Edwin Pulido’s Summer Internship at University of Rochester, NY

Edwin Perez Pulido is a Junior at UC San Diego majoring in Biology who transferred from Hartnell last spring. Thanks to the continuous support and mentorship of the Hartnell Internship Program, he was able to participate in the MSTP 2024 Summer Scholars at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, in Rochester, New York. This program is designed for students interested in pursuing MD and PhD degrees in the Biological or Biomedical Sciences. During Pulido’s 10-week stay in Rochester, he worked in the Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab, which focuses on neurological disorders. His project in the lab was related to the neuropathology of photophobia in cystinosis, a rare lysosomal storage disorder. As part of Pulido’s lab work, he attended professional development seminars and presented a research poster. Additionally, Edwin had the opportunity to shadow a neurosurgeon, in both the clinic and the Operating Room, who focuses on pituitary tumors. 

Being really far from home, with new faces, and in a challenging research environment made this experience a huge challenge for Edwin. As time progressed, he got more comfortable with his work and met incredible people. Surrounded by mentors who were passionate about their work, he gained valuable insights into how scientific discovery could directly improve patient care. By navigating a rigorous research project while adapting to life in a new city, Edwin learned to think critically, communicate effectively, and view challenges as opportunities for growth. This internship gave Pulido not only technical skills but also the confidence and perspective to approach future challenges with a broader mindset. 

Thanks to this summer program, he learned how to adapt to new environments and made his transition from Hartnell to a 4-year university much smoother. Lastly, Edwin developed many research and personal skills that helped him to get hired as a Lab Assistant at Scripps Research, in San Diego. This summer turned out to be one of the best ones of my life, where he made awesome friends, had the opportunity to explore upstate New York and learned the importance of resilience, all this while making small contributions in the biomedical field.