The next generation of medical researchers …

[Mgtd]

Thought I would share this personal story about how I have seen hope for the future of medical research firsthand and perhaps the understanding various disease pathways.

My granddaughter will be graduating in May ‘24 and has been involved with biological research over the last three years at the university. She lost her freshman face to face University experience due to Covid and had to do online classes only that year. So her research experience and mentoring has been limited to just 3 years short years.

Over her time on campus she has gone from being a simple research assistant grunt to now leading a team of other students. This year her own funded Hopper Undergraduate research grant is investigating sex differences in cell resistance as we age. The question she and her team is asking is “Do men and women have differences in cell protection as we age?”.

Her ultimate goal is to be a MD/Phd. She is taking a gap year after graduation and is currently awaiting to hear the results of interviews at Mayo Clinic and Barrows Neurological Institute as a clinical research assistant position in her gap year.

She is an obviously a bright young woman with a 3.96 GPA, couple with energy and determination and has been nominated to compete for the Outstanding graduate in the class of 2024. Just being nominated is pretty cool. My wife and I joke that the brains come from her side and the determination from mine.

While at the University every Saturday she does community service work for 3 to 4 with the Blue Key Honor Society, has managed to shadow over 12 doctors and during her summers gain hands on clinical patient experience. She is running her first half marathon over Spring break.

It has been fun to watch this maturation process and to understand and see firsthand how the universities grow and groom future researchers and doctors. This Traustadottir Lab has a track record of developing MD/Phd students.

Thought some of you might enjoy reading about how physician scientists get developed and the effort required.

[LongevityAT]

Congratulations to her and her hard work! We are lucky there are those with the intelligence and motivation to pursue this field.

[CancerConcierge]

Thanks for sharing your granddaughter’s story … she sounds like a remarkable young woman…

[cfhny]

I am in absolute awe of her! A great story yet to be finished.

[j-o-h-n]

Great, Great and more Great.........

note: She must always jog with at least one friend....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Rolphs]

Nice inspirational story! It’s good to get a respite from the, at times, depressing PCa narratives.