Working as a junior resident, attending patients and OPDs, and studying in my spare time left me with an empty space in my life, and I wanted to fill it in with an internship in biomedical research. Owing to my 12-hour shifts, I knew I was biting off more than I could chew. I also knew that I could find success only if I stepped out of my comfort zone. I emailed my resume to twenty five scientists, expressing my interest and explaining my time constraints.
An opportunity
I received a reply from a scientist at Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research. She then interviewed me about what made me stand out, why I wanted to get into research, why I should be allowed to join a high-end research project when I was so low on time, and how I could be an asset to the scientists. The interview lasted for 45 minutes, during which I was confident, persuasive, and convincing. I was hired.
Meanwhile, my job became more uphill when I was posted elsewhere by the hospital, meaning more patients, more work, and more travel. My work in the lab comprised core molecular biology procedures such as DNA isolation and RNA isolation from blood samples of cardiac patients. I worked on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a technique to amplify the copies of a segment of DNA sequence, and RT-PCR procedures which included various assays like nitric acid and BCA. After performing the experiments, I recorded the results, analysed the data, and reported the observations to my supervisor. My responsibilities also included getting control samples, maintaining the quantitative and qualitative data generated from the research, ensuring the storage of the samples, and keeping the lab tidy and functional. I drew blood samples from volunteer patients and worked on them. I got splendid exposure to research work and the opportunity to meet incredible scientists. I explored new horizons of biology.
The work itself wasn’t gruelling, but working for about five hours every day on intensive procedures after an exhaustive OPD was tiring. The trouble of balancing the work was worth it — I was getting the best of both worlds, as a physician and a scientist.
Dr. Srishti Ahuja interned at Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, New Delhi, for five months.
Courtesy: Internshala
