Job Shadow Reflection

1. Who did you job shadow? What is their name, career title, and contact information? How
do you know this person?
The person I shadowed is Michelle Gaona. Michelle is an embryologist at an IVF clinic in La
Jolla, CA. I know Michelle because she was the embryologist who helped create me. Her
phone number is (619) 807-1140.

2. What does a typical day look like in this career?

A typical day in this career starts off with quality control to verify that all equipment is in
range and is functioning properly. After that, IVF process procedures may occur depending
on the day. Then, Michelle reviews the day’s results, and the next day's procedures happen
with a physician. The last part of the day ends with verifying that all the equipment is shut
down properly and the lab is locked and secure to ensure embryos in culture are safe and
unable to be tampered with.

3. What skills and abilities do you need to succeed in this career?

A few skills you need to succeed in this career are attention to detail, the ability to work
independently, and the ability to work with a team are important. Critical thinking is also
needed to be able to troubleshoot equipment or outcome issues.

4. What are some facts you learned about this career that you were unaware of prior to this
experience?
I was unaware that there is a lot of paperwork. I was also unaware that there are a lot more
steps and pieces that go into making a baby other than just an egg and sperm.

5. Which aspects of this career are appealing to you? Explain.

One of the aspects of this career that was appealing to me was doing a semen analysis. I
looked through a microscope and counted the good and bad sperm. I also had the chance to
observe Michelle inject sperm into an egg.

6. Which aspects of this career are not appealing to you? Explain.

One of the main aspects of this career that is not appealing to me is that there is a lot of
math and science involved. Those are my two weaker subjects. So, I would want to work in a
field where I would not struggle with those subjects.

7. How does this career compare to your strengths, interests, and values? Is it a good fit for
you? Explain.
This career compares well to my interests and values because it is a very interesting and cool
job that involves caring for other lives. However, the job requires knowledge that is not in
line with my strengths. Thus, I do not think this job would be a perfect fit for me.

8. What would you need to do to prepare for a job in this field?

What you would need to prepare for a job in this field would be a bachelor of science
 degree in a life science field. That includes cell biology, medical technology, or another
similar science focus.

9. How has this experience influenced your career goals?

This experience has piqued my interest, but I would not pursue this as a career. Therefore,
this experience has influenced my career goals in that it has shown me how working with
animals in a caretaking manner is a better option for me than a more lab-focused career.