately separated
from the group of student recruits, placed in an
executive suite on a high floor in the hotel.
The other recruits were placed together in
doubles ten floors down…and they noticed.
Comments were made, and I was thoroughly
insulted with my segregation by the end of the
three-day recruitment trip. I wanted to be
treated like everyone else, so that I could
judge the program fairly, but that was not
possible with the attention that I received.
UTHSCSA was no different…actually they were
worse. Instead of individual interviews, I was
placed into a group interview with two other
recruits. Since I had received a summer
fellowship there the previous year, the faculty
knew me, knew of my choice, and spoke to me
about my decision, rather than to us about the
strengths of the program. It sickened me, and
strengthened my resolve to attend UTMB.
My first year at UTMB was as I expected it to be
– challenging, and, since I have no better way
to say it, a “learning” experience. I knew how I
would be tested, and worked hard to give the
professors what they wanted by way of researched
answers. The BBSC was also what I expected – a
core of basic courses, with “electives” designed
to tailor the training to student and
departmental interests. The Biochemistry course
was “deeper” than I expected, as was
“Pharmacology” (my only C, and I fought like
crazy for it). The rest was, as I’ve said,
expected. Since I came in with the last group of
students selected solely by the departments, I
did not have the pressure of selecting a
department, and then a laboratory as well.
Emphasis was on completing departmental
requirements and preparing for preliminary
examinations, and it makes me somewhat sorry for
the newer students, who have less time to make
hard decisions about department and laboratory
choices.
As far as departmental requirements went, they
were logical. A pathology core was required, as
one would expect for training in Pathology.
Electives were focused on Toxicology, Infectious
Diseases, or Pathobiology – I chose the
Toxicology electives and laboratories active in
all three fields, so that I could gauge my
interests in each.
Back in the day, a course called “Introduction
to Pathology” was required of first-year grad
students in the Department of Pathology, and it
was a great idea. Meet the faculty of the
department, hear about his or her research, and
get a chance to interview them to help with
decision-making regarding rotations. It was very
straightforward.
My rotations, as I mentioned, were in each of
the three “arms” of the Department of Pathology.
First, I went to Dr. Mary Moslen’s laboratory,
where I developed an in vitro model of
intestinal epithelial wounding and repair for
future drug studies to be conducted by her lab
“people” (toxicology). Second, I did a
“techniques” rotation in Dr. Norbert Herzog’s
laboratory, where I learned the basics of
molecular technique (infectious disease).
Finally, I rotated in the laboratory of Dr.
Anthony Okorodudu, to address my interests in
forensics and pathobiology. Dr. Okorodudu set up
a “mini-rotation” for me with the Harris County
Medical Examiner’s Office Toxicology Laboratory.
There, I learned about post-mortem sample
collection, chain-of-command, toxicological
testing for alcohol, drugs (illicit and
therapeutic), record keeping, and laboratory
management. When I returned to UTMB for the
remainder of the rotation, I focused on
chromatographic methods and their use in
therapeutic and illicit drug monitoring, and
decided that Dr. Okorodudu’s laboratory was the
right one for me.
When I chose Dr. Okorodudu as my mentor, my
decision was met with some resistance. Dr.
Okorodudu had no extramural funding from the NIH
or comparable entity, no standing project, and
had never trained a graduate student. He did,
however have extensive training with
post-doctoral fellows, and he offered me an open
lab and a chance to design my own project from
scratch, as well as encouragement to apply for
funding. I was advised by several people to
choose another laboratory, and felt the
repercussions of my decision for over a year
after I joined Dr. Okorodudu’s laboratory. Those
“repercussions” came by way of constant
scrutiny, and “off-hand” suggestions that I
could join particular laboratories “if this
didn’t work out for me”. I was under a
magnifying glass – any mistakes would be
recorded, and I did not want to let Dr.
Okorodudu down.
Preliminary examinations were stressful, but not
unexpected. I passed all parts of the
examination the first time, and the process took
about 10 months. During that time, I did not
generate a single experiment…I was too busy
creating my project! When I defended my research
proposal, the committee encouraged me to submit
the proposal to the NIH. It was funded in June
of 2002, and has been continuously funded
throughout my project. Candidacy came in
December of 2001, and lifted a huge weight off
my shoulders. Once I was a candidate, there was
no turning back. I was “in”! Since then, I’ve
been working on my project, and presenting at
national and international meetings whenever
possible.
The last few years have been great. I’ve gotten
along well with everyone, and doors all over the
department have been wide open for
collaboration. Dr. Herzog’s lab is a safe haven,
where I go to talk to Erin Scott (we came in
together in ’99), and Dr. Herzog’s “people”,
Barry Elsom and Sue Fennewald, and very often
Dr. Herzog as well. Now I’m back to working in
Dr. Herzog’s laboratory as I conduct my final
experiments, and I feel like a cycle has been
completed. This cycle started with me in that
laboratory trying to learn techniques, and now
it’s the “Herzog lab technique”, electrophoretic
mobility shift assay, that is finishing up my
project.
It’s funny, looking back. I can’t believe how
much I’ve matured! My relationship with Dr.
Okorodudu and other “close” faculty members has
evolved – regarding “Dr. O”, I like to think
that we’ve taught each other a lot in the last
three years. He’s learned how to handle a
stubborn, focused grad student, and I’ve learned
how to handle a stubborn, focused mentor…and I
am laughing as I type this. We’ve had our
moments, but in the end, I feel like I’ve gained
his respect and trust, and I can’t wait to be
his post-doctoral fellow in Clinical Chemistry.
Going into the clinics, and learning from him in
his “native environment” will be very exciting!
Regarding gaining Dr. Okorodudu’s trust and
respect, I think that much of that comes from my
resourcefulness and focus in his laboratory and
my project. With no post-docs or techs around, I
was “it” in the lab – the manager, the student,
etc. I had what I needed, when I needed it.
Funding, even if it was tight, was available,
and I seldom heard, “No” regarding items that I
wanted for my project. [I like to think that
comes from careful and considerate planning on
my part, but…] Sometimes getting what I needed
meant loose collaboration, or working in another
laboratory, but Dr. Okorodudu and our
collaborators have been very flexible and
accommodating. I feel that this approach has
strengthened my ability to work with others, and
has instilled a true desire for collaboration in
me. Overall, I would not change a single,
solitary thing about my training. I would not
even think of choosing a “richer” lab, or a
different mentor. It has all “fit” so well, so
how could I possibly conceive of such a thing?
When you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with
your mentor because you make an off-handed
comment about “staying in” for Thanksgiving
break, you’ll fully understand. It’s family, not
just business.
This outright refusal to change a thing must be
due to the guidance I have received (from Dr.
Okorodudu, Dr. Herzog, and the rest of my
committee, as well as friends and
collaborators), and the lack of limitation I
have experienced over the evolution of my
project. I have received a training grant,
published a first-author paper (with more to
come) and four abstracts, presented my work at
five national and international conferences, and
received several travel and educational awards
for my work. That record definitely speaks
volumes regarding the leadership of Dr.
Okorodudu, and I like to think it also says a
lot about my personal drive. If I think I can do
something, I’m in there doing it…I don’t like to
wonder. And my committee has been fantastic
during my project. When I’ve requested
additions/exclusions/changes, they have always
been open-minded and accepting. As long as I
have been able to show or say why in a logical
manner, there has been zero resistance. I’ve
heard nightmares from other students, and
consider myself extremely lucky. Now my
committee is just waiting for me to finish this
last set of experiments. I have always tried to
keep them up-to-date with periodic updates and
extensive yearly reports, and think that that
has made things easier all along.
I will soon be dealing with my first real
involvement with the Dean’s office…submitting my
dissertation for December graduation (if
everything goes “right” before October 15th).
I am hoping that my dealings with them will be
just as easy as everything else I have done at
UTMB.
In the end, I would describe my experience at
UTMB as pivotal and unforgettable. UTMB forced
me to “grow up” gently, letting me be the one in
control of my future – I wouldn’t have it any
other way, since I was brought up to be
independent and free-thinking. UTMB has enhanced
that, and given me the confidence to do anything
to which I set my mind. As a result, I am
seeking a one-year post-doctoral fellowship with
a major pharmaceutical company. That’s not the
special part of it – the “special” part is that
it is in Germany, and that Dr. Okorodudu is the
one telling me that I must try for it. To have a
mentor that will give you a full year of leave
to traipse off to another country to do pharma
R&D is not only fortunate, it’s plain
unbelievable. That kind of confidence from Dr.
Okorodudu makes me stand that much straighter,
try that much harder, and want that much more
for myself.
The logical outcome to any graduate student’s
training is a career, and I have chosen to move
into Clinical Chemistry, certify, and try with
all my might to get into a position where I can
be as good a mentor as mine has been for me,
where I can be an example of UTMB that makes the
institution proud. Were it not for UTMB, I
probably wouldn’t even know what Clinical
Chemistry is.
I’m not sure what sector I will eventually
choose, because I am a firm believer in keeping
my options open. And I’m still researching
careers…I’ve never quit. The exposure that I’ve
gained to industry, government, law, and
academia have only “complicated” my career
decisions, because my horizons are now so broad,
and I love that. So, in the end I still want to
do what I wanted to when I entered grad school –
I still want to help people, but instead of
helping the dead (with forensics), I want to
help the living (with Clinical applications). I
still want a career with variety and room for
expansion of my skills, but now I want one that
is family-friendly (I married in 2002, and owe
my sanity, and countless hours of relaxing
Frisbee-golf, to my husband Matthew).
If I had to write an ad for UTMB, to list the
benefits of attending this school, I’d have to
take out an entire page in the Washington Post.
Y’all are great. Everywhere you look at UTMB,
you can learn from someone because for the most
part, they’re friendly and knowledgeable, and
often from a “new” and interesting culture. The
training is top-notch, because if a girl like me
can walk out of a Bachelor’s degree with no
experience and into grant- and paper-writing,
and presenting platform talks at international
meetings within two years, you’re doing
something right. You know you’re doing even
better when a girl like me comes in with very
general knowledge and no idea how to use it, and
walks out not only with knowledge of theory, but
also a practical idea of problems and how to
solve them. I’m ready for my life now. Thank
you, UTMB. Thank you, thank you, thank you. –Danyel
Hermes Tacker
||
GSBS Home || Return
to Table of Contents ||
Back To Top || |
