advanced human genetics
passion for life // work ethic // able to adapt // take risks // cope with UNCERTAINTY
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I have been interested in the world of genetics since I was in middle school. My parents are both in the industry and so I grew up learning about all the new discoveries and advancements. I chose to attend school in Seattle because it has become a hub of genetics research with UW’s renowned Genome department and because centers such as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute were situated there. Throughout my education, I had the chance to explore my passion for genetics through a multitude of courses. My Advanced Human Genetics and Cancer Genetics course inspired me to continue working in the field of genetics as well as challenged me to adapt and challenge my learning style.
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Advanced Human Genetics is a class focused on understanding current . It was taught by Evan Eichler and Mary-Claire King, both pioneers in the field. They incorporated their research into the lectures and I could palpbably feel their enthusiasm as they spoke. Having professors that enjoyed the material and truly want students to be inspired by it makes a world of difference in education. Their research gave real-life application of the textbook material and they incorporated new research articles to make sure we were updated on the latest findings.
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Letting Go of the Fear of Failure
Most of the classes I had taken at the UW were largely centered on memorization. However, in Advanced Human Genetics we were expected to apply our knowledge and problem-solving abilities to dissect complex genetic situations. Additionally, we had to do our own research on the material. Both professors had a high expectation of our engagement in the class, both during the lecture and outside class. We were expected to be proficient in online genomicdatabases such as the UCSC Genome Browser, OMIM, RepeatMasker, and a variety of other tools. Our first assignment was to use a data set about families with a certain genetic disease to narrow down the mutation and gene that are responsible for the disorder. I felt completely overwhelmed with the sharp learning curve I was expected to climb. I’m not used to feeling helpless in a class and I was on the verge of dropping it because I felt inadequate in succeeding in the class. However, the content of the class was so intriguing to me that I wanted to take a chance and pushed on. In order for me to succeed in this class I had to learn to not be afraid of failure. I was definitely going to mess up; every detail and terminology in genetics is important but easy to mix up. Once I put away my fear of failure, I was able to charge ahead in my class and take risks on my answers. In the end, I did very well in the class and felt sure in my decision to pursue a career in the field..
Most of the classes I had taken at the UW were largely centered on memorization. However, in Advanced Human Genetics we were expected to apply our knowledge and problem-solving abilities to dissect complex genetic situations. Additionally, we had to do our own research on the material. Both professors had a high expectation of our engagement in the class, both during the lecture and outside class. We were expected to be proficient in online genomicdatabases such as the UCSC Genome Browser, OMIM, RepeatMasker, and a variety of other tools. Our first assignment was to use a data set about families with a certain genetic disease to narrow down the mutation and gene that are responsible for the disorder. I felt completely overwhelmed with the sharp learning curve I was expected to climb. I’m not used to feeling helpless in a class and I was on the verge of dropping it because I felt inadequate in succeeding in the class. However, the content of the class was so intriguing to me that I wanted to take a chance and pushed on. In order for me to succeed in this class I had to learn to not be afraid of failure. I was definitely going to mess up; every detail and terminology in genetics is important but easy to mix up. Once I put away my fear of failure, I was able to charge ahead in my class and take risks on my answers. In the end, I did very well in the class and felt sure in my decision to pursue a career in the field..
From both
of these genetics courses and other related classes I have taken at UW, I
learned to critically apply my knowledge and problem-solving skills, to make
sure my fear of failure did not get in the way of my learning, and to engage in
my education by asking questions. All of these skills will help me in my
academic, social, and professional future.