{"id":1266,"date":"2016-09-09T08:55:03","date_gmt":"2016-09-09T08:55:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldwomanfoundation.com\/?p=1266"},"modified":"2016-09-09T08:55:03","modified_gmt":"2016-09-09T08:55:03","slug":"team-work-makes-dream-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldwomanfoundation.com\/cannes2026\/team-work-makes-dream-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Team work makes \u201cDream Work\u201d."},"content":{"rendered":"

One can find inspiration for pursuing science in something as simple as a museum trip or meeting someone motivational. During my sophomore year of high school, I found inspiration in a speaker in my AP chemistry class who was conducting groundbreaking research in lung cancer. I emailed her the following year, asking if I could work in her lab, and \u2013 to my surprise \u2013 she responded within 24 hours with a \u201cYes!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Michelle
Michelle Ozaki , Scripps College,<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The summer of my junior year I was a research assistant in a lab for Dr. Ite A. Laird-Offringa,<\/a> an associate professor of surgery, biochemistry and molecular biology, at the University of Southern California. I was shocked to see how different conducting research fared in comparison to my coursework in my high school science classes. Prior to doing research, I was certain I wanted to become a doctor. However, after two summers in Dr. Laird-Offringa\u2019s lab <\/a>I was not one hundred percent sure anymore. Never before had I questioned my desire to become a physician. Did I want to be part of a research team that led to medical breakthroughs? Or, did I want to interact with patients?<\/p>\n

During my first year at Scripps College<\/a>, I thought I had developed the perfect solution: pursue a MD-Ph.D. I quickly approached professors about working in their labs and found a place in professor Irene Tang\u2019s<\/a> molecular biology lab. Immediately, I was assigned several projects. At first, I was intimidated by senior members of the lab and uncertain if I could live up to professor Tang\u2019s expectations. However, I found refuge in several members of the lab who became my mentors and close friends. They pushed me to work hard in the lab and eased my qualms about pursuing a MD or a Ph.D.<\/p>\n

I applied to a hospital internship during my second year at Scripps. During my first shift at the hospital I was already bathing patients, assisting nurses with blood draws, and feeding patients too weak to feed themselves. I quickly realized that although I love research, interacting with patients is my true passion. I continued to work shifts, showing up early, and staying long past my designated shift times.<\/p>\n

My experience at the hospital demonstrated to me the importance of teamwork within the medical field. Even as a volunteer, I was able help people in such a profound way\u2014working with doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other volunteers to ensure patient care. This made me realize that I want to be the kind of doctor who values what each individual offers as we all tend to a patient\u2019s needs. I want to support and believe in other people in science just as so many other people have believed in me. That belief has made all the difference in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One can find inspiration for pursuing science in something as simple as a museum trip or meeting someone motivational. During my sophomore year of high school, I found inspiration in a speaker in my AP chemistry class who was conducting groundbreaking research in lung cancer. I emailed her the following year, asking if I could […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t