Throughout
her time at UMD, Ramita was a typical Gemstone student involved in a variety of
extracurricular activities and commitments.
A neurobiology and physiology major, Ramita worked in neurobiology
research for 3 years, founded the spiritual discussion group Chinmaya
Yuvakendra, and even competed 3 times at the National Collegiate Table Tennis
Competition as a member of UMD Club Table Tennis. Ramita Dewan has the typical concerns of a senior
in the Gemstone program – editing Team SWAMP’s thesis, preparing for the thesis
conference this spring, and balancing her busy schedule involving work and
having a social life. But instead of
having a 16 credit semester, Ramita has a 40 hour work week.
Having
graduated in May 2012, Ramita is currently working at NIH at the surgical neurology
branch at the national institute of neurological disorders and stroke (NINDS). Her research involves investigating the
progression and treatment options for a genetic CNS tumor predisposition
syndrome called Neurofibromatosis 2. A
student passionate about research, Ramita made the decision to continue with
the Gemstone program and see it through until completion. “I felt like a part of the team and didn't
want to just give up on it since I was graduating,” said Ramita. From applying to medical school, completing Gemstone,
teaching at her spiritual center on the weekends, and just going to the gym or
trying out new recipes in the kitchen, it’s definitely a challenge to balance
everything together, Ramita says. But
the key to managing for her is to just enjoy everything she is a part of. Fulfilling her commitments can be difficult,
but being passionate about them definitely helps and is what sets Ramita apart
from so many.
“The
most fulfilling aspect of Gemstone was getting to know my team better and going
through this journey with them, whether it was working through our challenges or
enjoying our time together.” As Ramita
continues to work toward the next chapter of her life – she hopes to attend
medical school in 2014 – she is definitely satisfied with her choice to stay
with the program. As a fellow teammate,
I can say that we’re so glad she did!
Raevathi Ramadorai :Team SWAMP: Class of 2013
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