A Starting Point
It’s the middle of my first semester at uni and I’ve just had an employability week at uni and it’s got me thinking about a few things. Most graduates probably know about using an online blog to develop their writing skills for various topics like science and how it can even build an online identity acting as an online CV of sorts.
So first things first my degree subject is neuroscience and I think I also have a unique perspective on things; being a mature student with my background as an army medic. This has already influenced me into making a few decisions about my post graduate direction.
Neural Prosthetics
I wish to work in the burgeoning field of neural prosthetics, while neuroscience itself is undergoing a lot of growth this sub-field is pretty damn cool – I’m thinking full body prosthesis a la Ghost in the Shell’s anime cyborgs. I have already been told about an opportunity to assist an expert in this field arriving in the new year who has come from MIT, so I’m gonna be in there like swim wear.
I have already began to produce some coursework including an academic poster which I think will be perfect to use here and the working title is ‘Intracellular Recording and the Giant Squid Axon’. I would have written about the Hodgkin-Huxley model but I don’t think that it would be appropriate on my course at this point.
Volunteering
I’ve applied to a couple of organisations to get some experience in relevant areas too. Headway are a neuro trauma and rehabilitation charity, since I have a thing for trauma and they have worked with veterans I thought this would be good match. The other charity I hope to get involved with are Blesma (British Limbless Ex-Serviceman Association) since this will be of the same avenue with more veterans and I might get to talk to them about their experiences with prosthetics.
Army
I have decided that joining the University Officer Training Corps (UOTC) may be a good idea as it will streamline the process of joining the army reserve (they seem to be really slow but I can then get my ex-regular bounty – helping with rent!) to maintain my fading clinical skills as well as gain a nice leadership and management certificate. The field hospital unit I spoke with said they may be able to get me some placements and I may even ask to shadow a doctor in relevant areas. I was told not to hold out for Headley Court but with a bit of persistence and networking I will have my way.
Headley Court is the Armed Forces rehab center, if you follow the media then you might have heard about a soldier who lost his arm and was the first person in the UK given a neural prosthetic. He was sent to Otto Bock (who I will write about later) in Vienna and his prosthetic is interfaced with and controlled by his brain!
…So if you think you might be interested in what I have to write about please watch this space…
Disclaimer
This blog is for CV purposes and claims no credit for any images posted unless otherwise stated. If an image appearing on this blog belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed or properly cited and referenced.