Coming into this summer I had little to no idea what real research was about. For all I knew PI could mean penguin igloo. That has all changed as I can honestly say that my first research experience was a very positive one. My skill in both technical and intellectual tasks I feel has improved significantly. It is because of this positive first experience that I will continue to pursue research opportunities here at Duke.
As for the effect that the program had on my career choice, I can strongly say that when I started the program I was strong willed to pursue an MD degree. After seeing how interesting that research could be, I am now strongly considering an MD/Ph.D program that I feel really opens up the world of both science and medicine. There are still a lot of things that must fall into place before any of the options become a reality but I am both excited, although slightly over whelmed by all the options that have now become clear to me.
As for my ideas about science I have seen how truly complicated and intricate science can be. This is amazing because it lets you truly dive deep into a subject to discover the latest knowledge about the subject you are interested in. At the same time that is a little daunting as there is so much to learn just to be caught up with the current knowledge of a field. Overall it is not job for those who do not wish to work hard, as science take a great deal of time and effort.
