Walking into Centennial high school for my ACT was a stressful episode for me. Personally, I felt less prepared for this test than my SAT three months ago. The several practice tests I took did not yield the result I was hoping for. Most BS/MD or BA/MD programs usually require at least a 32, so I will be relying more on my SAT score to qualify for these programs. Although a 1370 will qualify me for a multitude of universities, it will not guarantee me any spot to any of these colleges. I will need sell the accomplishments I hope to make in ISM in order to be considered for an interview.
My brother gave me great advice for standardized testing: if you do not do well in the end, then push other aspects of yourself that make you unique. I believe he is a good example of someone who struck a good balance of being smart while having great experience. It is only a matter of time before Ibrahim will move on from his job at Princeton Review’s test-prep centers to medical school. Now, I feel more confident about my own work. I may not be able to stand out from the crowd with my standardized test scores or my rank, but I will, hopefully, be able to have great conversations about my experience in interviews. If, God willing, I am considered for an interview, I should be able to apply what I learned from ISM to set myself apart from the rest of the competition. An interesting assignment was given to me during my AP Government class: entering C-SPAN’s StudentCam documentary competition. It is optional, but it could replace a majority of the projects we do in the semester. I intend on doing this project because it would be another project I could proudly put resources into. The topic I would be pursuing would be something along the lines of health care. Currently, I am not too sure on what specifically I want to cover. I was considering one about the Affordable Healthcare Act, but I quickly learned about how complicated, convoluted, and controversial the subject matter is. Pursuing such a subject would take much longer than one semester, and I definitely do not want to make a film that does not adequately cover the subject. Nonetheless, I still want to cover a subject about health care. Perhaps one that covers the net costs of joint replacements. Personally, I find it interesting how manufacturing a prosthesis can be made at a very cheap cost, but sold to hospitals at much higher costs. I am still thinking about what idea I should pursue, for there are a lot of directions I can take. As of now, I will start planning an outline in what I should learn more about. I think documentaries are the greatest way to educate an entire generation that doesn't often look back to learn anything about the history that provided a safe haven for so many of us today. - Steven Spielberg
My first mentor visit for the school year was a research conference at the Outpatient building in UT Southwestern. There, Dr. Wells and several other surgeons were reviewing some case studies. These cases were mainly of patients with sports-related injuries. It included some arthritic knees and dysplastic hips. A conversation arose regarding cortisol injections that I hope to learn more about. Particularly a newly approved steroidal injection called Flexion. However, the lecture that took place afterwards really drew my interest. Dr. Robert Dimeff gave a lecture about shoulder anatomy, pathologies, and treatments. It was very comprehensive and I learned a lot. The lecture seemed to be a review for a class about to take their boards, for most listeners seemed to be reviewing notes. Although I did not get a chance to talk with Dr. Wells for long, I still learned a lot of new material. The information covered did not necessarily helped me with anything about my final product, but that collaborative project will be starting soon. Dr. Wells will be keeping me informed in that. Nonetheless, I am thankful to be given the chance to visit UTSW again and meet with some new physicians. It was a late meeting, so I had to leave early. Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune. - Jim Rohn
Business Symposium was great this year! I got to reconnect with Mr. Scott Warstler, my previous principal at Liberty High School, and Mr. Brian Wysong. In addition, i got to meet with a variety of professionals that I would have otherwise not have met elsewhere. The event took place at Independence High School in the morning. It started with a networking period. Here, high school students spoke with various professionals and prepared ourselves for the long day ahead. After this, students were split into multiple groups by color. Groups rotated in several stations that followed a particular order of mock interviews, ISM alumni speeches, college registration presentations, and a guest speaker. Mr. Wysong agreed to be our speaker for the day. This experience was very beneficial because I now felt more comfortable with talking to strangers in a formal setting. I have already had an interview with Lifetime Fitness for a lifeguard position, but these interviews will help me for more important interactions such as college interviews. As of now, I will be focusing on college applications and the upcoming ACT. There is still a lot of work ahead for me to complete before I can focus all my efforts towards my work here in ISM. There are friendships imprinted in our hearts that will never be diminished b time and distance. - Unknown
As we prepare for Business Symposium at Independence High School, I made some adjustments to my schedule in order to have the free-time to invest in ISM and my grades. I now have an alternating system with early release and late arrival. This schedule allows me to organize mentor visits productively and efficiently. For example, I can have visit clinics in the morning where I can come back to school before my first class or leave early to sit in a research meeting. My choices were made in order to devote my time needed to the Independent Study and Mentorship program. My grades did fall off in the first six weeks. Usually, I firmly believe that grades are above all else, but I have learned that prioritizing certain extra-curriculars can, in fact, benefit my future as I continue my path in medicine. As a result, I decided to mindfully drop some of my higher level classes. I still require a 3.7 unweighted GPA in order to qualify for certain BS/MD programs that I am currently applying to, so I must be mindful of this when working on my applications. I do not want to have to sacrifice my work in ISM in order to maintain higher level classes that I do not have a vested interest for. There must be a balance between school work and extracurriculars in order to be successful in the years to come. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. - Thomas A. Edison
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Shoaib FarooquiStudent currently enrolled in Liberty High School, studying orthopaedic medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Joel Wells. Archives
January 2018
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