February is officially here, and I am getting back into the rhythm of senior year after the crazy past few weeks of the DECA district competition, Research Showcase, and my weekend in Austin for Youth and Government State conference. This week, I focused my time on ISM final product brainstorming, projects in AP Art, and homework in my core classes. With the instrumental guidance of Dr. Gerlacher, I have locked down an idea for my final product that will incorporate both pediatrics and the business aspect of healthcare into one project. I worked on creating a product proposal for ISM that explains the purpose of my product and sets a timeline for the steps I need to take to make sure everything is completed and finalized by Final Presentation Night in May. We have our 20-minute ISM original work speeches coming up quickly in the next two weeks, which I need to begin preparing for! Public speaking is definitely a daunting task for me, but I know that my experiences in ISM practicing and honing in on interpersonal speaking skills through the various speech opportunities will benefit me immensely in college and beyond. This month is off to a productive start, and I am determined to make the most of it by devoting time to my classes, from Art Drawing to Physics 2, and to my ISM-related endeavors. Happy February!
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If the last few blog posts I've written made it seem like I had pushed ISM to the back of my mind, this week has reversed that idea completely. With my first ten-minute ISM research speech presented on Friday, this week had consisted of preparation, a few nervous breakdowns, and of course many holiday-themed Starbucks drinks. On Thursday of this week, I went on a research interview at a local Starbucks with Dr. Gary Gerlacher, a well-known pediatric urgent care business owner and former pediatrician. I was extremely excited going into this interview because Dr. Gerlacher was so different from any other professionals I had met with. He blends business and pediatrics into his own company, where he helps to open pediatric clinics across the nation that maximize profits and effectiveness. When I began speaking with Dr. Gerlacher about my desire to create an original work related to both pediatrics and business, he introduced me to PediaQ, an innovative company that uses a mobile app interface to create an on-demand service for pediatric urgent care. Dr. Gerlacher was gracious enough to introduce me through email to Mr. Jon O'Sullivan, the founder and CEO of PediaQ, to arrange a meeting and learn more about his company. My research interview with Dr. Gerlacher was an eye-opening experience, and I learned more about pediatrics in that hour of speaking to him than I had in weeks of online research. I presented my research speech on Friday to my ISM class just as I had practiced multiple times in front of my family the night before, and I felt relieved and proud as I finished my first-ever ISM speech. I know that the speeches in ISM from here on out will only be longer in length and more comprehensive in content, but I feel confident that I will be prepared and ready for the challenges when the time comes. |
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