Dr. Seelam, At Your Cervix

Last week, Independent Study and Mentorship students from across Frisco ISD convened at Independence High School for the Annual ISM Business Symposium. For some, like me, the Business Symposium was a thrilling and new experience where I got to experience networking for the first time, but for others, such as students in ISM II, the symposium was a way to showcase their experience and transfer their knowledge to arising and motivated students. In the Business Symposium, I interacted with professionals with diverse careers and unique experiences to acquire a better understanding of how to bolster my resume and distinguish myself from other candidates as a professional, high-achieving student. First, all the students in their respective groups mingled with professionals, which was an incredible opportunity as I developed my communication skills and had the privilege of networking with Ms. Ivy Sun, an international college admissions counselor who aids Chinese students apply for American colleges. Ms. Sun taught me the importance of effective communication and learning new languages as an excellent example of professionalism and conveying one's message more powerfully and to a wider range of audiences. I also met with Ms. Janet Schaefer, PMP, Director of Operations at NuMinds Enrichment, who oversees the project management of educational services at NuMinds Enrichment and facilitates tailored programs towards children of all ages. Ms.Schaefer and I discussed the similarities of the skills required by educators and obstetrician-gynecologists, which included patience, perseverance, good communication, taking responsibility for others' actions, and comfortability around people. The last of these skills is one of the most important, as both educators and physicians need to specifically and diligently cater to the needs of the individuals they are serving, whether it be parents, students, or patients. Being able to empathize with others and understand the motivations behind their actions is incredibly important to a successful career and striving to be a better communicator. Ms. Schaefer, as a mother of two, explained to me how meaningful and significant her OB/GYN has been in her life and that she will truly remember how much care, dedication, and love she put into making sure Ms. Schaefer was well-accommodated and her delivery was successful. Her experience as a patient, which was refreshing as my interviews solely focused on learning about the lives of OB/GYNS, strengthened my devotion to the impressionable and life-changing career that physicians have. Later in my day, as part of my informational interviews, I had the pleasure of interviewing with Mr. Shea Mercer, a Corporate Recruiter at Interstate Batteries, and Ms. Dana Baird, the Director of Communications for the City of Frisco. I learned incredibly valuable information from them regarding my resume, such as which portions to keep concise versus the portions to elaborate to bolster my accomplishments and how to have effective communication and keep interviews like conversations rather than structured discussions. Although these four professionals have had incredibly different experiences and paths to their success, each one provided valuable insight and feedback for me to improve myself not only as an ISM student but as an individual overall.

In addition to the Business Symposium, one of the most important accomplishments for me this week was creating my Original Work Proposal. I wanted to synthesize a product that would beneficially impact future healthcare research and possibly become surgically implemented to save the lives of women across the world. In my proposal, I purposed to research a new treatment method for the life-threatening condition, placenta accreta. In healthy deliveries, the placenta, an organ that forms during pregnancy and provides essential nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, detaches from the uterine wall during pregnancy. However, during placenta accreta, the placenta embeds itself too deeply in the uterine wall, resisting detachment and resulting in all or part of the placenta remaining in the uterine wall. This can cause excessive bleeding, and the most efficient treatment today is performing an emergency Caesarean section, surgically removing the child from the abdomen, and a hysterectomy, the complete removal of the uterus. Unfortunately, a hysterectomy completely disables a woman's further ability to reproduce, which can lead to extreme emotional pain and dissatisfaction. I would like to research a new surgical method that could circumvent a hysterectomy and allow patients to continue reproduction with as minimal risk as possible. This topic is something that greatly intrigues me as I can have the opportunity to completely revolutionize the field of obstetrics and gynecology and hopefully change lives for the better. Although the research and the procedures involved with fully establishing a completely new method may not be successful and I might conclude that there is no alternative method than a Caesarean section and hysterectomy, I could at least improve upon current methods and provide greater insight into the recovery procedures for placenta accreta. Throughout this week, I want to begin my researching by looking into the specificities of placenta placement in the cervix and how each position results in numerous conditions. I truly believe this will be an incredible project and I cannot wait to start it.