Amy is a 3rd year doctoral student in the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences here at UTMB. Working with her mentors Drs. Al Snih and Kuo, Amy studies physical function and disability recovery after acute hospitalization among older Mexican American using the Hispanic-EPESE linked with Medicare claims files.
Looking to branch out and gain more experience in diverse fields, Amy signed up with a networking platform to find opportunities that would fit and enhance her skillset. She was connected with many different professionals who were looking for consultants in various fields. Amy says she messaged a lot of people before finding one or two good connections that could lead to professional relationships. Persistence is key!
After connecting with the founder of a new mental health app (the details of which are confidential during development), Amy was asked to come on board as a research consultant. She will be doing literature reviews to generate statistical graphics for this app and create reports for investors. Once the app is developed, she will do market research, develop user surveys, and run descriptive statistics on whether the app is helping its users with their mental health. She says this is a huge step forward in her path to independence and that she is excited to work with other datasets and organizations outside of the university. This is certainly a great way to enhance skills such as experience with biostatistics and data management.
Her advice to students seeking similar opportunities is simple: reach out and have confidence! Amy found this opportunity by watching YouTube videos and reading books on how to supplement her PhD studies. She says that having conversations with faculty members—especially those involved with Blackstone Launchpad—about her goals helped her to gain confidence that she could be independent and think creatively, as well as network effectively. She had the confidence to reach out for external membership and receive the title of “research consultant,” which will be very helpful for her future career. It is never too early to start making these connections.
Congratulations, Amy! Best of luck in your current and future career!