Summary
I just recently changed careers from biomedical research to front-end programming for web interfaces. I am working at Mindnest LLC where the opportunities are amazing. This site is a way for me to document my progress and accomplishments as I explore my new career. Check out my Portfolio for a visual snapshot or the Professional section for in-depth explanation of my projects. You can also find out about what goes on inside my head by reading through my Personal posts.
Transition from Medicine
I come from a well-educated family with strong ties to medicine. I followed the medicine track, but always made things difficult for myself by attempting the roads less travelled. My undergraduate is a Bachelor of Science in Biosystems Engineering (a BS degree in BS engineering) from the University of Arizona. I didn’t immediately get into medical school so I got a job in biomedical research. I pursued that for 3 years and I was fairly successful getting published twice (here and here). Though after a while I became disenfranchised with the biomedical community. The acceptance into medical school seemed arbitrary, though I also tended to sabotage my own applications by procrastinating and being overly selective. I also became frustrated with the traditional hierarchy ingrained in the system of research, where a fear of unproductive scientists forced funding agencies to make rules catering only to those who with the highest chance of creating significant research. However, these precautions also made it extremely difficult for people to get funding when they don’t have a record. This and the decreasing appropriations towards scientific endeavors from the US government. My passion for medical research and practice waned and I began to question my place.
Why Computer Programming
I had been skilled in programming classes I took during my undergraduate degree, though they were engineering specific and included nothing about abstract computer science. I enjoyed them but maintained a bias that computer programming was not something I could just jump into. As my displeasure with the medical field grew I was introduced to a very successful user experience designer and front-end programmer. He has since become my mentor and good friend. The ability as a programmer to implement your imagination is empowering. With a some creativity and motivation, one can improve the human condition to free up more time for the pleasures of life.