Formal Paper #1 - Leadership

Leadership

ISM 6th Period

Amita Raj

9/8/2010

            Eric Hoffer (a philosopher) once said, “The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist.” [1]

            It is important for one to know the limitations of the circumstances or situations. However, it is within these refines that success can thrive and flourish. The Independent Study Mentorship (ISM) course allows students to realize these limitations earlier in their lives. This is essential to having a productive future because changing one’s mind, especially during the final years of college, can be a reality shock.

            Leaders know exactly what they want, and they know the means they need to achieve their goals. This is especially important when interacting with a mentor. Mentors would have more confident in a protégé if the latter exhibited an understanding of material they learn in the field and are able to apply these facets of knowledge elsewhere. For example, a cardiologist would teach his or her student about the basic functioning of a heart during an arrhythmia. Although this may be theoretical at first, the student would be able to apply this information in such a way that if there were three clinical cases of different conditions, the student should (after being observing and monitoring the patient) be able to identify the patient with arrhythmia.

            This example highlights the fact that success and knowledge should be the top priorities to a leader, particularly in an environment in which the display of maturity and level-headedness is involved. As a human being, it is rewarding to teach someone specialized skills and have them be self-sufficient and independent with the new knowledge.

            Confidence is another fact that should be displayed by leaders, and subsequently ISM students. Being weak and vulnerable shows the mentor that the student is not comfortable with the circumstances. If this is a case that might happen again in the future, the mentor might feel that this field of study might not be the best choice for the student to carry out, and will see that his or her efforts were in vain. For example, if a student gets queasy around blood and panics at the sight of it, surgery might not be the best career path unless it is possible to overcome this fear and embrace the benefits that performing surgery has on the patient and on the surgeon.

            Showing leadership traits such as honesty, competency and intelligence [2] allows the leader to display the perfect ‘model example’ that others would strive to follow. “Simply possessing each trait is not enough; you have to display it in a way that people notice.” [2] Merely possessing these traits would not provide the mentor with much information about the student unless the characteristics were displayed efficiently in the work environment. In the classroom, the student who portrays this confidence and maturity will be valued among his or her peers. These qualities will inspire others to succeed in their own limitations and set idealistic but realistic goals for themselves.

            Although many think it may not seem important in high school, appearance is a key factor of judgment in the working world. Unbeknownst to many, we evaluate and judge people based on their first appearance. Although over time some of the initial assumptions we made may fade, there is always the inklings of the first introduction that sits in the back of our minds. Being groomed, well manicured and properly dressed, not only when first interacting with the mentor, is essential even in future meetings. Speaking articulately and clearly with the mentor, his or her peers in the establishment, and in the classroom allows everyone to see that the student is prospering in his or her learning environment and reaping the benefits that ISM has to provide. Showing all of these characteristics allows the mentor, the teacher and the student to see that they can handle responsibility and respect efficiently and maturely. It is important to be thought of as a valuable asset and/or peer than a child and a burden.

ISM challenges students and prepares them for decisions they may have to make towards colleges and careers. Through extensive research and writing assignments, the student is able to prepare themselves for the world outside high school—a world that is very complicated.

Bibliography:

"Definition of a Leader." Virtual Teacher Aide. Web. 05 Sept. 2010.

<http://www.vtaide.com/gleanings/leader.htm>.

Shead, Mark. "Leadership Traits: The Five Most Important Leadership Qualities." Web log post. Leadership501:Examining the Gears of Leadership. Web. 05 Sept. 2010.

<http://www.leadership501.com/five-most-important-leadership-traits/27/>.

Activity Log Sheet #11

Journal Entry #12

Amita Raj

Abney

6^th Period

Journal Entry #12: Thursday, November 12^th and Tuesday, November 15^th, 2010

                I spent both Monday and Tuesday with my mentor at her clinic and saw four patients. In all cases, the patients were severely obese and this made their kidney function worse. One particularly interesting case I saw was a woman in her late seventies who exhibited less than 15% kidney function. Since she was diabetic, this meant that she would need to be put on dialysis soon. I was surprised to hear that she did not want to be hooked up to the machine that could potentially prolong her life. She told me that her sister had been using a dialysis machine and she did not want to experience the same hardships that she went through. She wanted to reach the end of her life naturally without having a machine supporting her. The doctor respected this decision and told her she would conservatively treat the symptoms and do the best she can to make the patient feel comfortable.

                I also discussed my final presentation with my mentor, and she offered to help me whenever I needed it. I also inquired about surgeons she knew who might be willing to mentor me for next semester. Last Tuesday was the last day I would be able to work with my mentor since she is going on vacation for the rest of the week. It has been a truly inspirational experience working with her. She has given me a lot of insight into her career and I hope I can be as successful as she is once I become an established physician.

Activity Log Sheet #10

Journal Entry #11

Amita Raj

Abney

6^th Period

Journal Entry #11: Monday, November 8^th and Tuesday, November 9^th, 2010

                I spent both Monday and Tuesday with my mentor at her clinic. I saw four patients and only one of them had received good news for the future. This was unorthodox. Normally, my mentor tells her patients that their conditions can never improve but can only be sustained, or have the deterioration period elongated and/or avoided. After reviewing the lab results, the doctor concluded that when the bloodwork was taken, the patient must not have been hydrated enough, therefore displaying high creatinine levels. The primary care physician saw this and immediately referred the patient to a sub-specialist (my mentor). I asked the doctor if this was a normal practice because if creatinine levels were only slightly higher (0.2 more for this patient) than normal, it would only make sense to do the bloodwork again. This led to a lengthy discussion about the health care system, the government, and the future of doctors and their salaries. Although the medicine field may be headed in the negative direction, I am not discouraged and I feel like I can still have the satisfaction of helping take care of others.

Annotated Bibliography #3

Amita Raj

Abney

6^th Period

November 4^th, 2010

Annotated Bibliography #3

Brody, Jane E. "What to Do Now to Feel Better at 100." New York Times. 25 Oct. 2010. Web. 04 Nov. 2010.

                This article is mainly about how well the body functions after aging. It centers on the idea that the secret to combat aging is to slow down the loss of physiological reserve. One of the scarier complications that accompany aging is that we may lose up to 90% of kidney function and not even realize it. The life expectancy of the country has been increasing, and many elderly people are living past their 100s. The main point Brody is trying to make is that this deterioration of body function occurs way before people reach the age of 60. It is essential that people make exercise programs part of their daily routines. For example, if you have a sedentary lifestyle in your mid 40s then it is more likely you will develop immobility as you age.

                I was interested by this article because one of the patient’s Dr. Venkatesh saw was 103 years old! I was amazed that someone could live for so long despite many complications related to body functions. My mentor described to me how the patient’s kidney diseases were accompanied by other illnesses like diabetes and various physical issues dealing with the bones and muscles. The doctor told me how even though some of the illnesses may not have been avoidable, there may have been a chance to reduce the intensity of symptoms if some precautionary methods were taking during the patient’s mid-life. Examples of these methods include daily walking routines, consuming a healthy diet, and participating in activities that improve physical, social, and emotional well-being. It made me realize how difficult it is for elderly people to maintain their lifestyle without the help of family members and friends. Taking care of your body may sound like a burden in the present, but even the slightest commitment can go miles in the long run.

Activity Log Sheet #9

Journal Entry #10

Amita Raj

Abney

6^th Period

Journal Entry #10: Tuesday, November 2^nd 2010

                I spent Tuesday at my mentor’s clinic. I was able to learn about the cases of three patients, two of whom I had personally met. I learned a great deal about Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and my mentor taught me about other bacterial infections and diseases that accompany low kidney function. The doctor told me about various strains of bacteria which can be acquired in the hospital environment and how some patients can be severely affected by acquiring the bacteria. One woman was in a great deal of pain from UTI because it caused her to have back pain and swelling. It was encouraging to see that the patients my mentor saw today have a stable kidney condition since they were following all the doctor’s instructions and gave her good descriptions of their progress.

                I was unable to meet my mentor again since she was not on call and did not have to go to the hospital or the clinic.