Dallas Research Doctor Advises To Follow Your Passion
As Manager of Scientific Publications for the Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Dr. Margaret Hinshelwood interacts with physicians to assist them in writing and editing clinical research articles, proposals and health science research studies. She also teaches a class at the Dallas County Community College District's Richland College campus.
Hinshelwood earned a bachelor's in animal science from California State Polytechnic University at Pomona and both her master's and doctorate degrees in endocrinology-reproductive physiology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
"I had been interested in becoming a vet because I enjoyed working with animals. I had to do a senior project my last year as an undergrad, and it ended up being a research project working with animals. I gave a presentation about my work at a regional meeting in Hawaii. At this point, I realized that even though I wanted to be a vet, vet school was tough to get into if you had not gone to UC Davis. I realized doing my senior project that I could work with animals doing research, not just as a vet. I knew I wanted to study some aspect of female reproduction, so when I went to the national meeting, I was looking for a grad school where I could pursue my dream," said Hinshelwood.
When advising students, Hinshelwood says, they should follow their passion: "I think one should have a good idea of why they want the degree and what they want to do with it. They can intern or shadow people in their chosen field to make sure they like it. If they are going back to school, they need a well-defined goal because going to school and working is not easy. Somewhere along the way while pursuing their degree, things will get tough. When things get tough, sometimes the only thing that might get you through it is to know that you had a goal and a vision, and you need to finish it."
Hinshelwood faced two big challenges: "One, my own fears. I was afraid I was not good enough to get my degree from such a big name school. My advisor told me the only way I could fail was by not trying, so that helped me quite a bit. The second challenge was being a female in an animal science department working with cattle. I felt like I had to do things as well as the guys and not ask for extra help. When I took blood samples from my animals every hour all night long, if a catheter plugged, I was the one who had to figure out how to get a 1500-pound animal to put its head though the stanchion. I would not ask for help if I did not have to."
Hinshelwood's biggest reward, "Was my sense of accomplishment and the pride my parents felt when I received my degree. Of course, my work wasn't done, but I was on my way."
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com