Memoir/Self Evaluation

What were the best and worst parts of Senior Project/Senior Seminar?

The best part of my senior project was the connections I made and experience I
had at Mayo Clinic. Everyone was so welcoming and very patient. The hardest part of
my project was being able to understand medical research articles. The vocabulary was
at a much higher level than I was used to. By the end, I was able to read and
understand medical research articles.

List three things you now know after completing your Senior Project.

I now understand the process of how research works, improved my ability to set
up and conduct experiments, and learned how to use different laboratory equipment.

What problems did you encounter, and how did you handle these problems?

Problems I encountered during my project included reading research articles,

understanding why I was conducting certain procedures, and mastering lab techniques.
To handle these situations, I asked a lot of questions and researched these topics. For
example, I would look up what terms I did not already know that appeared in both
research articles and the lab.

Which aspect of the Senior Project/Senior Seminar stretched you the most? How
did you feel about and react to this challenge?

The aspect of my project that was the greatest stretch was the level of research
and pushing myself out of my comfort zone to experience something new. I was very
nervous yet excited at the challenge I signed up for. It was also very challenging going
into this project having very little background and knowledge.

How has Senior Project/Senior Seminar changed you (skills, attitudes, work
habits, capabilities, confidence, poise, presentation, etc.)?

My senior project has taught me to continue to push myself out of my comfort

zone to experience new things along with building new connections. It is important to
understand that life is a learning process and keeping an open mind is key to success,
along with hard work of course.
What would you do differently if you had to do the whole Senior Project/Senior
Seminar process again?

If I could do anything differently about my senior project, it would be to take more

detailed notes day by day of what I did. This would be very helpful in creating my
presentation.

What advice do you have for next year’s seniors?

My advice for next year’s seniors would be to push themselves out of their
comfort zones. This project is meant to help you find something you are passionate
about or are curious to learn more about. Secondly, enjoy the process. Sometimes it is
very hard to take a step back and realize that you are doing this because you get the
opportunity to and not because you have to.

Has this experience influenced your future plans?

This experience has reassured me that the medical field is the right place for me.
I am very passionate about medicine and want to improve the quality of other’s lives.

What grade would you give yourself for your Senior Project and what justification
do you have for that grade?

I would give myself an A for this project because I really put myself out there to
experience something completely new. I took on the challenge with a positive attitude
and was eager to learn more about medical research and the field of medicine as a
whole.