Passions Reflection

What?
One of my biggest passions has always been research, the careful, systematic
investigation of phenomena that have yet to be fully understood. Research is the
main way our world marches forward with new advances in medicine, our
understanding of human behavior, and our understanding of the natural world.
Questions rarely answer themselves, so it is up to us to seek out knowledge and
understanding. Each question or phenomenon is a puzzle to be picked apart variable
by variable for the betterment of society.
So What?
This passion is significant because it is the basis from which most modern
scientific discoveries are made, and I one day hope to make a career out of it, mainly
focusing on neuroscience and possibly pharmacology. I have always been interesting
in science, from nuclear physics to animal behavior, but when I was in middle school I
found that many of my questions were never fully satisfied in my biology class, and a
line of inquiry often ended with a simple we dont know yet. Instead of waiting for
someone else to find the answers for me, I decided that I was going to take matters
into my own hands and enter the biomedical research field when I grew up. I have a
special interest in looking for issues with studies that used only white, male subjects
in their studies and then applied to results to the entire human population. Only 5%
of participants in clinical trials are non-white, even though they are often
disproportionately affected by the condition or illness being researched. Research
focusing on conditions that affect only non-white people groups or women, such as
sickle-cell anemia or endometriosis, remains severely underfunded. Women are more
likely than men to have depression, yet less than 45% of the subjects in studies
focusing on depression are female. Statistically, neuroscientists use 5.5 males for
every female in their research. I want to change my chosen field of study so it
produces more accurate results and medical solutions to issue by considering how
disorders and drugs affect women differently then men. It is my firm belief that
everyone should have the right to safe, adequate medical treatment, and ignoring
differences in sex and race severely inhibits this.
Now What?
I plan on learning more about research methods and theories in neuroscience
that have yet to be tested in laboratory setting. I am currently trying to get work as a
research assistant in order to gain some basic experience. I specifically chose the
University of Cincinnati as my college because it is well known for its research
opportunities. The honors program especially allows me access to opportunities to
meet professors and learn more about their ongoing research projects and find new
possibilities to get involved in research. There are several programs over the
summer and during the school year that I am applying to in order to build the
foundation I will need to pursue a career in research. All it takes is enthusiasm and
persistence.