After graduating from Columbia University in May of 2024 with BAs in Biology and Computer…
SIX QUESTIONS FOR FIRST-YEAR RESEARCH ASSISTANTS: SASHA ARONSON
After graduating from Brown in May 2024 with a BS in neuroscience, Sasha wasted no time before beginning her stint with OrACORe that summer. Since then, Sasha has been invaluable in the advancement of many projects including AF-Obesity, INFORM, KArAT, MeTeOR, OAPol and TOPS, and has enjoyed getting to know her coworkers, faculty mentors, and study participants. Since moving to Boston, Sasha has also adopted two kittens, Tiger and Puma, whom she describes as “incredibly adorable” yet “very devious.”
What about this research position attracted you to it?
The diversity of the projects and the uniquely collaborative environment are what originally drew me in to OrACORe. The center explores every avenue of osteoarthritis (OA) including the efficacy of specific surgeries like arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, the prevention of OA using diet and exercise, and the cost effectiveness of different OA treatments. Furthermore, I have witnessed several family members navigate musculoskeletal conditions and have seen the lack of clarity that can exist concerning best treatment options. I was inspired by how much of OrACORe’s research had the potential to impact clinical decision making in a field where the clinical guidelines can often be murky. Finally, through my interviews (and reading these blog posts!), it was clear that the culture at OrACORe is highly collaborative and relies on teamwork, both of which are very important to me.
What do you enjoy most about working at OrACORe?
My daily interactions with coworkers, mentors, and study participants are my favorite part of working at OrACORe. Everyone at OrACORe is so knowledgeable, warm, and inspiring. I have learned so much from the other RAs and the faculty members about clinical research, the medical field, and as cheesy as it sounds, life! I am often intellectually stimulated working here and there are always new ideas buzzing around the office for me to consider and to contribute to. Interacting with participants during study visits with TOPS and KArAT has also been incredibly meaningful. I enjoy hearing about each of their unique stories and perspectives.
What does a day in the life at OrACORe look like for you? What is your favorite project that you are working on and why?
It is hard to describe a day in my life at OrACORe, because each day is so unique! My typical day is often a balance between preparing for and conducting study visits for KArAT and TOPS, recruiting subjects for INFORM, modeling training for OAPol, and soon I will be conducting qualitative interviews for GLOW. Presently, my favorite project is KArAT, a study looking at methods to increase physical activity after total knee replacement (TKR). As a ‘blinded’ member of the KArAT team, I conduct musculoskeletal exams and activity performance assessments on participants before their TKR and again 6 months later. These visits last 1.5-2 hours and it is so meaningful to get to know these participants during this time and hear their stories, experiences, and perspectives. We start a study visit as complete strangers and end with me knowing a substantial piece of their story. It is also incredible to witness the progress many people make after their knee replacements and to hear stories about the activities they are able to do again now that their pain is largely gone.
What have your first few months in Boston looked like?
It has certainly been an adjustment going from college life to post graduate life, but it only took a few months to settle into a new routine! I grew up in New York, but my parents both grew up in Boston, and so it has been very special to get to know the city of my parents’ past. As for my favorite things to do outside of work, I recently trained for my first marathon, so when I don’t snooze my alarm, I love going on sunrise runs on the Esplanade!
What are your plans post-OrACORe?
I hope to attend medical school after OrACORe. And while this has been my hope for a while, the conversations that I have had with faculty and my interactions with study participants while working at OrACORe have solidified this choice. I am still deciding which specialty I want to pursue, but I have recently been thinking a lot about Oncology. I know I have time and no matter what I choose, I want to help patients navigate difficult decision making to ensure their treatment plans coincide with what is important to them. I hope to provide personalized patient care centered around understanding each patient and their specific hopes and goals.
