I always find it difficult to crystallize what I've learned without the advantage of hindsight. Off the top of my head, I've appreciated the perspective I've gotten on the inner workings of clinical trials. While I've talked about the potential of medications in lab or discussed trial results in class, that does not come close to seeing the immense amount of care, time, and human labor that goes into a medical product. There are tasks, such as the creation of the database that trial data is stored in, that I never would have thought were a concern (that takes a team of 5 people here at the Jenner.)

More abstractly, I have valued the number of conversations I've had while here, both with members of the team and ones my position here has facilitated. I've loved talking about the logistics of trials and their ethical considerations with Nick and Arran, my supervisors who have by far done the most to help me make the most of my time here. I believe my conversation with Dr. MacLennan a physician-scientist here at the Jenner who I had the opportunity to interview, will have the most impact on my future. Hearing him talk about his work on the ground in Kenya, in big pharma with Pfizer, with patients at the Radcliffe hospital, and with non-profits like the Gates Foundation has shown me that 1) it is possible to prioritize making an impact on others (as opposed to grants) as a medical researcher and 2) that paths I have agonized choosing between are not necessarily mutually exclusive options. 

Here's something fun from the library!