Samuel Sexton

As a research volunteer, I helped with molecular biology workflows by creating and improving a protocol for automatically processing proteins with the KingFisher Flex platform. My job was to set up magnetic bead-based purification steps, fine-tune the volumes of reagents and incubation times, and fix instrument workflows so that I could always get high-quality proteins. I worked closely with senior researchers to make sure the protocol was correct by testing it over and over, analyzing the data, and writing down what I found. This work made protein extraction and purification in the lab's research pipeline faster, more reliable, and more efficient.

By following doctors in a variety of specialties and watching how they care for patients from the first evaluation to the treatment plan, I gained a lot of clinical experience. I have worked with a radiologist, where I learned how imaging helps with diagnosis; an emergency medicine doctor, where I saw quick decision-making in urgent situations; a hand microsurgeon, where I saw complicated reconstructive techniques; a palliative care doctor, where I saw caring, patient-centered communication; a neurosurgeon, where I saw detailed surgical planning and procedures; and a general surgeon, where I learned about managing patients before and after surgery and how surgery works. I learned more about clinical reasoning, working with people from different fields, and the different ways doctors care for patients in all of my specialties.