School of Medicine
70 Reflection on Undergraduate Research Experience
Jonah Simmons
Faculty Mentor: Kanokwan Bunsawat (Internal Medicine, University of Utah)
During the summer of 2023 I participated in the Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) under the mentorship of Dr. Kanokwan Bunsawat at the Utah Vascular Research Lab (UVRL). In the first three years of my undergraduate career, I worked in clinical research and the opportunity to continue broadening my experience in that field was what pulled me to join the team at the UVRL. Despite my familiarity with clinical research, I broadened my scope of knowledge and skills beyond what I anticipated, even now I continue to learn new things in the lab every day. In my time at the UVRL I have learned various techniques, including the use of ultrasound, to measure and analyze vascular function. I have watched what goes on behind the scenes of a study from conception of the research question to publication in a journal. As an aspiring physician-researcher, I believe I gained useful knowledge that will benefit me as my career goes on.