Weekly Progress Report #1

Sep 15th - Sep 21st

Sun, Sep 15
● Sunday was mostly based around studying for classes and finishing uncompleted
homework. I focused on the ACT on Saturday, so I used Sunday effectively. After completing
all academic assignments, I added last-minute touches to the contact list and the rough draft
of my resume.

Mon, Sep 16
● Before school, I turned in my contact list and resume through google classroom. I went to
my scheduled classes that day and completed any classwork that was assigned. After school,
I began to search for potential research assessment articles.

Tus, Sep 17
● During ISM, I brought my resume to class to be graded. After spending a good amount of
time on peer-review, we practiced networking. We used the questions we created for
Business Symposium in order to“act out” a conversation between professionals. We
participated as both the professional and interviewee. Once we were done with networking,
we peer-reviewed each other’s potential questions.

Wed, Sep 18
● After completing my homework, I looked over my resume and potential questions. I found
what mistakes needed to be corrected and made adjustments.

Thu, Sep 19
● I bought my new resume to class and turned it in accordingly. After that, we practiced
making phone calls. We first held a “simulation” where the class could witness a
conversation between two people. Afterward, we practiced in small groups making phone
calls. I learned essential knowledge when making phone calls:
○ For the medical field, be sure to contact the Office Manager or Nurse Practitioner.
Ask for a brief conversation with them, learning more about working in the medical
field, and ask to speak with their coworkers
○ When leaving a voicemail, be sure to call back in the next two days and an email two
days after
○ When scheduling an interview, be sure to have a calendar ready and ask for details
again before ending the call
○ When bringing up potential interview dates, give options rather than “yes or no”
questions since they are more likely to respond

Fri, Sep 20
● After school, I found practicing OB/GYNs on LinkedIn. I looked over their bios and
accomplishments so that I may properly introduce myself to them. Afterward, I looked over
and edited my phone call scripts to have an overview of what to say when calling
Sat, Sep 21
● After I volunteered at a local animal shelter, I returned to look over my resume, making
last-minute adjustments. I also reviewed my questions to make sure everything was perfect
and ready for Business Symposium

Reflections
● This was decent with improvements in my knowledge on professional skills. This was
mostly contributed by Thursday and practicing making phone calls in ISM. However, I need
to pick up the pace. Business Symposium is not far off, and I need to start networking even
further. Yes, I have multiple responsibilities and college applications, but I cannot lose track
of the tasks that need to be completed for ISM. I hope to accomplish all my goals for next
week and be over-prepared for Business Symposium

Goals
● Find a video or article for third research assessment
● Continue networking in LinkedIn
● Prepare for Business Symposium by reviewing questions
● Practice making phone calls for next week
 Weekly Progress Report #2
Sep 29th - Oct 5th

Sun, Sep 29
● This Sunday was mostly dedicated to finishing assignments for classes. Any spare time was
reserved for college applications. After all my assignments, I looked over my plans for the
week. I paid close attention to Business Symposium, and properly arranged any events
around it

Mon, Sep 30
● In the morning, I made a few calls to clinics. I have not confirmed an interview yet, but I
have been able to connect with a few professionals on LinkedIn. I continue to do research on
different OB/GYNs in the Dallas area and grow my contact list

Tus, Oct 01
● During ISM, the class was geared towards preparing for Business Symposium. We practiced
as interviewers and interviewees, switching roles to better understand the interview
processes. Regarding my performance, my interviewing skills have definitely improved. I
am able to keep eye-contact and respond to expected questions in a conversational tone.
There are a few things I need to correct, such as limiting my use of filler words, but overall, I
felt prepared for Business Symposium. All that was left was printing new copies of my
resume and preparing my business portfolio for tomorrow

Wed, Oct 02
● After all the practice and training, Business Symposium had arrived. Though I believed it
would be chaos, it was an amazing event. I practiced my interviewing skills, meet new
students from different schools, and gained valuable lessons from experienced individuals.
Here are a few that impacted me the most:
○ My resume is informative and contains all the criteria necessary to be labeled
attractive. However, I can improve its appearance through adding color and
changing the font
○ During an interview, present your abilities and talents as transferable. This means
the interviewer can see you in the position, visualize your role as a
○ When setting goals, it is important to plot the steps necessary to accomplish them.
One method of doing so is creating a 90-day plan. Break the steps into these 90 days,
complete such steps, and take time to reflect each week on your progress
○ Many of the things we worry about during high school will not matter later on.
Whether it be gossip or academics, many of the insignificant matters that plague our
minds do more harm than good. Rather than focusing on meniscus problems, it is
much more beneficial to retain a positive mindset and focus on matters that will
play a major role in the future
○ Remember the 5 P’s: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!
Thu, Oct 03
● During ISM, we reviewed our experiences from Business Symposium. We were handed back
our comments sheets from the interviews. My sheets held great comments and critics that
can help hone my interviewing skills even further. For my research assessment, I review
Business Symposium and the lessons I learned along the way

Fri, Oct 04
● Friday was geared toward making connections on LinkedIn. I contacted the students I met
during Business Symposium and thanked our guest speaker and interviewers. AFter this, I
sent invitations to OB/GYNs, as well as any OB/GYN Sonographers and Midwives that are
connected to any clinics I have heard of

Sat, Oct 05
● I finished school assignments that were left pending due to Business Symposium. I also
make plans to contact clinics through phone calls next week. After this, I take the time to
calm my mind and prepare myself for next week

Reflections
● Despite any other events, this week’s spotlight landed on Business Symposium. Even after
the event, there were many memories that I remembered and ISM students who gave me
their support. Though I still wish it were a full day event, the lessons I learned left a great
imprint on me. It was a moment of growth in a few hours, and I saw my confidence level rise
through how well I accomplished my interviews. I plan on taking the critics I have received
as using them as a tool to build my character. Overall, it was an incredible week, and
Business Symposium is a moment I will not forget

Goals
● Priority​ - Schedule at least one interview
● Contact more offices through phone calls
● Connect with professionals on LinkedIn
● Find potential articles or videos for research assessment
● Remember: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!
 Weekly Progress Report #3
Oct 6th - Oct 12th

Sun, Oct 06
● This Sunday was dedicated to planning for the upcoming week. Friday there will be no
school, so this time can be used for making phone calls

Mon, Oct 07
● During class today, I focused on my topic proposal. I looked at my career, OB/GYN, and how
it connected to me. I also explored different personality traits that are essential to the career
field. I saw that being organized and understanding are two main traits that all OB/GYNs
must excel in

Tus, Oct 08
● Tuesday was mostly focused on my other classes. I studied for upcoming tests and
completed homework. After this, I worked on finding different articles for my research
assessment. I found an article about vaccines and pregnant women, so I will mostly do
research over this topic

Wed, Oct 09
● During class today, I spent my time making phone calls. Multiple businesses were closing, so
I plan to call earlier in the morning tomorrow. I was able to obtain emails so I plan on
contacting people through email

Thu, Oct 10
● Due to first period, I was not able to make phone calls. However, I checked my LinkedIn and
checked if I made any connections. I messaged any doctors or nurses that were interested

Fri, Oct 11
● Since there was no school today, I mainly focused on making phone calls to different clinics.
I also emailed the office managers that gave me their emails during my phone calls. Later on
in the day, I completed my research assessment and turned it in. I also completed my topic
proposal and turned it in as well

Sat, Oct 12
● I finished school assignments that were left pending. I also make plans to contact clinics
through phone calls next week. After this, I take the time to calm my mind and prepare
myself for next week
Reflections
● This week, I put in my effort to contact people and clinics. However, I was not as successful.
I believe I need to change the time that I make these phone calls since clinics close around 3
and 4PM. It would be in my interest to call earlier in the morning. Furthermore, I need to
extend my connections on LinkedIn. If I am able to contact more people, the more likely I
am to get an interview

Goals
● Priority​ -​ Scheduling interviews!
● Contact more offices through phone calls
● Connect with professionals on LinkedIn
● Find potential articles or videos for research assessment
● Remember: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!
 Weekly Progress Report #4
Oct 13th - Oct 26th

Oct 13th and 14th

● Sunday was mostly based around studying for classes and finishing uncompleted
homework. I focused on studying for ACT during Saturday, so I used Sunday effectively.
After completing all academic assignments, I added last-minute touches to the contact list
and the rough draft of my resume.

Oct 15th and 16th

● Before school, I turned in my contact list through google classroom. I went to my scheduled
classes that day and completed any classwork that was assigned. After school, I began to
search for potential research assessment articles.

Oct 17th and 18th

● During ISM, I spent my time calling professionals. I learned that later in the day would not
be ideal to call offices since receptionists can be busy. From now on, I plan to make phone
calls in the morning

Oct 19th and 20th

● After completing my homework, I looked over my resume and potential questions. I found
what mistakes needed to be corrected and made adjustments for my interview next week

Oct 21st and 22nd

● Recently, I asked for help regarding making phone calls. I learned essential knowledge and
mistakes I could fix regarding them. From this, I was able to schedule an interview with Dr.
Gary Duncan on the 30th of October. I am very grateful for this opportunity, and hope to
prepare in advance by printing out my interview questions and organizing my Business
Portfolio

Oct 23rd and 24th

● After school, I found practicing OB/GYNs on LinkedIn. I looked over their bios and
accomplishments so that I may properly introduce myself to them. Afterward, I looked over
and edited my phone call scripts to have an overview of what to say when calling

Oct 25th and 26th

● After I volunteered at a local animal shelter, I returned to look over my interview questions,
making last-minute adjustments. I also reviewed my questions to make sure everything was
perfect and ready for my interview
Reflections
● This was decent with improvement in my knowledge of phone calls. I hope to improve from
my mistakes and schedule more interviews. I also need to remind myself to keep my
confidence up. Even if I get declined for an interview, I must keep calling offices to improve
my skills. Above all, I am ecstatic about my interview with Dr. Duncan. I hope to learn much
from this conversation and leave the best impression since it is my first interview

Goals
● Find a video or article for research assessment
● Continue networking in LinkedIn
● Prepare questions for my interview next week
● Call offices to confirm another interview
 Bi-Weekly Progress Report #5
Oct 27th - Nov 9th

Oct 27th and 28th

● Sunday was mostly based around studying for classes and finishing uncompleted
homework. After completing all academic assignments, I added last-minute touches to the
contact list and my digital portfolio.

Oct 29th and 30th

● Before school, I made phone calls to different clinics. I went to my scheduled classes that
day and completed any classwork that was assigned. After school, I began to search for
potential research assessment articles. On October 30th, I conducted my first interview with
Dr. Gary Duncan. It was very informative and I enjoyed hearing from an experienced
professional

Oct 31st and Nov 1st

● During ISM, I spent my time calling professionals. I learned that later in the day would not
be ideal to call offices since receptionists can be busy. From now on, I plan to make phone
calls in the morning

Nov 2nd and 3rd

● After completing my homework, I looked over my potential questions. I found what
mistakes needed to be corrected and made adjustments for my interview next week

Nov 4th and 5th

● Since most of my attention throughout these past weeks have been ISM, I decided to shift
my focus to other subjects. I worked on my applications for different colleges and
scholarships. Later, I completed my homework assignments for other classes and created a
schedule for the rest of the week.

Nov 6th and 7th

● After school, I found practicing OB/GYNs on LinkedIn. I looked over their bios and
accomplishments so that I may properly introduce myself to them. Afterward, I looked over
and edited my phone call scripts to have an overview of what to say when calling

Nov 8th and 9th

● After I volunteered at a local animal shelter, I returned to look over my interview questions,
making last-minute adjustments. I also reviewed my questions to make sure everything was
perfect and ready for my interview
Reflections
● This was decent with improvement ments in my knowledge on phone calls. I hope to
improve from my mistakes and schedule more interviews. I also need to remind myself to
keep my confidence up. Even if I get declined for an interview, I must keep calling offices to
improve my skills

Goals
● Find a video or article for research assessment
● Continue networking in LinkedIn
● Prepare questions for interview next week
● Call offices to confirm another interview
 Bi-Weekly Progress Report #6
Nov 10th - Nov 23rd

Nov 10th and 11th

● Sunday was focused on reviewing my weekly progress. I corrected any mistakes and turned
it in. After this, Monday went as per usual. I also planned to find potential articles for my
research assessment and make phone calls for interviews.

Nov 12th and 13th

● Tuesday and Wednesday focused on finding articles for my research assessment. In order to
choose which article to review, OI focused on what I have yet to research. Based on my past
assessment, I have yet to focus my attention on the typical schedule of an OB/GYN. To
further my understanding of this topic, I narrowed my search and found an article by
Bonnie R Morris’ titled ​A Day in the Life of an OB/GYN​. In her article, Morris followed Dr.
Jonathan Scher to get an inside look at this rigorous career field.

Nov 14th and 15th

● On Thursday, I began my research assessment, discovering the busy schedule of Dr, Scher.
Despite his multiple patients and taks, he is able to complete his duties and impact the lives
of many mothers. On Friday, I focused on editing my research assessment and turned it in.

Nov 16th and 17th

● Since my weekdays were focused on ISM, I decided to shift my attention to my academics.
There were tests and homework assignments due the next Monday, so I planned to
complete them over the weekend.

Nov 18th and 19th

● Seeing as I still need more interviews, I made calls early in the morning. I have learned that
it is best to call when clinics first open because they are less likely to receive calls. I also
looked for potential articles for my research assignment. However, many of the articles did
not provide adequate information. Seeing as this was the case, I decided to search for videos
instead. This is where I discovered Dr. Jones, and OB/GYN that also uploads informative
videos on Youtube

Nov 20th and 21st

● On Wednesday, I watched multiple videos uploaded by Dr. Jones. However, her series about
reviewing Reality TV shows based around rare pregnancies intrigued me. She explained
what was being said by the narrator and added her own comments on how she would have
handled these situations. After picking one of her videos, I began writing my research
assessment on Thursday. I also focused on my interview assessment as it was due this
Friday as well.
Nov 22nd and 23rd
● Seeing as the weekend neared, I was sure to complete my research assessment and
interview assessment before Friday. During class, I edited my assignments and turned them
in

Reflections
● This week was centered on completing my assignments. I was able to take a break from
making phone calls, but I will focus on this in the future. I hope to confirm my 3rd interview
during the break. There is also another speech due in the following weeks. This will be
based around our research and personal growth. In order to prepare for this speech, I will
create an outline centered around my main points. Above all, I will take this following break
as a moment to relieve my stress and prepare myself for my future endeavors

Goals
● Find a video or article for next research assessment
● Prepare outline for next speech
● Call offices to confirm another interview
● Organize schedule for the following weeks
 Bi-Weekly Progress Report #7
Dec 1st - Dec 14th

Dec 1st and 2nd

● After finishing classwork and studying for tests, I focused on my assignments for ISM. I
began with my weekly progress check and set up the dates. I also made a schedule for the
next two weeks since I have multiple tasks and events that will be taking place

Dec 3rd and 4th

● As the Personal Growth and Research Speech will take next week, I began to prepare my
speech. I created an outline and a google slides presentation to go along as well. After this, I
focused on my school assignments and completing them

Dec 5th and 6th

● After ISM, I focused on creating a guest list for Winter Showcase. Once I figured how many
people I will be inviting, I started to design my invitations.

Dec 7th and 8th

● As the speech was drawing near, I focused most of my attention on preparing for Personal
Growth and Research Speech. I reviewed my main points, edited my google slides, and
practiced my speech. I was sure to take commentary from my last speech about making eye
contact with the audience and calming my nerves. After some last adjustments to my
speech, I updated my weekly progress report

Dec 9th and 10th

● Once the weekend had gone by, it was time to present my Personal Growth and Research
Speech to my class. Before the speech began, I had trouble uploading my google slides. After
looking back at this, I noticed it was due to the google slides being created my personal
account rather than my school account. In the future, I will be sure to keep this in mind
when preparing for speeches. The presentation overall went very well. I presented my
journey in ISM and the knowledge I have gained from these experiences. My classmates
commented how the google slides looked professional and matched what I was saying in my
speech. However, there are still areas of improvement:

○ I still need to work on maintaining eye-contact with my audience. There are multiple
times where I turn my attention to my google slides, which can be distracting.

○ When I am speaking, I need to use inflection to show different emotions.

○ When I become nervous during my presentation, I should slow down my speech

rather than speeding up because my words become clustered
Dec 11th and 12th
● Once I had finished my Personal Growth and Research Speech, I focused on my Digital and
Hard-copy Portfolio. I began by creating a separate document to contain all of the
documents I have created through ISM. After this, I began to edit the document and create a
similar format throughout the Portfolio. Once the edits were complete, I updated my digital
portfolio with all my information

Dec 13th and 14th

● As the weekend began to approach, my focused was once again turned to my Hard-copy
Portfolio. I revised some pages, printed them, and added them to y binder. I will continue
this process throughout the weekend since I have multiple pages to print. I have begun to
create ideas and buy materials for my Presentation Board for Winter Showcase

Reflections
● In the beginning of the first week, I have seen improvements in my presentational skills. I
have gained helpful advice and discovered new areas of growth. After this, my main focus
has shifted to my Hard-copy Portfolio. Seeing as it is multiple pages of work, I am glad to
have put in the effort and time to my assignments beforehand so that I only have to revise
my work. As the weekend approaches, I will continue to work on my Portfolio and plan
ahead for my Presentation Board

Goals
● Finish Hard Copy Portfolio!
● Edit Digital Portfolio
● Create designs for Poster Boards
● Continue to persevere and complete my assignments!