Aashka Joshi ‘16
Why did you choose to come to UMR? I chose UMR for its pristine location within the heart of Rochester and its integration with the health care community, such as Mayo Clinic. There are countless opportunities UMR provides as a university tailored for health sciences. In addition, UMR offers smaller class sizes, hands-on learning and more direct contact with the professors which was important to me after having 1000+ people in my high school graduating class. UMR provided me with invaluable opportunities (research, direct patient care experience, shadowing some of the best doctors in the country, creating a community for myself with other scientifically driven people, etc.) that I would not have been able to do easily if I had chosen another university.
What did your Capstone experience at UMR involve? At its core, my Capstone experience was an intersection of three pillars that were the most important to me: research, direct patient care and continuous education, and how those are integral to the advancement of science and making an impact in the community. I was completing a clinical research internship with a pharmaceutical company (which was the doorstep to me entering the clinical research industry in the future), volunteering as a dental assistant at the Good Samaritan Dental Clinic and learning and doing research with the amazing, knowledgeable professors at UMR.
How did your Capstone experience prepare you for your future in what you’re currently doing? The Capstone opportunity at UMR is unique. It enables you to take all of your experiences, introspect and truly understand the impact that each of these experiences had on yourself individually and collectively in the community. Taking a moment to reflect on day-to-day activities and downstream impacts each and every action has is something that I better improved during Capstone and implement on a daily basis. The Capstone experience continues to instill the dedication that I have toward science and continues to emphasize that hard work and commitment to research and science can be fruitful. In addition, the rigorous curriculum at UMR emphasized and contributed to the development of my scientific knowledge that are skills that I use every day.
What are you currently doing? I am Senior Clinical Trial Manager for a Pharmaceutical Company called Alector in San Francisco where I lead a team for execution of clinical trials in the immuno-neurology and immuno-oncology space. Day in and day out through clinical research, I am able to work with well-renowned doctors and professionals to bring potential treatment options to the market, especially for patients with significant unmet needs.
Was there a faculty member that positively impacted your time at UMR and how? I enjoyed my time learning from all of the professors at UMR, it would be hard to choose just one person! Professor Bright, Dr. Dunbar (my Capstone mentor) and Dr. Barnett were among the many professors that contributed to cultivating an inviting and enjoyable learning experience for me.