In my last year of high school I decided it would be valid to take the Independent Study

Mentorship course in order to explore the career I would eventually like to pursue. In the future,
I aspire to become an anesthesiologist, so for my mentorship I will be shadowing an
anesthesiologist, Dr. Wilkes, at John Sealy UTMB and the UTMB Pain Clinic. After seeing many
procedures and the routes of handling pain management, I wanted to learn the different airways
used during a surgical procedure.
For my project this semester, I plan to research and observe the different airways
that can be used on an individual, and why you would use one airway over another. During this
semester I plan to learn how different patients would need to use a type of airway during their
surgery and see which airway is the most common and why. I also plan to research why the size
of each tube is important and the consequences if the wrong tube or wrong sized tube is used and
the statistical data as to why a doctor would resort to use that tube more frequently.
For my final presentation, I plan to use models of each tube and describe the side effects
and use for each tube to intubate a patient during surgery. After completing my research, I will
discuss with my mentor and her colleagues their personal preferences and as to why they thinks
the data I have collected is correct and if they personally agree with it. I want to know which
tube they believe is most beneficial and effectiveness of the tubes less commonly used. From the
information given from anesthesiologists, I plan to get a better understanding on their personal
views.
During my final presentation, I plan to bring tangible intubation tubes that I would make
based on my research and observations in the hospital and pain clinic. I will explain each part of
the airway and describe its function and purpose and how it helps the patient. The purpose of the

tangible breathing tubes is for people to gain a better understanding on how the tubes work and
why the size of them matters.
My absolute goal is for everyone to be more knowledgable going into surgery, receiving
anesthesia, and having an intubation airway. No one should go into a surgery unprepared, and by
having the knowledge and understanding that you will be able to breath during surgery with the
help of an airway.