Author: Meyeon Park
Course year: 2012
Dr. Meyeon Park during a bike ride at Acadia National Park
When I first heard about MDIBL for renal fellows, I knew instantly that I wanted to go. The idea of revisiting renal physiology by recreating original experiments was irresistible. At the time, I was in my fourth year of nephrology fellowship and buried in clinical research. The trip from San Francisco to Bar Harbor seemed interminable, and I wondered if I had made a mistake to spend so much time on travel when I had a K23 grant application hanging over my head. This thought quickly dissipated upon my arrival, where we were immersed in workshops that depolarized my brain in long unused ways. The content of the course, complemented by gorgeous surroundings and Tour de France-paced bike rides led by Dr. Zeidel in Acadia National Park, provided exactly the inspiration I needed to boost my K23 writing. Full of popovers and lobster, I remember telling my biostats mentor about the experience on a long phone call one warm evening, feeling like his voice was being transmitted through an unmeasurable distance to this magical land where I now was. On the last day, I hitched a ride to the airport with Martin Pollak. The detour was a definite imposition for him, but at the time, and perhaps even now, conversing for over an hour with such an esteemed scientist may have been my greatest career achievement. More than ten years later, I still reunite at ASN annually with friends from that short summer experience at MDIBL, where we celebrate career and life milestones and laugh about the academic journey.
Dr. Meyeon Park (second from right) with co-participants
Dr. Meyeon Park alongside her fellow participants
Reviewed by: Srinath Yadlapalli, M.D, Matthew, Sparks, M.D, William Jeffrey, M.D
