This past summer I participated in the New York Stem Cell Undergraduate research program (NY Stem) at Stony Brook University.  As a part of the program each student was assigned a different lab to work in, and I was thrilled when I found out that I would be working in Dr. Emily Chen’s laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology.
Dr. Chen’s lab focuses on the different aspects of breast cancer metastasis. The NY Stem program taught me to think like a scientist and understand the ethics and conduct behind research as well as master many different lab techniques.
Working in the lab really opened my eyes to the different opportunities that are available to us.  For myself, deciding a career path is a very difficult decision and before deciding a direct path, I wanted to ensure that I had explored all the options that pharmacy has to offer.
This summer was an unforgettable experience and I feel that it has really shaped my future, I could not have made it to this point without the help of the staff at the University of Rhode Island.  When I decided to explore the field of research and apply to several different summer programs, the professors that I spoke to were very encouraging and supportive.  I would like to thank them for their guidance because it opened my eyes to new career opportunities.
Jaclyn Cusumano PharmD, Class of 2015