Blog #9: Science Proposal

1. What is your hypothesis?
If there was a new way to build neonatal incubators that could cut costs by more than 20% while still achieving maximum efficiency, there would be less deaths in infants in third world countries.

2. Identify the dependent (produced), independent (manipulated) and control variables in your hypothesis.

The dependent variable would be  overall cost.

The independent variable would be the materials used to create the incubator.

The control variable would be the function of incubator which would remain the same through out the experiment.

 3. What is the connection between your science fair project and your senior project EQ?

My experiment addresses an issue that involves infants which is part of pediatrics. It helps answer my EQ because this experiment is about being efficient with your materials and as a physician, whether you are working for a hospital or for your own practice, you will always have budget concerns whether it be if you can afford another MRI machine or a new type of neonatal incubator. 

4. How will you perform the experiment?  Include the equipment you plan on using.

I've decided to change my project at the last second from doing obesity studies to this one. Designing a neonatal incubator takes an extremely long list of materials which I'm not entirely familiar with yet. 

The materials I'm using will involve some sort of heat source:

a type of light which I'll be experimenting with to see which is cheapest and most effective

An emergency alarm to alert nurses if temperature is too high or low

A mattress or something similar for the baby to rest on

Something to bring air outside for warming and cooling

A built in power regulation to protect against voltage spikes

Emergency power source

Storage for blankets, bottles, tubes, etc.

Windows and access for nurses

Digital controls for the temperature and easy repair

5:Which category will your project be listed under?  (For a full list of categories, go to the iPoly Physics webpage, then to the Science Fair tab.

This would be under engineering.

Blog #8: What I've Learned So Far

1) What have you learned how to do since you started working on your senior project?


Something that I've learned how to do working on my senior project is how to go in for interviews for volunteer positions. This may sound silly, but when I was a junior my mom pushed me to fill out an application for the City of Hope Teen Volunteer Program that was only open once a year. I told her I would do it but I never got around to it because I was afraid of being rejected when I had to interview in person. I kick myself in the butt so much now because that opportunity would have been amazing but I missed it. 


However, doing my senior project I feel like I was pushed to go into the ocean to learn how to swim. I didn't really have a choice and was desperate to start service learning somewhere so I called every hospital within a 30 mile vicinity to see if their volunteer apps were available yet. Huntington Hospital in Pasadena was the first to call me back and I didn't realize it was a phone interview until half way through. Lets just say after I told her the reason I wanted to volunteer there specifically was because every other hospital wasn't taking volunteers...she decided on another route. I got rejection after rejection because of deadlines, I couldn't make the shift hours, and other reasons. 


San Dimas Hospital was my last hope. If they didn't accept me I was going to finish up my hours at my pediatricians office and call it a day. By the time I interviewed with the coordinator, I tried to use my previous interview errors as a guide for what not to say and maintain a happy attitude even though inside I thought to myself if I got one more rejection I'd die. In the end I ended up getting the position to work on the actual hospital floor and I now go every Thursday and Friday!



2) This is my uniform and badge that opens doors when I scan it B)

3) What research helped you to do this and how?*


Most of the research I did didn't really come from books or anything. Ms. Melogno was the one who told me during the beginning of the year to just go ahead and do whatever you have to do because in the end, the worst answer you'll get is a no. Still though, I was trying to push off doing it because I hate rejection! It's like another form of failure! Then I went to volunteer at Glendora Pediatrics and my mentor there, Dr. Mafoud*, told me that as a Doctor, you cannot be afraid of anything because it will deter you from accomplishing your goal. He talked about how as a prospective resident, getting an interview was like a gift from God and worrying about being rejected wasn't even on his mind because at least he had an opportunity to do his best. This gave me confidence and pushed me to do the interviews. And now I have a badge :D


So again, my sources were Ms. Melogno and my mentor, Dr. Mafoud.


*A little clarification in case your wondering, Dr. Mafoud was my own Pediatrician so asking if I could volunteer at his practice wasn't really a challenge. I mean volunteering at hospitals specifically because it is really hard and competitive now a days to get into certain places!

Blog #7: Independent Component 1 Plan Approval

1) For my first independent component, I will be volunteering at the San Dimas Community Hospital under Kathlyn Rivera, my supervisor. I did my first shift last Friday and so far my duties have been to ask patients if they need anything, go into rooms and pass out magazines, and assist nurses with patient charts. My goal though is to start shadowing physicians at the hospital which I am working on. 

2) My plan is to work four hour shifts once a week every Friday. I'm also doing service learning with Dr. Mafoud in Glendora where I shadow 2-3 hours a week. If I am not able to go on Fridays, I plan on doubling my time with Dr. Mafoud. 

3) My eq is "what is the best way to become a successful pediatrician." I feel the best way to find my answer will be to watch physicians in their element first hand. That's why I chose to volunteer at a hospital. I can watch how they interact with their patients and as a volunteer, I can use the same methods as well. I'm shadowing a pediatrician specifically in a private practice clinic to get more specific to my eq. 

Blog #6: Defining the Essential Question

1) What is your EQ?


My eq is "What is the best way to become a successful pediatrician?"

2) Define the words in your EQ to make sure we are on the same page regarding what your EQ means.


The definition of successful in my eq means someone who has mastered the art of medicine through prevention and therapeutic ideals. What it means to master through prevention is to educate people on how to live a healthy lifestyle so they do not need therapeutics. I took Samuel Hahnemanns definition of ideal therapeutics as the highest ideal of therapy which is the rapid, gentle, pleasant, complete, and permanent restoration of health in the surest, simplest and least harmful way. If both are achieved, you have met the standards of a successful pediatrician. 


3) What are some possible answers to your EQ so far? 


a)Do not become complacent with your knowledge but instead try to consistently learn new things.


b)Do not allow yourself to be spoon-fed throughout medical school and afterwards. True knowledge is sought outside the classroom.


c)Know your strengths and weaknesses to determine if medicine(specifically dealing with children) is right for you.

4) What has been your most important source and why?  Be specific.  If it is a person, name them and what they do, if it is an article, book or video, name the title and author.  


I have had two equally important sources. My first is my service learning mentor, Dr. Amjad Mafoud who is a pediatrician at the Glendora medical office. The other is an article by Andre Saine titled, "If its worth doing, its worth doing well."

Blog #5: Second Interview Questions

I will be interviewing one of my service learning persons, pediatrician Dr. Amjad Mafoud who has been my pediatrician for over ten years. He opened his private practice at a very young age for a doctor and has treated me since I can remember so I feel he is highly experienced and qualified as a physician.

1)Where did you go to college/medical school and how many years was it total?

2)What did you major in? What do you recommend I major in?

3)When you were my age, did you volunteer in hospitals or shadow physicians? What did you do as extracurricular activities? 

4)What made you realize you wanted to be a pediatrician?

5)Where did you start working after medical school?

6)When did you open up your own private practice? What age were you?

7)What is a typical day in the office like as a doctor?

8)Did you go into medicine with any expectations like high salary or good hours?

Blog #4: Presentation Reflection

1.  In what way did the first interview affect your presentation?  Please explain, be specific and use an example.


My interview with Irene Rojas was really helpful because it gave me a different perspective on pediatrics. However, my presentation was on vaccines and what she told me in the interview consisted more of the pros and cons of working in pediatrics. I did ask Dr. Mafoud, the pediatrician I am shadowing, about my five minute presentation and he is the one who advised me to do vaccines. I learned from him that vaccines are so important and parents don't seem to want to vaccinate their children because of minor issues like getting a cold afterwards. That is why I chose to talk about it to the class, not only for educational purposes, but also in the hopes that they will listen to their pediatricians recommendations as well. Irene did tell me important things that I kept in mind while preparing for my presentation. She said a major problem in pediatrics is that parents sometimes don't listen to their childs' physician, putting the child at greater risk. This connected to my topic, vaccines. 

2.  What you say stood out about your presentation performance and why?


In my presentation I fully dressed out. I chose scrubs because my two physicians both wear scrubs even though most people see doctors in lab coats. In my presentation I also tried to engage the audience several times and I had multiple visuals.

3.  What was the most challenging to do and why?


I've always been okay in presentations but oh my goodness, I forgot to breathe in my 5 minute! I've never had worse public speaking skills until that day. So that was really challenging while I was up there and I desperately wanted a couple of seconds to calm down but since the presentation was only 5 minutes long I couldn't. 

Blog #3: Senior Project Presentation 1

The objective of my five minute presentation is to teach students about the importance of vaccinations. I will be targeting vaccinations specific to the age groups one through eighteen because my senior topic is on pediatrics and because that is when vaccinations are the most vital. 


1)I will start off my asking everyone in the room to raise their hands if they are currently up to date with their vaccines. This should not be difficult to answer because state laws for schools require each child to have an immunization card with all vaccines up to date so every child in the class should have his or her hand up.


2) I will then ask why everyone has their hands up. the response will hopefully be somewhere along the lines of, "because it is required by the school" or "because it is important we don't get sick."


3)Once someone answers, I will begin explaining why schools require vaccines in the first place and what would happen if we suddenly stopped. I am only going to talk briefly about the physical structure and make up of the vaccine to give them an idea but I do not want that to be the purpose of my presentation. The main purpose is to teach about importance of a vaccine, not what it is.


4)To check for understanding, I will give scenarios of what would happen if we did and didn't have immunizations. I will then ask the student to give me an answer. 


5) Once they answer, I will give a brief summary of the DTap(whooping cough) vaccine an example of the Whooping Cough Outbreak in Japan in 1974 as a result of the decline of DTap immunizations. This will support my argument of how important it is to be vaccinated. 


6)For my visual, I am going to bring an actual immunization card to pass around to show people what it looks like. I'm still deciding on whether I should show an example of what an up to date vaccine looks like or what a blank card looks like. I am planning on pointing out the DTap immunization and the number of shots required to complete it. I am also going to bring copies of different type of vaccine information papers made for parents to read before their children are given it. I see it around pediatrician offices often and think it will be a perfect visual so I am going to make photocopies of the pediatricians papers that I am shadowing.


7) If I have time I am going to talk about the flu shot which is recommended by physicians to get every season. I will give examples of why it is important and myths that parents believe about the flu shot which stops their children from being fully protected by the flu.


8) I will wrap up by asking random people what they learned or found useful in my presentation to check for understanding. I will ask if there are any questions and then conclude.