August / September 2023
Internship @ Novartis, Networking in South Korea, Featuring on Medentee Podcast, Building Spectre Technology™ Team in Vancouver, Building VC Fund, Finishing my Internship @ Med-Tech World
Hey!
I'm a 17 yo high school junior based in Vancouver, Canada who’s dedicated towards extending the human health span by at least another 10 years, and improving the quality of life for people around the world.
Currently, I am focused on tackling one of the most pressing issues of our time: antibiotic resistance. With the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections, it is critical that we find new interventions to tackle this global threat before it is too late. While scientific innovations are typically at the forefront, it’s equally important to assess how our healthcare ecosystems are handling such crises. That is why I am committed to being a part of the solution through both antibiotic research and the development/distribution of digital health and telemedicine.
Internship @ Novartis 🔬
With the help of Philippe Gerwill and Kim Skafte Mortenson, I was introduced to Hana Cho, the Medical Head of Novartis Korea, and Joohyung Lee, the Oncology Medical Lead of Novartis Korea, who facilitated and organized an internship program for me in South Korea.
During my time here, I've had the pleasure of learning about various departments, including pharmacovigilance, health economics, BE&I, drug development, clinical trials, and medical affairs, directly from their respective department heads. These sessions not only enriched my understanding of the pharmaceutical industry but also allowed me to look at the field from the perspective of one of the largest Big Pharma giants themselves. For the sake of confidentiality, I am unable to share further details, but here are some of my other takeaways:
Network, network, network. Some of the best conversations I’ve had were put in motion by simply getting coffee or lunch when time allowed. You’re in a room full of the smartest people in the industry, take advantage of it.
Ask questions. Bonus, come prepared with questions. Even if some may seem dumb to ask, it is better to gain clarity rather than pretending you understand something. In that case, drop the ego and ask.
Study ahead. In my case, I was provided with a program schedule. Come prepared for each session by studying the most up-to-date industry information beforehand. That way, you can tailor your questions to start more meaningful discussions.
The experience in itself served as another humble reminder that consistently staying curious, building projects, and establishing your network can open up doors to rooms you would never imagine yourself to be in. I would like to express my deepest gratitude towards Philippe, Kim, Hana, Joohyung, and the Novartis team that made this all possible!
Featuring on the Medentee Talk🎙️
I have been featured on the Medentee Talk, one of my first-ever interviews to date! Here I was interviewed for my research in synergistic antibiotics and my insights/ takes in various fields within digital health including AI and the metaverse. Huge thanks to Rahul Goel for hosting and the Medentee team for inviting me to the interview!
To check it out, hit this link!
Building the Spectre Technology™ Team in Vancouver 🧑💻
Over the past two months at Spectre Technology™, I’ve been leading market analysis and business prospecting to successfully carry out expansion into the Canadian healthcare market. This has involved dissecting market trends, assessing the competitive landscape, and identifying potential opportunities through building strong relationships with stakeholders within the ecosystem.
In order to better establish brand identity in the process, I’ve also worked closely with the marketing team to run marketing campaigns such as F4F, AMA events, content creation/curation, sponsorships, etc. Knowing that we’re working within the healthcare industry where false marketing can lead to preventable issues, it is highly critical that we’re being intentional about the information being shared, and ensuring that advertising is not overamplifying the actual benefits of the solutions.
Besides those, I will soon be opening an office in downtown Vancouver, and am now hiring talent. Currently, looking for hybrid digital marketing intern and sales specialist/ intern positions.
We have also launched two new digital solutions:
eNurse: Simplifying clinical note documentation through voice-to-text technology
Nexus Synergy+: Shaping the future of hospital-to-patient communication
Building a Venture Capital Fund ⚒️
As part of my internship, I’ve been put in charge of branding Med-Tech World’s own venture capital fund, currently titled: MTWEarly.VC. Through this process, I’ve also learned in more detail how exactly these funds work; how deals are sourced, the importance of LPs, different portfolio strategies, etc.
Finishing my Internship @ Med-Tech World 🌐
After consecutive nine months, I have now concluded my internship at Med-Tech World. During my time at the company, I have had the opportunity to gain incredibly valuable experience and insights into the dynamic and evolving field of medical technology. Through UI/UX designing for websites, graphic designing sales packages, speaker/sponsorship outreaches, and having conversations with experts in the industry, I am leaving this internship position with an extremely elevated level of understanding of the med-tech industry.
I've also been extremely fortunate to work alongside the CEO, Dylan Attard who has always supported my journey through the internship.
Moving forward, I’m confident enough to say that the knowledge and skills acquired through this experience will support me throughout my career and future endeavors.
I am grateful for the support and mentorship I received during my time at Med-Tech World, and I look forward to leveraging this experience to new opportunities and challenges in the med-tech sector.
Other Highlights 👀
Visiting SparkLabs & Maru 180
Met and talked over coffee with the Co-Founder and Partner at SparkLabs Group, Eugene Kim!
Prospera Women Event South Korea
Was invited to attend a networking event in Gangnam, Seoul with local and Silicon Valley-based entrepreneurs/ founders.
Alice NFT Exhibition
Mastermind Event
Shoutout to Prashant Bagga for hosting this networking event!
Kicking Off TKS Activate 24’
Mindsets of the Month(s) 🧠
Be Intentional — Evaluate how you spend your time on a day-to-day basis; whether your decisions are driven by emotions or rational thought; or if the people you are surrounding yourself with align with who you aspire to be.
Optimize for Serendipity — When optimizing for serendipity and increasing the surface area of luck, you are opening doors for more opportunities for yourself
Amor Fati — A stoic concept of accepting and embracing everything that happens in life. Even the most difficult and painful experiences are necessary for one’s personal growth and development.
What’s Next? 🚀
Using AI (CNN) algorithms to detect latent tuberculosis biomarkers
Review paper titled: Regulatory Function of Quorum Sensing in Virulence, Biofilm Formation, and Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Opening office for Spectre Technology™ in downtown Vancouver
Senior year of high school