Hello everyone! My name is Taylor, I currently work as a certified pharmacy technician and through my experience have become very interested in the medical field. More specifically medications and how they effect the body. This is why I have chosen to study biomedical science here at ODU. This portfolio will show you my academic achievements, projects, and experiences. Thank you for visiting!

Writing Assignment #1

Ever since I was young I had always been drawn to science and mathematics. Our
everyday lives are affected by these subjects and it is very useful to have a good understanding
of them. Learning how the world works from a biological perspective has always peaked my
interest. This passion has shaped my academic pursuits, extracurriculars, and personal growth.
Throughout high school I had taken many science classes, for example, AP biology,
sociology, psychology, chemistry, and anatomy. In my senior year, my biology class had the
chance to dissect fetal pigs. This experience helped me learn that I could not be a surgeon and
that I should choose a more lab based degree. During my first years of college I continued with
my scientific and mathematical classes by taking things like precalculus and developmental
psychology. During my time at Tidewater Community College, I had the opportunity to dissect
cow eyes and goat brain. I have always been fascinated with hands-on lab experiments which
further backs my interest in working in a lab based career.
Beyond the classroom, I played volleyball for ten years of my life. I played on all types
of teams; recreational, school, travel, and beach. Through volleyball I was able to develop
essential skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership. Communication is one of the
best skills to have as it’s extremely essential when progressing further in life. As humans we
have to be able to understand one another and the only way to do that is to talk to each other. My
teamwork and leadership skills have improved dramatically due to volleyball. I was always a shy
kid and this sport helped spark something in me and even helped push me towards my academic
pathway. Volleyball was able to give me a better understanding of mathematics as there are
many angles involved. It also helped me understand the human body because someone was
always injured.
My current career is a certified senior pharmacy technician, which I feel says a lot about
my interests. I am particularly drawn to this career as it involves mathematics and science. All
day while typing prescriptions, I must do dosage calculations, day supplies, date checks for
controlled substances and so much more. I am also constantly looking at medications and
learning what interacts with them and how the medication works. This job has also prepared me
for a fast paced, patient focused environment, and has given me a better mindset. I am now more
attentive to each patient and have much more empathy the longer I work in the field. This job has
also taught me many deescalating tactics and how to communicate with an irate patient.
As I look to the future I hope to find the perfect career that I can help make a change in.
My goal is to continue going towards the medical field, but more towards the behind the scenes
stuff. I look forward to advancing my education at Old Dominion University and can’t wait to
see what the future holds.

Writing Assignment #2

A primary article is a report that contains the original research done on an experiment. It
is written by the original researchers that conducted the study and is a meticulously detailed play
book of the research. It contains the result of the experiment, discussions, and most importantly
the conclusion that ties it all together and makes it ready to be reviewed.
A review article is the secondary literature that typically shows the concepts in a broader
spectrum. It is based on primary research and contains no new data. Therefore it’s used for
analyzing research rather than finding anything new. A few examples of review articles include
textbooks and encyclopedias.
Before being published, the article must go through a peer review process. This is a
quality test done to ensure that everything in the article is said and done correctly. First, the
article is sent to the editor. The editor reads the article and decides if it gets sent off to the
experts. The experts are typically other scientists who work in the same field that the article is
based on. In some cases this can include the author’s own coworkers. After the experts finish
their peer review, the article is sent back to the editor. The editor has the final say on whether
the article is published or not. Once the article is approved, it is mailed away to subscribers. The
process is testing the article for originality, methodology, results, conclusions, and clarity.

Writing Assignment #3

Lin, WX . et al. MOLECULAR diagnosis of pediatric patients with citrin deficiency in China:
SLC25A13 mutation spectrum and the geographic distribution. Sci Rep 6, 29732;
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29732 (2016).

Why this is a primary article
● In the abstract of the article the author is presenting their research
● List of every patients gender and spectrum of the SLC25A13 mutation/variation
● Contemporary account of the data and data analysis
● Commonly throughout the article the author is explaining parts of the experiment in first
person
● There is a detailed method section
● Includes a result page

DNA Replication