Biomedical Research and Mentoring Program (RaMP)
This past semester I was accepted into a competitive biomedical research and mentoring program (RaMP). I worked part-time in the Pain Research Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center under the guidance of post-doc Hadas Nahman-Averbuch. The first couple weeks consisted of online training and familiarizing myself with the lab environment and my new colleagues. During this initial period, I learned about how research is conducted and the necessary elements of a “good” research study. I continued to build on this knowledge by diving into the literature about our lab’s topic: the individual experiences of pain. I gained hands-on experience through shadowing study visits and practicing with set-up and the software/equipment we use. In addition to the practical information, I also gained lasting friendships and several mentors whose advice and leadership are invaluable.
Even though research itself was far outside my area of familiarity, I found an immense satisfaction in improving my skills and knowledge and gaining more responsibility in the lab. I decided to continue researching part-time this summer because I want to grow as a researcher and academic while making a valuable contribution to a small, yet important, clinical research field.
