Experience a day in the life of Manuel Torres Acosta, a Feinberg student in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Join him as he shares a typical day during his second year of the PhD portion of the MSTP.
Photos and video from this profile capture a day at Feinberg during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Hello, I’m Manuel Torres Acosta and I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. As a second-year graduate student, I am currently focused on completing my research project while maintaining my clinical skills for when I re-enter medical school to finish my MD. My typical morning includes going to the gym, having my protein shake and drinking coffee while I read a scientific paper or write a grant.
8:30 a.m.
My research focuses on elucidating novel metabolic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the function of immune cells (specifically regulatory T-cells) during disease, so most of the literature that I read revolves around these fields. I prefer to read and write from home, and given that I live in the Streeterville neighborhood (one block from campus), I can easily commute to and from my lab throughout the day.
This morning, I spent a few hours in the lab performing experiments under the cell culture hood, where I work with immune cells harvested from mouse spleens and lymph nodes. All of my projects in the lab involve working with mice, the gold standard model for translational research. Specifically, my group and I use mouse models of cancer and influenza pneumonia. I also use techniques commonly employed by immunologists, such as flow cytometry, and am starting to learn how to process and analyze big data like that generated from RNA sequencing and metabolomics.
10:30 a.m.
I meet with my research mentor, Dr. Ben Singer, at least once per week to discuss ongoing experiments and the ever-evolving scientific literature that is relevant to our work. I met Dr. Singer when he interviewed me for admission to Northwestern’s MSTP; he has been instrumental in my training so far and has helped me develop my writing skills and my critical thinking. I decided to join his lab because of how involved he was in the program as well as the rigorous, impactful and fascinating work that our group does.
11:30 a.m.
I often meet with Dr. Hossein Ardehali and other MSTP faculty to talk about various student-led diversity and inclusion initiatives that we have ongoing in our program. Today we talked about our progress with a literature review that a group of MSTP students and I are writing where we’re summarizing the impact that underrepresented in medicine (URM) status has on admission and training outcomes of dual-degree students. This is all part of a strong effort on behalf of administrators and students to support the training and well-being of URM students locally and in other institutions. Personally, the support that I’ve received from faculty members and senior students has been instrumental for my smooth transition from medical to graduate school, which can be hard to navigate sometimes!
12:00 p.m.
Midday, I take a break to eat lunch with some of my lab mates. I almost always pack food I’ve meal-prepped or grab a quick bite at the hospital. Today I got myself a burrito bowl from the hospital alongside my colleague Carla, another Puerto Rican pursuing her graduate degree in the Singer Lab. I’m privileged to be surrounded by other Latinos both within my lab and within my lab’s division, the Pulmonary and Critical Care division; they’re an integral part of my sense of community and belonging here at Feinberg.
1:30 p.m.
After lunch, I head to my Education-Centered Medical Home (ECMH), a longitudinal clinic in which both MD and MD-PhD students, as well as students from the Physician Assistant Program, are able to practice their clinical skills. I visit my ECMH clinic once every other week, and I usually see two patients per visit. Our interaction with patients involves eliciting the reason for their visit and performing a physical exam. Then, I present the case to my clinical mentors, after which we see our patient again to deliver our assessment and plan together. This component of my training helps me keep my basic clinical skills fresh while allowing me to connect with other Feinberg students that are at different training stages; I learn something new from them during every visit. My clinical mentors, Dr. Jah-Won Koo and Dr. Suzanne Schmidt, lead our ECMH clinic and are a joy to work with. They are very understanding of the challenges that come with being clinically active while in graduate school and are very accommodating when experiments get in the way of my participation in clinic.
5:00 p.m.
After ECMH, I like to study at one of my favorite places off campus, the Chicago Athletic Association, located in a historic building on Michigan Avenue. The cool architecture and vibe of this place helps me put in a couple of more hours of work before wrapping up a long, productive work day!
6:00 p.m.
Next, I make dinner. I tend to stick to some of my favorite home recipes, which include arroz con habichuelas (rice and beans) with either bistec encebollado (beefsteak with onions) or pollo guisado (chicken stew). Cooking these Puerto Rican meals is very grounding for me and allows me to bring a piece of home to the city, which is very empowering for me. I usually make a couple of servings so that the food can last me most of the week!
7:30 p.m.
Finally, I wrap up my day with either watching a movie with my significant other or FaceTiming with my family in Puerto Rico. My boyfriend and I love watching mystery thrillers and playing video games, all of which are great ways to decompress. I also use my evenings to stay in touch with my family. My parents, brother and I love to hear about each other’s days and to keep up with our respective personal and professional lives. While FaceTiming is no replacement for seeing each other in person, it has allowed us to stay close despite the distance.