Yo! I am a biologist now

After a semester of hard work, I finally made an "A" in the pathophysiology course. Thanks to the Almighty! This grade has boosted my confidence and now I can feel that I am at the right program (Interdisciplinary bio engineering) and at the right school (Georgia Tech, ranks 2nd in BME just a rank lesser than Johns-hopkins).

I used to hate biology till a year back. Long ago, I was moving to a state board school for my 11th grade. Though I had excellent marks in my 10th grade, I was admitted to physics-chem-math-bio (my second choice) stream at St.Xaviers, Tuticorin, because I was lazy and late in getting the admissions form. I attended the biology classes for a month or so. I was so pissed off with biology, that I wanted a immediate switch to physics-chem-math-computerScience stream. I stuck a deal with the Physical Trainer, who told me that if I join the basket ball team (I was 6'1" tall), he will help me to switch to the computerScience stream. I gladly agreed and the switch was complete. "Screw biology! F*** biology! Biology, I win over you!", I thought that time. (I ditched basket ball after 2 months of training. ;) still couldn't forget the look on that PT's face, when I told that I am quitting the training. "Screw basketball! F*** any form of exercise! I like being lazy!", I thought.)

Hmm! life keeps changing. After 3 years of S/W engineer job, I was desperate to join grad school and enter the dreamland, US of America. Before the whole application process started, I often used to hear bits-and-pieces of information about an emerging field called bio-instrumentation which is slowly becoming a hot field. This teeny-weeny info was good enough for me to make the important decision namely applying to the grad schools for the Bio-engineering programs. I applied to top schools like Johns-hopkins, georgia tech etc. I got rejects from all the BME departments except the one at georgia tech (which even gave me an assistantship). I got into almost all the ECE departments (without assistantship) to which I applied. Well, going to a school without assistantship was out of question to me. On the other hand, I was the biggest Biology-hater one can ever come across. However, It wasn't a tough decision. "Georgia Tech gives me an assistantship (I loooooooove money)..I will go to georgia tech.. Then I will see how I can tackle the Bio-hatredness".

I joined tech's interdisciplinary bio-engineering PhD program, last fall (2006). As a part of the interdisciplinary bio-engineering program, we are supposed to do 3 biology courses, 3 engineering courses, 1 math course and electives. But, 3 years of coding, had rusted my brain. In my first semester, I got screwed in the courses (especially the biochemistry course). The idea of studying for grade and studying the biology courses, screwed my morale, which in turn screwed my GPA. While choosing the PhD advisor too, I was very choosy. I didn't want to join a lab that does hi-fi bio research like protein modeling or bone research or cell biology research. I was very lucky to get into the lab of Dr. Tannenbaum. He is cool. works in medical image processing (less medical and more image processing :)). After the first semester screw-up, my confidence was all time low. I didn't know if I was good enough to be in the PhD program. To feel better, I had to do well in biology courses (just to justify myself that bio-engineering is "my field") and to boost my GPA (to get the feeling that I am still capable of repeating my undergraduate "magic"). The "A" in the pathophysiology course has definitely helped me in this. Now I can confidently take further steps in the PhD life. I CAN DO IT! I CAN DO IT WELL!