People Pursuing the Powerful Potential of Polymers for Plastics

I spent the bulk of this week working in the lab on my project, which is starting to take shape. I learnt the protocol for making the scaffolds that are the focus of my project, and attempted a new variation in the methods to try and prevent the capture of air bubbles, which had been the primary issue blocking progress. Next week I will be able to section and stain samples from this scaffold to investigate if the changes worked.
In addition to working in the lab, I had the opportunity to observe Dr. Mark Schwartz perform surgery. In this surgery, Dr. Schwartz removed a breast implant from a woman who had a mastectomy 10 years earlier, but the implant had shifted and no longer was positioned correctly. Following removal, Dr. Schwartz implanted a temporary expander, which will allow his team to enlarge the fibrous capsule that had formed around the previous implant, and in several weeks they will be able to put in a new, permanent implant for the woman.
I also had the chance to observe a shift in the emergency department. During this shift, I was able to observe the process of how a patient is accepted to the ER and then either treated there or moved to another department of the hospital. I also learned about the way that doctors determine what tests and imaging needs to be ordered to diagnose the patient, and how they consider all the factors to best treat the patients. I also was able to see how technology, in particular for diagnostics, has improved in the ER and allows doctors to more efficiently use their time to treat patients. One of the issues that came up from the doctors while I was there is the difficulty in efficiently communicating between departments. Several patients, in particular the ER, need several departments involved in treatment. However, the primary form of communication is still Pagers, which are antiquated. At the same time, calling is inconvenient because the doctors need to be able to screen messages for importance. This is an interesting problem that seems like it could be solvable.
Finally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!