University of Washington
Interdisciplinary & Departmental Honors Programs
Freshman Year
2018-2019
fall quarter
COURSE OVERVIEW
reflecting on my first quarter
Arriving on campus as a first-year student, I knew very little about what to expect, but I recognized that I was coming to the University of Washington because I was excited about learning and growing as a person. I envisioned my education as late nights pouring over textbooks. While this is an important component of my college learning, it is not the only one. The way I expect to learn morphed throughout the quarter to be a balance of book learning and experience learning. Here I learn not only from books but from meeting people in my dorm with different backgrounds than my own, from public lectures on topics that fascinate me, from club meetings, from exploring Seattle and the surrounding nature, and from interacting with my professors.
Along with a more well-rounded way of learning, I was surprised by my ability to shift my perspective on grades. In high school, grades were a priority right alongside learning. In my mind, they were so closely related that they became inseparable. Because I started my college experience in several introductory classes graded on bell curves, I had to realize that what I am taking away from classes is more important than my percentile.
As I wrap up fall quarter and embark on the rest of my first-year journey, I want to create a balance between my classes and extracurriculars. Taking 18 credits this quarter did not allow me to get involved with other activities as much as I would like. I see extracurricular involvement as an essential part of my growth, so I want to make more time for them in my schedule. To take steps towards this goal, I will take fewer credits next quarter and look for ways to get involved in research, volunteering, and student organizations that interest me. This will support my aspirations to explore my passions and broaden my horizons.
winter quarter
COURSE OVERVIEW
balancing work and school
During my first quarter at the Univesity of Washington, I sought a position related to clinical care to gain perspective on how patients and providers interact with healthcare systems. As an engineering student eager to improve human health, I wanted to understand barriers to care first hand.
In January 2019, I started my job as an assistant in the Transplant Department at the University of Washington Medical Center. At first, working part-time felt overwhelming. I suddenly needed to manage my time more effectively than ever before. I covered scheduled shifts at the hospital, but the nature of my position meant that if there were urgent needs, I needed to stay late until I completed all emergent tasks. This quickly taught me how to prioritize.
Along with increasing my time management skills, my first several months at the transplant center were an exciting time of self-discovery. I realized how much I loved collaborating with a team—medical assistants, laboratory technicians, nurse coordinators, schedulers, physicians, and even surgeons. Moreover, I gained a newfound appreciation for how difficult it can be to coordinate patient care. Ultimately, my experiences leave me excited to be working in such a meaningful role and fuel my desire to serve patients... maybe even as a physician.
spring quarter
COURSE OVERVIEW
getting in to my major
The University of Washington College of Engineering implemented a new admissions system in 2018 called the Direct to College, or DTC, system. In this system, students were admitted to the College of Engineering when they applied to the university. DTC admittance guaranteed them placement into one of the engineering majors at the University of Washington—ranging from aerospace engineering to industrial engineering to bioengineering. The new system was established to help students feel at ease that they would be able to get an engineering degree, but it was a source of anxiety for me. No one knew how the major placement process would work because I was in the first DTC class, and bioengineering, my major of interest, was expected to be highly competitive.
My drive to get into the bioengineering program motivated me to spend hours writing, reading, and editing my admissions materials. I wanted to get into the bioengineering major because I was confident that the program's combination of technical engineering training and biological applications would best support my interests in medicine and biotechnology.
I received my acceptance to the bioengineering major in summer 2019, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. With the skills I learn in this program, I am confident that I will be prepared to contribute to meaningful healthcare innovations.
