Said 1

Dana Said

Mrs. Andrea Zehenter

Senior ISM

17 October 2023

ISM Product Proposal Paper

The topic of sexual and reproductive health has been unfairly stigmatized by society

since the inception of modern medicine. That’s why it is highly imperative to have modern

resources and support systems available to educate and incentivize individuals to receive testing

and treatment. As an individual who aspires to pursue a career in the medical field, assisting

others, particularly those in compromised and vulnerable situations has been a great passion of

mine and something that I am willing to make my career. I selected this topic because my

mentor, although not a specialist in the field, sees a decent number of patients dealing with

STD/I’s. In many ways, I see the stigma and the shame that surrounds those ailments, in a way

that something as inconspicuous as the cold or flu isn’t stigmatized. As part of my project, I will

be studying the lifestyles and symptoms of individuals with STDs/I’s in order to fulfill a series of

goals. To produce a final product with the intent of destigmatizing all sexual/ reproductive

ailments, to implore individuals afflicted with the aforementioned ailments to pursue treatment,

and to spread awareness about the topic of sexual and reproductive health. Whilst research (both

independent and mentor-assisted research) is a given component of this project, I shall also look

for appropriate website creation services that I shall use to host my final product. Once

completed, asking for my mentor’s opinion concerning specific details will be imperative to my

success. Finally, showing my product to three or more trusted individuals and requesting their
 Said 2

feedback will hopefully help me throw in the towel prior to presenting. Speaking of the final

product: it is a website centered around STD/I awareness, where individuals can read about

symptoms, have their misconceptions dispelled, and complete a risk assessment. Upon

completing this project, I hope that other individuals will be more informed about the topic of

sexual health, and seek treatment for their ailments.