Jada N. Haney (2021)

I’ve known that I wanted to be in the medical field since a young age.  I didn’t realize what kind until a few years later when my mother had my little brother.  Since that day I have known that I wanted to an Obstetrician Gynecologist.  Since then, I have been trying to get as much training as I could in as many areas as I can.  The biggest step I ever took was attending an HBCU.

I started attending Claflin University fall of 2020 as a biology major.  Through the course of my freshman year, I realized that I would have to participate in an internship to not only graduate but to get into medical school.  I started applying to internships and was accepted into the M.E.S Internship Program.  I went into this program knowing my goals and having no research experience.  Luckily, that did not matter.  I was still accepted with open arms and placed at the Savannah State University Laboratory under Dr. Kenneth Sajwan, to assess the water entering, as well as exiting, the Savannah River.

It was here that I learned multiple skills both inside and outside the lab.  I learned how to work with individuals that have different backgrounds and aspirations than me.  I also learned how to connect and network with people outside of my field.  I was also taught many lab skills I had not gotten the opportunity to practice in school.  My mentor taught my peers and I how to properly conduct and present our research.  We learned how to use a multitude of tools that will certainly help me going forward into my career.

Through this program, I was able to build relationships with new people, acquire new skills, and gain a better understanding of what I need to do going forward.  I am grateful for the opportunities that Pre-College University has given me and I look forward to the future opportunities that will come my way.