Students have a number of of biology electives to choose from to personalize the required microbiology curriculum. I chose these electives to give me a solid background in all subsets of microbiology beyond bacteriology so that I have a foundation to build upon as an eventual PhD student. Additionally, it's important to understand the human immune system and how it responds the infectious diseases that microbes cause. In research, having knowledge about the variety of model systems provides insight into choosing the most effective model for disease physiology. I'm excited to supplement my coursework with Virology, Parasitology, Immunology, and Model Systems and Disease to expand my understanding of microbial pathogenesis and prepare me to pursue a PhD in Microbiology.

Often times, going into extreme depth in these core science classes can feel pointless. Students often find themselves asking the question: when will I ever need to know this?

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These classes are included in the STEM curriculum to teach vital skills that are extremely important to anyone going into the scientific community, especially students interested in research. These classes require mental fortitude, perseverance, and often times a different approach to difficult problems. While the information taught in core sciences may not be applicable to all STEM careers, the underlying mastery of critical thinking becomes a test in creativity and idea synthesis. For example, Physics has taught me how to essentially rewire my brain to think in terms of knowns and unknowns and synthesize a plan to connect the two. Additionally, Calculus has taught me the importance of consistency and quick thinking. Likewise, Organic Chemistry has emphasized visual perspective and retrosynthetic analysis in order to work backwards towards a solution for problems that aren't necessarily linear.

Core sciences reinforce the idea that you cannot simply memorize all the words of a language in order to learn how to read. You have to be able to objectively break a problem down, sound it out, and synthesize an answer. All of these skills are integral to the success of students beyond the classroom and in the professional setting.

As a professional with a research career, your job does not have to be confined to a laboratory setting. In fact, many disease treating compounds were first discovered and isolated from naturally occurring flora and fauna. While I do enjoy the lab, I hope for my career to take me places and allow me to travel to perform field research. Learning Spanish opens up an entirely new world of experiences and possible connections across the globe. Having the ability to directly interact with locals is extremely advantageous to any traveller, especially to researchers who need to be able to communicate their ideas concisely and efficiently.

Not only does Spanish proficiency help with travel, but it also opens up the possibility to communicate with Spanish-speaking professionals in the scientific community. Hearing ideas from across the world adds a fresh perspective to research that I am extremely excited to experience. I am looking forward to seeing where my career will take me and to forming collaborative relationships with other members of the scientific community in the future.