AmandaWacker

Ms.KatelynStark
ENC2135
InvestigativeFieldReport
Introduction:
EverytimesomeonediscoversthatIamgoingintothebiologyfield,Iamgreetedwitha
chorusofgoodluckandtheoccasionalyikes.Eventually,Ihadtoaskmyself,whythepity?
Whatmadethecollectiveviewthisasaanomalousdecisiontomake?WhatamIreallygetting
myselfintohere?Thisinvestigativefieldessayisanopportunityformetodiscoverwhatitreally
meanstoliveasabiologymajor,andwhatIwasreallysigningupforwhenIcheckedthatboxin
mycollegeapplications.Thereaderwillalsogaininsightofwhatcanbeexpectedofbiology
majors.
Themostinterestingpartofbiologyisthehumanbody.Themanyintricatesystemsand
partscomingtogetherandworkingtoallowhumanstolive,breatheandoperateatalevel
capableofcreatingtheworldweliveinnowismindblowingtome.
IcameintoFloridaStateUniverisyasabiologymajorwithapremedtrack.According
toresearchpublishedbyRichardsonT,MulvihillT,andLatzA.,thereisanexceptionallyhigh
rateofstudentattritionwithinthefieldsofscienceandbecausetheprocessofchanging
academicmajororareaoffocuscanoftenleadtoadditionaltimeofdegreecompletion,aswell
asadecreaseinselfconfidenceandassurance.Itdrewattentiontothelowgraduationratesfor
sciencemajors.Notexactlythegreatestthingtohearaboutmypossiblefuture,butitisimportant
formetofacethefacts.Theymentionapositivecorrelationbetweenundergraduateresearch

andoverallsciencecompetency.AconceptthatisreinforcedbyanotherarticlebyJonesMT,
BarlowAEL,andVillarejoM.,whichalsodrawsacorrelationfromasurveyinwhichstudents
reportthatworkingwithpeersandfacultyinanhandson[undergraduateresearch]
environmentwasimportantfordevelopingskillsandincreasingacademicconfidence.
Thereisalotofstigmainthesciencefieldsaboutdiversityorthelackthereof.While
conductingmysecondaryresearchIcameacrossanumberofshockingstatistics.JonesMT,
BarlowAEL,andVillarejoM.notethat3%ofsciencecareersaremadeupofhispanicsand
africanamericans.Thenumberofafricanamericansandhispanicsinsciencefieldswassosmall,
theydidntevengettheirowndistinctcategories.
SohowdoallthesestatisticsplayintowhatIcanexpectasabiologymajor?
Methods:
Toconductmyresearch,Idecidedtointerviewpeoplewhoarecurrentlyenrolledasa
biologystudentorworkinginthebiologyfield.MyfirstinterviewwaswithSpencerHilgenfeldt,
anupperclassmanwhoinstructsabiologicalscienceFreshmanInterestGroupColloquiumat
FSU.Heissettograduatesummerof2017,andconductedresearchalongsidethechemistry
departmentoverthesummerandplanstostartanewresearchprojectthisfall.Iaskedhimthe
followingquestions:Whatundergraduateresearchwereyouinvolvedin?(Sincemultiplesources
inmyresearchhighlightedtheroleofundergraduateresearchplayingintofuturesuccess.)How
didthisinvolvementshapeyourunderstandingandinsightofyourmajor?Whatweresomeof
thebiggestobstaclesyoufacedwhilepursuingyoureducation?Howdidyouovercomethis?
Whatthebiggestrewardofpursuinglifeinthismajor?

MysecondinterviewwaswithJuliaChengwhoiscurrentlypursuingherPh.Din
BiologyattheUniversityofArizona.Sheininvolvedinresearchinvolvedbreastcancerbone
metastases.ShealsorunsablogaboutherexperiencesasaPh.Dstudent.Iconductedthis
interviewoverherblogsmessagingsystem,andIaskedthefollowingquestions:Wereyou
involvedwithresearchasanundergraduate?Howdiditshapeyourexperienceinthisfieldof
study?Whataresomeobstaclesyoufacedwhilepursuingyoureducation?Whatsthemost
rewardingexperienceyou'vehadinthisfield?Whatissomethingsomeonegoingfortograduate
shouldknowthatnoonereallytoldyou?Asawomanofcolor,howdoyoufeelaboutstatistics
involvingunderrepresentedpopulationsinthebiologyfield?
MyfinalinterviewwaswithMichelleArbeitman,anassociateprofessoratFSUs
CollegeofMedicine.Dr.ArbeitmanreceivedherB.A.inmolecularandcellbiologyat
UniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleyandherPh.DindevelopmentalbiologyatStanford
University.Shecurrentlyhas11publishedresearcharticlesandisalsocurrentlyconducting
researchonthegeneticbasisofcourtshipandreproductioninfruitflies.IaskedherHowdid
yourundergraduateresearchmoldyourpathofresearchnow?Whatdoyoubelievearethe
benefitsanddrawbacksofpursuingaPh.D?Whatareyourexperienceswithresearchfunding?
Whatistherangeofindividualsworkinginyourlabwithyou?Howdoesyourpositiondiffer
fromotherbiologycollegeshereatFSU?
Results:
SpencerHilgenfeldtsaysthathisinvolvementwithundergraduateresearchhelpedsteer
himintherightdirection.Duringhisresearchherealizedthatchemistrywasntwhathewanted.
Thisdiscoverypushedhimfurtherintothestudyinginthemedicalfield.Hesaysthathistime

spentstudyinginthisfieldwasntalwayseasy.Herecallshavingmarkersthrownathimbya
frustratedphysicsprofessorwhenhewasunabletounderstandthematerialpresented.It'snot
discouraging,yousitupthereandyoufeedoffit,hesays,thefrustrationsandthefailuresof
onedaymotivateyoutocomeinthenextdayreadytoovercomethoseobstacles.
JuliaChengrevealedthatthebiggestobstacleforherwasfindingathesislab,sincethe
labsshewasinterestedincouldnthandletoamountofpeopleapplyingtorotate.Typically,
graduatestudentsgetthreerotationsinlabs,lastingaboutninetotenweekseach.Chengsaysthe
mostrewardingexperiencesshehadsofarwasattendingtheExperimentalBiologyConference
inSanDiego.Shesays,Itwasagreateyeopenerformetointeractwithsomanypeoplefrom
alldifferentfields.Iwenttoalotofgreattalksbyrenownedscientists,gottohonemypublic
speakingskillsduringmyposterpresentation,andgainedalotofinsightintoskillssuchas
networkingandcareerdevelopment.Shealsosayssheisnotdiscouragedbystatistical
representationofminoritiesinthesciencefields,thankingminorityrolemodelsthathave
showedherthepathsshecantake.
MichelleArbeitmansaysthebenefitsofstartingaprogramwiththeintentiontogeta
Ph.Disthatyoudontpayoutofpocketforit.Thedepartmentotthegraduatementorpaysyour
tuitionandyougetastipenddecentenoughtocoverlivingexpenses.Oneissueshehasfaced
whileconductingbiologicalresearchisfunding.Thereslotsofgrantwriting.Itsalmostlike
anotherjobontopofconductingresearch,shesays.TheNationalInstitutesofHealthhave
fundedherbiologyresearchlabforthepast11years.
Conclusion:

Goingintothis,IknewwhatIhadtodotobeabiologymajoronpaper.38credithours
ofbiologicalsciencecoursework,26hoursofcollateralcourses,and18hoursofbiological
scienceelective,nottomention38hoursofothergeneralcoursesrequiredbyFSU.Icameinto
FSUasabiologicalsciencemajoronapremedtrack.Throughthisinvestigation,Ihave
discoveredthatIactuallydonthavetogotomedicalschooltodowhatIwanttodo,whichis
biomedicalresearch.IrealizenowthatIdontactuallyevenwanttobeadoctor.Ialsorealize
thatIamaddingintothestatisticsmentionedinBoundandDetermined,butitissimply
becauseIwasnotinformedenoughtoproperlymakeadecisionaboutwhatIwantedtodointhis
field.Studyingbiologyallowsyourtowalkthroughmanydoors,andinsomecases,likemine,I
wasintherighthouse,Ijustwasntintherighthallway.

LiteraryReview

Researchforthisinvestigativefieldessaywasgatheredfromavarietyofsources.

ManysourcesIacquiredbysearchingthroughtheJSTORandAcademicCompletedatabasesfor
academicarticles.Somearticlesdidnotgivedirectinsightonfirsthandexperienceinlifeinthe
fieldbuttheydidoffsomestatisticalinformationonstudentsinthefieldorprospectivestudents.

SourceslikePredictingMedicalSchoolSuccess:ATenYearStudyand

BoundandDetermined:Perceptionsofpremedseniorsregardingtheirpersistenceinpreparing
formedicalschoolwerepresentedasinvestigativereports.Theyincludedanabstract,
introduction,research,methodsandconclusion.BoundandDeterminedgaveinformation
aboutpersonstudentexperienceacategorizedtheirprioritiesandhowtheyledthesestudentsto
theircurrentpositionascomparedtoPredictingMedicalSchoolSuccesswhichdidnottake
intoaccountsubjectspersonalitytype.PredictingMedicalSchoolSuccesspreformedastudy
thatfoundcorrelationsbetweenhabitsandsuccessorearlysciencegradesandfuturesuccess.
Anotherformalpublishing,Importanceofundergraduateresearchforminoritypersistenceand
achievementinbiologygivesstatisticaldataswellaspersonalaccountsfromstudentsinvolved
inbiologythebiologymajorwhoareminoritiesandtheeffectsconductingresearchasan
undergraduateaffectedtheirlifeinthatmajor.Thisarticlesparkedmyinterestasaminority
interestedinconductingresearchwhilepursuingmybiologydegree.

Otherscholarlyarticlesdidnotrelyheavilyonstatisticsbutusedstatisticstobuild

arhetoricalconversation.InbothPreMedParanoiaandATiptoPreMedStudentsacaseis
builttoshowtheoverwhelmingdemandandneedfordoctors.Theygoontohighlightthe
figuresofhowmanypeopleareapplyingtomedicalschool,versushowmanygetin,versushow

manycontinueintheprogram.Bywalkingthereaderthroughthissituation,notonlythe
logisticsofthehighereducationsystemofdemandandsupplyarebroughtintoquestionbutthe
readeralsoisabletoexperiencethestressanduncertaintymanygraduatestudentsfaceintheir
lifetime.Theseweresuccessfulinbringingtogetheremotionsandlogictodrawapoint.

ACareerinBiologywithoutaPh.D?wasascholarlyarticlepresentedinformal

writingthatgavetheveryrealsideofgettingabiologydegree.Majoringinbiologyisntthe
easiestoftimesandsomepeoplewouldliketoendthestudyingthereorothersareunableto
pursueahigherdegree.ThiswasusefulinfiguringoutwhatmyoptionsarenowifIdidnotwant
topursuehighereducation.

Thepersonalaccountsoflifeinabiologydegreeprogramwerethemosthelpful

tome.ThesewererealstudentswhoarewalkingthepathorhavewalkedthepaththatIam
headingdown.AskaMajor:BiologyandWhatitsliketobeabiologymajorexploredthe
insandoutsofhowthesepeoplelivedandbreathedbiology.Aninterestingspinonthispersonal
narrativefeelwasfoundinMusicorMedicine.Thisarticlegaveprofilesandhighlightsofa
varietyofstudentswhodecidedtomajorinbiologybutalsopursueotherpassionsatthesame
time.Allofthehighlightedstudentsachievedadegreeinbiologyandmusic.Discoveringthat
notonlysortofcrosssectionaldoublemajoringwasapossibility,butalsoveryachievable,ifthe
timeandeffortwasputintoit,openedmyeyestothepossibilitieshereinmyfieldofstudybut
alsoanotherpossiblefieldofstudywhilestillkeepingontrackwithmymaingoals.


MusicorMedicine?GreatTipsforDoingBoth[Internet]:MajoringInMusic.comc2016[cited2016September2016].Availablefrom:
http://majoringinmusic.com/musicormedicine/.Studentsfromavarietyofcollegesandbackgroundsdiscusstherewardsandchallenges
ofdoublemajoring.Theseselectstudentsparticipatedinabiologyandmusicdoublemajor.
CampbellPN.2002.HowIbecameabiochemist.IUBMBLifeVol.53(6):321323.Withapushfromhisgrandfather,PeterCampbellpursuedan
educationinbiochemistry.Campbellhighlightstheeventsandexperiemntsthatbroughthimintothebiochemistyfieldandhispositionat
theUniversityCollegeLondon.
GratwickR,DrasgowJ,StockinB.1962.Predictingmedicalschoolsuccess:Atenyearstudy.TheJournalofExperimentalEducation
31(2):2035.UniversityofBuffalostudycompletedonprospectiveandcurrentmedicalschoolstudents.Discussescorrelationsbetween
someaspectsofschoolorpersonallifeandsuccessinmedicalschool.
HorkoffMJ.2014.Atiptopremedstudents:Don'tputallyoureggsinthesciencebeaker.UBCMedicalJournal5(2):167.Horkoffwalks
throughthemedicalschoolprocessfromundergraduatestudiestoapplicationandinterviewprocessandcompletingmedicalschool.He
alsobringsuppointsofhowunpreparedsomeMDdegreeholdersareforvariousaspectsofpostmedicalschoolpractice.
JonesMT,BarlowAEL,VillarejoM.2010.Importanceofundergraduateresearchforminoritypersistenceandachievementinbiology.Journal
ofHigherEducation81(1):82115.Presentedstatisticaldataofundergraduateresearchandlatersuccessinthescienceandmedicalfields
whilealsodiscussingminoritydiversificationissuesinnotonlythesciencefieldbutalsothemedicalfield.
MallonEJ.1974.Acareerinbiologywithoutaph.d.?TheAmericanBiologyTeacher36(2):826.Somebiologystudentsareunabletopursuean
educationabovethefouryearstandard.Careeropportunitiesareavailableinsuchfieldsasconservation,oceanographyandhealthscience
subfields.
PriviteraCA.1972.Premedparanoia:Itsjustification:Apartialremedy.Bioscience22(4):240.Priviterabuildsacaseofthedemandfor
medicalprofessionalsandwalksthroughthestatisticsofmedicalschoolacceptance.Presentsthereaderwithacaseofwastedtalentsin
asystemthatdemandsdoctorsbutisunabletoprovideresourcestoproducedoctors.
RichardsonT,MulvihillT,LatzA.2014.Boundanddetermined:Perceptionsofpremedseniorsregardingtheirpersistenceinpreparingfor
medicalschool.JournalofEthnographic&QualitativeResearch.8(4):222238.Richardson,MulvihillandLatzpresentaninvestigative
reportonlifeasaprospectivemedicalstudent.Outlinesresultsofinterviewsaswellanalyzingandinterpretingdatacollectedfrom
interviews.
WhatItsLikeToBeABiologyMajor[Internet]:VenturesScholarsc2006[cited2016September12th].Availablefrom:
http://www.venturescholar.org/hs/answers/schart1.html.Presentedasapersonalnarrative,TiffanyT.discussesherexpectationsof
pursuingabiologydegreeandtherealityofpursuingadegree.Shealsohighlightsherstrugglesoflearninghowtostudyeffectively.
AskAMajor:Biology[Internet]c2014[cited2016September12th].Availablefrom:http://emorywheel.com/askamajorbiology2/.This
delvesintooneEmoryUniversitystudentsexperienceinthebiologyfield.Informationispresentedasaquestionandanswerdiscussion.