Cold Calls

9/17/18

This week in ISM was, to say the least, utterly nerve racking. By the end of this week, the students were required to have at least 2 interviews scheduled, have a rough draft of our resume AND complete another research assessment. The later two on the list were not the issue, because those could be finished along my terms, however, scheduling the interviews is dependent on if professionals who have their own priorities, and decide they will make time for you and your high school project.

To all the people I reached out to and had responded back to me, I am so thankful. Even to those who did not, because I know how busy doctors can be and how quick the hospital can go from no sound to everyone running around like a maniac. When I volunteered at Medical City Plano, almost every day there were moments where there seemed like nothing was happening and in a split second everyone was doing everything.

All that being said, I would be lying if I told you I was not a little frustrated after making the 6th phone call and being left to a voice recording asking me to leave a message. Every time I picked up the phone or was about to hit send for an email my heart would be pumping out of my chest. Only to receive no response. Even with my luck, there were 3 people who did contact me back! Of the 3, 2 of them were willing to do an interview with me. I am very thankful to everyone I reached out to and respect all their work. And I am overjoyed to have scheduled interviews with 2 wonderful doctors, who I have a feeling will be so generous with their knowledge, so I can better understand the position of a neurologist and the current state of research in this field.