Being able to communicate my research is a crucial skill that allows my work to impact communities outside my own field. Having an understanding of the audience’s background and what they’re interested in helps you to tailor your message to them. The specific concept I’m talking about is fairly complicated, so I try to be broader in my language. Avoiding unnecessary jargon is a good way to make research more accessible, however, it can’t always be completely avoided. My research is focused on a subregion of the human temporal lobe called the paralaminar nucleus. As it is central to my work, it makes sense to give an in-depth explanation and then abbreviate it in further mentions. However, for a specific technique I only mention once, it makes more sense to simply provide a brief description and move on. This differs from a scientific paper where I would need to describe all techniques and methods used at a high level of detail to allow for replication. 

Along these lines, I also aim to include scientific context. The reader is likely not familiar with accepted precepts or ongoing debates within the field. It is helpful to briefly summarize related research that may have influenced my research and helps contextualize its significance. For example, if there is existing research that may present a different opinion than mine, I would explain their viewpoint and how I achieved my own.

A third strategy is to use pictures and diagrams to explain techniques. I frequently utilize the immunostaining process to reveal certain proteins in the cell. This technique uses primary antibodies, secondary antibodies, and fluorescent markers. Providing a visual representation of this technique explains the general idea without necessitating knowledge of immunochemistry. Likewise, when I’m including an image of immunostaining in a slice of the temporal lobe, it helps readers to identify the location of the picture by adding a map of the brain as a whole and highlighting the region of interest.

My ultimate career goal is to become a medical doctor. Translating research to patients is often crucial for explaining why a treatment or medicine is right for them. Informed consent is essential for modern medicine, and this requires patients’ full understanding of the reasoning and risks behind a medical decision. Another audience I may need to communicate with is health insurance companies. Their representatives are often the ones ultimately responsible for paying for many large procedures. Obtaining their pre-approval in a timely manner could have significant impacts on patients’ health and well-being. Additionally, I might serve as the medical or scientific expert for the development of a government policy or law. In this instance, not only is the specific mechanism of a medical practice important, but also its broader impact. I must be able to accurately explain why some intervention is worth the financial or regulatory costs and how this might impact broader populations. I hope that the communication skills I have developed over this fellowship will serve me well in my future endeavors.