Young women’s health advocate
A summer research internship at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) clarified Maggie Cizmar’s career path.
“I always knew I wanted to do something in healthcare, but now I know for sure that I will,” said the Wheaton junior after creating a women’s health guide and contributing to two research projects focused on her interest in reproductive health.
Working with BCH’s Center for Young Women’s Health, Cizmar researched clinical articles through PubMed and Google Scholar to create an online health guide about orthorexia, a form of disordered eating characterized by an unhealthy preoccupation with eating “healthy” foods. To develop the document, she addressed specific questions posed by her supervisor, who led a review of the guide.
“It was especially meaningful to shed light on an issue that, from personal experience, I know many people have, especially female athletes,” Cizmar said.
Supporting the hospital’s division of adolescent and young adult medicine, Cizmar also contributed to two research projects. One, through BCH, addressed long-acting reversible contraceptives.
“I learned a lot about how these options work for women, which was very interesting,” she said.
The second project was a national study led by Colorado University–Boulder on polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). Characterized by fluctuations in hormones, one in eight women worldwide is affected by PMOS, which impacts weight, metabolic and mental health, skin and the reproductive system.
Cizmar compiled and entered data for both studies, which required administrative and ethical training. “I learned and became certified in Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap), which is an important tool used for research studies in many areas,” said Cizmar, who was also impressed by the care taken to ensure the confidentiality of information about patients and research subjects.
Beyond research, Cizmar observed clinical interactions, participated in meetings and spoke with healthcare professionals about their careers.
“I talked to many healthcare professionals about why they chose their profession, which is what I’m trying to figure out right now,” said the psychology major minoring in biology. “The networking connections I made are so important.”
Her interests in the sciences and in making connections with others have also shaped her experience at Wheaton, where the Plymouth, Mass., resident competes in cross country and track and field. This year, she added another role to her résumé as a resident advisor. Across those experiences, she has realized that collaboration is central to how she works best.
“Through this internship, schoolwork, getting help from professors or the LCDI [Life and Career Design Institute] and being on a sports team, I realized that I thrive in a group setting and want to be in a career where I’m collaborating with others.”