Elisha Fredman: Dealing With Data BACK

Published by AFAR

This is Elisha Fredman's second entry. Read her first MSTAR Diary to learn how she began her MSTAR experience.
Viewing some of my tissue samples under fluorescent light, it looks like there may be a detectable difference between my experimental and control groups, which is rewarding to see. It is especially exciting because, as this is a bench research project and not a clinical study, just treating the samples and then preparing them to be viewed has taken a number of weeks. After all of that work, it feels good to have a positive outcome. At the same time, however, whenever we try and prove something in science, it most often requires multiple avenues through which to confirm that the results are accurate and precise. As such, I know that I am still a few steps away from making any real conclusions.

I shared my findings with the head of the lab, who liked what he saw and asked me to present to the lab at the weekly meeting, so I had my first opportunity to put a slide show together of my work thus far and present it to the group of experienced researchers. It was beneficial to hear their impressions and suggestions on what I have done and what I can do to move forward, which I know will help shape my next steps. In addition to this lab meeting presentation, the medical resident who had begun the project some months ago was asked to present at the department-wide research meeting, at which he also used my slide show and mentioned my contribution to the study. This was also exciting as it gave me some recognition in the department as a whole. In these times of limited residency spots and competitive matches, it is beneficial to receive that recognition and to have the opportunity to meet other senior members of the department.

I don’t want to give the false perception that everything always works out nicely and results are always as expected and satisfying. Some of my data has returned quite peculiar, and as I move on, I will have to give attention to that in addition to the positive results. It is tempting to brush aside conflicting results when positive ones are also present, but this is where one of the core aspects of good scientific research comes in. To be a good and successful researcher, one must carry a sincere and unfaltering sense of honesty. To me, making sure that this attitude remains pure is largely dependent on not losing sight of the reason for which one entered the arena of research, namely true discovery, and not be blinded by alternative motives.
Elisha Fredman

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
 

"Diary of an MSTAR Student" follows scholars in the 2011 Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program, highlighting their summer experiences. As they continue their path of research, training and clinical practice, read their daily thoughts at www.afar.org/mstarblog. New diary entries are posted every day, so check back soon.