Week 8:
Baylor College of Medicine

July 28, 2014

Data analysis week!

We crushed tissues including LD and Gastro for 19 pigs. Rodrigo used a hamper to crush tissues, Hanh weighted tissues for Western Blot (200-250g) and for Ks (120-130g); I recorded the weight.

We started homogenizing for Ks for a whole day. I assisted Agus with homogenizing for p75 and immunoprecipitation. It was not a complicated protocol at all. I also prepared for PICO TAG so there were days I did not get back home until 8:00 PM in the afternoon. The week seemed longer. I was physically exhausted as I moved constantly and had little rest. Yet, the laughs and talks during lunch, as always, made me smiles and energized me.

There was a dinner with Medical Scientist Training Program Representative from Baylor. I got to meet with a variety of MD/PhD students and also listen and talk to Dr. Plon, the director of MSTP at Baylor and Dr. Versalovic, the director of Pathology at Texas Children Hospital. He made a point that I have never thought of before: the outcome of an MD vs MD/PhD program. The outcome he talked about was a completely different way of thinking as a medical scientist. As an MD, he got to see patients day after day, seeing similar symptoms. The way of thinking as a physician was to collect the symptoms and make diagnosis. As an MD/PhD, he was trained to look at the patterns, outline the problem, and use his creativity to link and connect valuable pieces of research out there, weave them together to make his hypothesis. But those steps are not the final, medical scientist has to find a way to come up with the steps to test their hypothesis, and also learn to be flexible on the way. A medical scientist is acute at observing and at solving the problems. He emphasized that applicant must know which outcome that they want, and if they are passionate about both meeting patients and making discoveries, go for the MSTP

Sunday was exciting! I watched the World Cup with Anna and Anvita and we had pizza in the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurology Institute (NRI). This place has been my goal for research next year. Being able to go in and visit just reinforce my intention. Fantastic view from the break room! I enjoyed watching the game and was happy when there was finally a goal, plus, Germany won!