It’s crazy to see how fast time has past by. I can’t believe that we’re about to enter into our final week of the internship and present our proposals to the Design Studio Managers and at the Engineering Showcase. Our team has worked so hard on our design ideas for the intubation box and contactless temperature monitor which I hope will be put to good use. (NO SPOILERS! WAIT FOR WEEK 6!)
Our week started off with a workshop on the, “Power of Imagination,” by Malawian entrepreneur Hastings Golosi. He shared with us the story of how he started his own computer repair company, film company, and even a program to mentor youth towards the path of entrepreneurship. While I was really impressed with his resume and professional journey, what stuck with me the most through his workshop was actively working towards our dreams and not waiting for the “perfect opportunity” or “whenever I feel ready.” As students who are constantly learning, I think we really underestimate our abilities and what we can accomplish. But, after Hastings’ workshop, I feel inspired to better myself and work towards my goals one step at a time. Change happens gradually through persistence, not simultaneously.
Another workshop that we had, “Engineering a New World,” by Ms. Faith Mzandu, Co-Founder of WomEng Malawi, touched upon the difficulties of being a women in STEM. As a male body who cannot understand the depth of her lived experiences, it was really eye-opening to learn about the unique challenges that women face in engineering and, in general, life. I hope that I can take this information to use my privilege and advocate on behalf of women (if they allow me and want me to!). Moving forward, I will try my best to be open-minded and reflect upon how my behaviors may unintentionally come off as micro-aggressions or disheartening to my female counterparts on a team. I hope through honest conversations and listening, I am able to serve as a better ally, leader, and teammate.
Our last workshop of the week was on Career Paths! The main take-away that I received was that I can do a similar set of tasks/responsibilities across a variety of fields/disciplines. In my case, I started to think about type of physician I wanted to be: academic? research? primary care? engineer? entrepreneur? While I’m not sure at the moment, I hope that after medical school, I will have a better understanding of what I want to accomplish in my career and in life.
Best,
Austin