Science Communication Skill Development
As an honors student at IU Indianapolis, I have intentionally sought out experiences that have challenged me both academically and personally. Through these opportunities, I have developed transferable skills that will serve me well in my future career, particularly in communication. Many of these experiences have strengthened my ability to clearly and effectively explain scientific and healthcare-related concepts to a variety of audiences, preparing me for a career where strong science communication is essential.
Honors Contact in Cellular Biology
Completing an Honors Contract in Cellular Biology allowed me to have a deeper dive into the molecular and cellular components of Down syndrome. As someone who has done DS research since freshman year, it was a good combination of combining my coursework with the experiences that I was doing at IU Indy. In this contract, I wrote a paper over the cellular and molecular aspects of DS, while focusing on my peers as the audience. This paper allowed me to work on my skills as a researcher and a communicator by finding appropriate sources, determining what information was relevant and then condensing and communicating that information into something that could be understood by undergraduate students.
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BIOL-K101 Concepts of Biology 1 Recitation Leader
In my time as a K101 Recitation Leader, I led weekly classes of around 30 students and held office hours to explain and clarify some of the most challenging concepts in the course. This role required me to be intentional with my communication, but it also pushed me to be creative and adaptable in how I explained material. Because K101 has a high Drop/Fail/Withdraw rate, it was especially important to me to serve as an extra resource for students who were struggling.
For me, this meant explaining topics in different ways to see if an alternate approach would help the material click. If one explanation did not resonate, I would try another example or break the concept down further until it became clearer. Through this experience, I strengthened my ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in ways that are accessible and engaging. This skill will be essential in my future career, as not everyone will naturally be passionate about or fully engaged with scientific topics, and it will be my responsibility to make that information understandable and meaningful.
Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic Director of VIDA
As the Director of VIDA at the IU- SOC my main role has been to staff the front desk staff and train them on the appropriate protocols. One of those protocols is making sure that any new patients fill out the appropriate forms and documentation, so that we are able to input that into their medical records. Though one of the main roles of this are to ensure that there is an understanding of what these forms say to ensure 100% clarity for the patients. This is something that is very important to ensure that there in consent within the clinic and that each of the patients are aware. In my role I was able to ensure this by making sure that the patients understood what the forms were saying, but also by rephrasing any language that was unclear or uncommon.
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This allowed me to work on my communication in the healthcare setting by explaining terms in various ways to ensure that there was a mutual understanding.
Reflection
Each of these experiences has allowed me to further develop my communication skills, specifically in science communication. As a future doctor, this is especially important because I will be explaining complex scientific and medical concepts to patients and families who may not fully understand, or even be interested in, the details. It is essential to find different ways to explain information so that they feel informed, comfortable, and confident in their care.
Through these experiences, I have worked intentionally to strengthen this skill, learning how to adjust my explanations to meet people where they are. I will continue to build on this ability as I begin my medical career, knowing that clear, compassionate communication is just as important as clinical knowledge.
Nicole Gordon at the Indiana State Fair in 2024.