Week of 8/28-9/1

After my first week in the Independent Study and Mentorship program, I have already expanded my knowledge in not only the pediatric oncology field, but I have also improved upon my public speaking and professional communication skills. Public speaking has always been a challenge for me although, I was successful in giving my first speech presentation to the class. I spoke confidently and clearly while projecting my voice throughout the room. The experience that I have gained with this first speech, has built my confidence and has given me an idea of both my strengths and weaknesses in public speaking. On the next speech I give, I will focus on trying to slow down the pace of my speaking and make more eye contact with the audience. Last week I also learned about the importance of networking in the professional world, which led me to set up a linkedin account and establish my first few connections. I will continue to use the social networking site to connect with other professionals as I begin to search for a mentor for this year. Next week, I will begin to prepare for the interview process by preparing interview questions and contacting professionals who I hope to conduct informational interviews with. Overall the past week has been very productive, although it is just the beginning of an exciting year in the ISM program.