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What I’ve Learned in My First Two Years as URBEST Executive Director

What I’ve Learned in My First Two Years as URBEST Executive Director

News Article by Tracey Baas, PhD, Executive Director of URBEST

Many people are surprised when I tell them that I’ve only been at UR and with URBEST for two years and my “unofficial” anniversary is Halloween. My initiation into the NIH BEST program occurred in Bethesda at the first annual NIH BEST meeting, October 29-31, 2014. In fact, my first interaction with URBEST co-PI Sarah Peyre, Assistant Dean of Interprofessional Education, was on a plane flying to the meeting. Even though I’ve only been here two years at UR, I’ve learned a lot. I believe that what I’ve learned will not only benefit me, but can also benefit you. Many of these points were reinforced by experiences with organizing the recent URBEST Retreat and Career Workshop. (Next year’s URBEST Retreat is Thursday Sept 14, 2017 if you’d like to mark your calendar.)

A Scientific Collaboration in Teaching

A Scientific Collaboration in Teaching

News Article by Zachary Murphy, PhD Candidate and "Roving Educator"

While there are many opportunities for internships in several career fields, the ugly truth remains that an internship for teaching is not a clearly defined entity. Therefore, upon the advice of a colleague, I sought out my own opportunity through the Active Teaching and Learning (MALT) program. Zachary Murphy explains how.

The Path of a Scientific Illustrator: An Interview with Ella Marushchenko

The Path of a Scientific Illustrator: An Interview with Ella Marushchenko

News Article by Rachel Walker, PhD Graduate Student in the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology

Imagine that after spending months developing a great story with your research, you really want your work to stand out. So you decide to include an illustration. But without knowing whom to ask, how do you obtain an illustration like this? Who can you approach? Rachel Walker finds out with scientific illustrator Ella Marushchenko. 

Life Beyond The Lab

Life Beyond The Lab

By Rashpal Bhogal, PhD, Medical Science Liaison at Novartis

So you wake up each morning, before heading to the lab thinking ‘what am I going to be when I grow up’? Love the fact of being involved in translational research and outcomes to help foster new collaborations and further clinical plus scientific ideas to be explored, but not fond of the lonely nights in the lab watching gels run and talking to the universe to see that ‘one band’? You’ve come to right Career Story Q&A – welcome to the discussion of how to be a scientist, discuss clinical and scientific data and engaging in meaningful, interactive discussions while not spending lonely nights in the lab. Let's chat!

You Have More Choices Than You Think

You Have More Choices Than You Think

Career Story Blog Post By Athena Petrides, PhD, Instructor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School, and Medical Director of Lab Control, Point-of-Care Testing, and Chemistry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Five years ago I was a grad student at University of Rochester Medical Center and was at a point with my project where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.  After four years of hard work, finally, things were working out and I had an actual story to write about as a thesis.  That was a fleeting moment of excitement because then I asked myself – now what? So, naturally, I talked to many members of the faculty who pretty much said that I had two options: academia or industry. I was not thrilled. I was not at all excited by basic research anymore, and I no longer wanted to pipette, perform ELISAs, or pour gels. I did not want the bench; I wanted an office! After some soul searching I realized that I actually really did still like research, but I wanted to make some kind of contribution to science in real time. I wanted to help people – perhaps get involved in health care. Did that mean that I needed to do an MD? I didn’t want to go back to school: not at all