Internship Spotlight: Kayla Slomeana ’26
Drexel University College of Medicine
"Becoming a research intern, especially through a medical school, has better prepared me for graduate school expectations and overcoming adversity when it comes to learning a new skill," says Kayla Slomeana '26 (neuroscience, Spanish & Portuguese studies), who completed a summer research internship at Drexel University College of Medicine. In addition to gaining exposure to different areas of neuroscience research, she also sharpened skills in public speaking and data presentation in a scientific setting.
Majors:
Neuroscience and Spanish & Portuguese studies.
Internship title/position:
Research Intern.
How I found this internship:
During my internship search in December 2023, I applied to many positions, through Handshake, at the NIH, NSF, etc. I also cold-emailed about 50 professors from local universities who are conducting research that's interesting to me. Dr. Garcia [at Drexel University College of Medicine] was one of the few professors who emailed me back and gave me an interview for the research internship in the neurobiology & anatomy biology department at Drexel University.
What it's like, day to day:
My research in the Garcia lab at Drexel University College of Medicine is focused on editing the 3-D electron microscopy images of astrocytes within the neuropils Drosophila hemibrain via Flywire. After editing the 3-D images, I characterize the morphology of the astrocytes for further analysis.
Why it's helpful:
Becoming a research intern, especially through a medical school, has better prepared me for graduate school expectations and overcoming adversity when it comes to learning a new skill. Overall, I've been exposed to multiple areas of neuroscience research and discovery that will serve me well in my future neuro courses at Dickinson and beyond. As an intern, I was also able to practice public speaking, presenting data and leading conversations in a scientific setting. This is my first internship. I hope to continue exploring new developments within neuroscience.
Advice for students considering an internship:
The best advice I can give is to take risks! If you are unsure of whether to email that professor for fear of rejection or no reply back, do it anyway. The worst they can do is say no. Be assertive, lay out all of your credentials and make sure you are really passionate about what you are applying for.
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published August 14, 2024