Impact of Biomedical Sciences by Amanda

Impact of Biomedical Sciences by Amanda - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

I have always been the kind of child that asked a lot of questions. “Why…” probably came out of my mouth a thousand times a day. Living things, in particular, have always fascinated me. Biology is captivating because it is the only science that never stops moving. Momentum will stop, the reaction will end, but life ticks on. After applying for the Project Lead The Way Biomedical Sciences Pathway, I discovered a deeper love for the subject as it applies to human biology and medicine. Since freshman year, I have been expected to ask questions, and to answer them.

What is terror? Terror is walking into a crime scene on your first day of high school. What is triumph? Triumph is solving the murder. From forensics to bionics, to molecular biology, to sutures and CPR, the Biomedical Program has opened my eyes to branches of science I was not aware even existed. I have been well prepared for lab sciences, becoming proficient in the scientific method and procedures such as PCR, ELISA, and gel electrophoresis. Think, act, behave like a scientist. At the Salk Institute’s Women in Biotech Conference, we were given words to guide us and mentors to teach us as girls in STEM.

What other high schooler has been allowed to perform graduate-level labs? Our 2019 senior class was the second in the country to have access to Illumina’s genome sequencer. Seniors are expected to present prototypes to biomedical innovations to a panel of surgeons, nurses, and engineers. We are expected to handle research and clinical work in internships in hospitals and labs. We are expected to excel among college students in our performance.

Coming into my senior year, I am excited to apply what I have learned to my internship, and innovate in the project-based part of the course. I feel the program has given me invaluable experience in a field I was already passionate about and will leave me prepared and informed as to how to continue pursuing throughout college and beyond.