Intro to Careers Seminar 4
Dr. Racheal Ward
Dr. Jennifer Svanh
Dr. Dela Taghipour
The first guest speaker, Rachel Ward, is a radiation therapist that specializes in skin cancer dermatology and treating non-melanoma skin cancer. She began by talking about the work life balance as a radiation therapist and the subspecialties available. She then discussed the challenges of pursuing this career and the prerequisite courses that are necessary. She elaborated on her advice of doing your research beforehand on the career that you prefer. This was followed by talking about the bright and rewarding aspects of this job as opposed to the less pleasant ones. Skills and attributes needed to succeed in this field were mentioned such as empathy and making others comfortable. She explained the equipment involved in her job, the educational journey required, and her guidance to students. To conclude, Rachel emphasized the importance of sunscreen in reducing the risk of skin cancer and touched on the shadowing opportunities she has.
The third and final speaker was Dr. Dela Taghipour, a lymphatic medicine fellow. She began by outlining her non traditional path to medicine as a student who previously believed they wanted to pursue law, and then overcoming the many hurdles she encountered in the process. She continued on to her experience with the pandemic and its influence on her journey. She explained how she finalized which path to take and whether she would change anything looking back at her journey. Dr. Taghipour discussed how her sense of belonging motivated her journey and the value of this experience in her career. She touched on some of her future plans as well as advice for highschool students deciding whether to pursue medicine. She stated important attributes needed to succeed in this career and the continuity of care that exists. Finally, she emphasized disparities in medicine as a pressing health issue, followed by some mentorship opportunities she offers.
The second speaker was Dr. Jennifer Svahn, an associate professor of surgery and director of vein surgery who is also board certified in general and vascular surgery. She began by explaining her background and timeline of education. She then clarified the difference between cardiovascular surgery and peripheral vascular surgery. Dr. Svahn mentioned her regret of not getting a dual degree but also the advantage of having a long fulfilling career. She stated some essential highschool and college courses as well as what highschool students can do to gain experience. She moved on to the topic of gender bias in medicine and advice for women pursuing medical careers. She explained how she realized her passion for medicine, the research she has conducted, and taking a year off of her studies. Lastly, Dr. Svahn stated a few tips for applying to medical school.