I enjoyed interviewing Rose Trujillo, Research Associate II with Kaiser Permanente and CSULB MSG alum. I first met Rose in September this year as a guest panel participant for Dr. Carpiac’s GERN 500 course. I was captivated by Rose’s experience with her thesis about adults aging with autism, which eventually led to her career in research.
In her current role, Rose conducts assessments with older adults who are experiencing memory issues to rule out whether the patient is struggling with dementia. Rose collaborates closely with nurses and physicians to ensure newly diagnosed patients receive specialty care for their dementia in a primary care setting.
A pivotal moment for Rose that helped her break into research was her thesis. She conducted a full-scale research project from start to finish. Rose had to navigate the IRB process, recruit participants, and collect and analyze data. This journey became the foundation of her research career. This “a-ha” moment gave me a lens to see the value of working on a thesis vs. a directed project for my future career goals.
I asked Rose about obstacles she’s faced in her career, and she shared that her age or being the youngest member of her research team has led to challenges. Patients assume that because of her young age, she is not qualified to conduct the assessments, and she needs more experience before she can say anything about their memory issues.
Colleagues also make assumptions about Rose based on her education. Rose shared that a lack of a Ph.D. has led her colleagues to question and/or diminish the knowledge she contributes to the work. However, Rose takes both obstacles in stride and pushes through these assumptions to show that neither her age nor her education will hold her back in her career. Rose happily shared that she is in the process of applying to a Ph.D. program.
The second focus of my interview with Rose was asking about valuable insights she gained as a graduate student. I learned from Rose that building connections with other cohort members is a crucial step for my journey in this program. I shared with Rose that I have been feeling isolated as a student.
Now, I see the urgency of turning to my current and future classmates to build those connections in addition to participating in graduate student center events and workshops. Rose also highlighted the value of building connections with the faculty. She encouraged me to use office hours as much as possible to have one-on-one time with professors outside the classroom.
Interviewing Rose was an invaluable experience that clarified my objectives as a student. Although the idea of pursuing a Ph.D. program in the future feels incredibly intimidating and triggers feelings of imposter syndrome, Rose helped me reframe my view that it’s an attainable goal for myself, too.
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