Work Placement and Roles
Place of Work and Duties
I secured a work placement at bach2roq. The organisation is involved in the software business. It develops computer programs used in the education sector (Exploring innovative solutions for educational delivery n.d.). I selected this organisation mainly because it focuses on the formulation of original concepts.
My roles entailed working with a team of six professionals on projects related to metabolic modelling for the mitochondria. The other assignment I was engaged in was related to performance in music and athletic. In relation to metabolic modelling, my specific roles touched on programming. With regards to music and athletic, my explicit tasks entailed conducting an extensive literature review on the topic.
Reasons for Choosing bach2roq as my Preferred Workplace
The selection of bach2roq was informed by the gains I expected to make in relation to my experience in the sector. The primary focus of this entity is development of software solutions. It is also a music and science consultancy firm. The organisation is well placed to provide a student with a wide range of multidisciplinary experience, including in biomedical sciences.
Bach2roq was founded in 1977 (Exploring innovative solutions for educational delivery n.d.). The enterprise has gained extensive technical expertise and technologies in innovation. The apparent relevance of this firm was one of the reasons why I decided to work in it. Bach2roq provides a working environment that turns learning into an open and continuous process. Working at the enterprise as an amateur is easy since the setting facilitates acquisition of knowledge.
Benefits of Working at Bach2roq
The projects I was assigned to work in exposed me to practical applications of theoretical concepts studied in class. The metabolic modelling assignment helped me fully understand the physiological mechanisms of a mitochondrion. Biomedical sciences present individuals with an opportunity to put scientific knowledge into practical use. Bac2roq made it possible for me to put the scientific concepts I acquired in class into practice through the development of original solutions.
I realised the possibility of developing further practical concepts as a result of my stay at bach2roq. Exposure to various technologies and equipment in the field of biomedical science enhanced my personal skills as far as handling them is concerned. I had the opportunity to learn about principles and ethics guiding various scientific disciplines. Consequently, bach2roq made it possible for me to become an all-rounded and skilled individual in the biomedical sciences profession.
Teamwork
Team Compromise
As I was working on the metabolic modelling project, I realised that my team was characterised by regular conflicts. For example, we had a problem reaching an agreement on the organ to create a mitochondrion for. Four members of the group proposed building a metabolic model for the human heart. On their part, two members suggested the creation of a metabolic framework for the kidneys.
To reach a consensus, the team had to agree on the relative effectiveness of each model. It was apparent that conflicting parties supported their arguments with credible evidence. As such, team members agreed to create the two models to satisfy all stakeholders. The development of more than one framework had its own shortcomings. For example, it led to an increase in the workload. However, the results were effective given that there were bases for comparisons.
Lateness in Achieving Project Milestones
In some instances, my team struggled to accomplish the goals of the project we were working on. A critical review of the situation revealed that the problem arose from the fact that a concession had been made. Originally, the team was supposed to work on a single model. However, we ended up working on two. In spite of this, we managed to achieve our objectives at the end of the project’s lifecycle.
Communication in the Team
Persuading Team
While reviewing the literature on music and athletic performance, I realised that organising the findings was tedious. The reason is that computers were used for this purpose. Consequently, I had to persuade my team mates to use note cards. The cards were used to enter the findings from various studies reviewed. The findings were recorded on the new entries in point form. They were then entered into the computer systems in the process of compiling the report for the literature review. Consequently, the time allocated for the task was reduced by more than 50 percent due to the efficiency of the practice. My ability to convince the members of my team was one of the reasons for this.
Application of Communication Skills in Resolving Disputes
Disagreements are likely to arise between individuals working in the same group. At bach2roq, a serious dispute was reported between various individuals working in my team. The conflict revolved around sharing of resources between the members. Each of the individuals believed that their task was greater and needed more resources than that carried out by other members. They started fighting over such resources as time and equipment. I used my communication skills to convince my team members to evaluate the various arguments made. The aim was to determine the genuineness of these conflicts and provide feedback on how to resolve them. At the end, we were able to distribute the resources equitably. Each of the disputing parties was satisfied.
Time Management
Missed Deadline and Consequences
I was once working on a class project that was supposed to be completed within 12 weeks. However, I failed to submit the report on time. Failure to deliver the project was as a result of excessive time spent on other endeavours, which I found to be more enjoyable than the class work. Consequently, I had to work overtime, sometimes late into the night, in order to reduce the delay. In addition, the professor ended up deducting some points from my project due to lateness.
Sudden Change in Work Schedules
During my stay at bach2roq, two members of my team fell ill at the same time. The individuals were part of the music and athletics project. As a result, their tasks had to be allocated to other individuals. The remaining team members had to work overtime every day to maintain the thrust of the project and beat the deadline. I had to overlook some of my other commitments, such as evening classes. To manage the situation, I ensured that I collected class notes every day from my colleagues. As such, I was updated on the progress made in class during my absence. I retained this routine until the team members who had fallen sick recovered and returned to the project.
Initiative and Leadership
Voluntary Problem-Solving
One day, my fellow students felt that the professor teaching Clinical Virology was unfair to the class. They were convinced that his teaching style was confusing. As a result, the students decided to boycott his classes. It was agreed that no one should attend any of his lectures. Personally, I felt that the actions taken by my colleagues were extreme. I proposed that we should list all our complaints on a piece of paper and append our signatures. I would then forward this note to the professor before his next lecture. The solution worked perfectly. The professor apologised to the class and expressed his willingness to address any issues raised by the class in the future. The class ended up as one of the best performing in the department.
Dealing with a Problem in the Absence of the Supervisor
One day, a machine we were working with at bach2roq broke down. We were using the machine to work on the metabolic modelling project. The supervisor who was supposed to guide the technical team in repairing the equipment was absent. Unfortunately, the supervisor had not delegated any of his duties. It was against the company’s policies for individuals to repair equipment. Only the technical team was allowed to carry out this function. As a result, the task that needed the equipment to be completed had to be halted until the supervisor arrived on the scene. The outcome was a delay in other project related activities.
Problem Solving
Decision Making and Choosing between Alternatives
During my work placement, I had two options. One entailed joining bach2roq, while the other involved working in a hospital within my locality. Both options had their fair share of merits and demerits. However, I realised that bach2roq was the best alternative compared to the hospital. The reason is that the organisation would provide me with the exposure I needed to familiarise myself with other disciplines related to my practice. On its part, the hospital could only provide field related experience. That is how I found myself at bach2roq.
Using the Wrong Solution to Solve a Problem
There was an instance where I applied the wrong solution in solving a problem I had encountered while working at bach2roq. At the time, I was involved in the music and athletic performance project. I could not fully comprehend some of the concepts related to the study. As a result, I decided to skip some of the task requirements. The solution did not work since the error was detected by my supervisor. To solve the problem, I had to redo the entire section.
Relationship Building
Building a Relationship with a Stranger
During my professional placement, I used to walk into other departments during my free time. For example, I used to frequent the software department to learn what was going on there. As a result, striking conversations with strangers who did not even know my existence in the organisation became a norm.
Dealing with a Difficult Person
A member of my group during my engagement in the music and athletic performance project proved to be difficult to deal with at times. He used a lot of excuses when he failed to complete his tasks. He left these work to other members of the team, leading to delays in the project. To deal with the problem, the team had to come up with regulations and policies governing the project. Any individual who failed to deliver their tasks for unjustifiable reasons was allocated what we used to refer to as ‘double tasks’ in future. The problematic team member had no option but to adhere to the rules after realising that his excuses could not help him.
Issues of Occupational Health and Safety
Improving Safe Work Practices at bach2roq
Occupational health and safety (OH&S) is concerned with the health and wellbeing of the people working in any organisation (Ladou 2006). The objectives of this policy include promotion of safety in the workplace. To improve OH&S at bach2roq, I would encourage the management to adopt specific regulations and policies. For instance, individuals working with computers should be educated on such health related issues as repetitive stress injury and vision impairment.
The problems result from typing using computer keyboards and staring at the screens for long. Wearing of safety gears should be mandatory. Finally, warnings should be displayed in workplaces that pose risks to employees, such as slippery floors. That way, the organisation will improve the wellbeing of the individuals working there.
Improving Safety in Other Workplaces
Basic measures of enhancing OH&S in workplaces include adopting standards advanced by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Such measures would effectively promote safety in any work environment since all aspects of the issue are addressed.
Discipline-Specific Knowledge and Capabilities
Utilisation of Academic Skills at bach2roq
My placement at bach2roq provided me with an opportunity to use the knowledge and skills I had acquired as a biomedical student. For instance, in the mitochondria project, my experiences in class were very helpful. Bach2roq is engaged in the generation of innovative concepts, especially in the field of software development.
Alternative Applications of Knowledge
My application of discipline-specific skills at bach2roq was limited. The reason is that the firm does not operate in the medical field. There are other companies where my expertise in biomedical sciences could have been more relevant than in bach2roq. Such firms include, among others, those with vacancies in research laboratory assistant.
References
Exploring innovative solutions for educational delivery n.d. Web.
Ladou, J 2006, Current occupational & environmental medicine, 4th edn, McGraw-Hill Professional, New York.