Senior Varun Thakur stares blankly at his computer.

He’s dreading the long, grueling process of painstakingly typing out email after email to 150 professors, in search of the holy grail – a summer internship.

But the struggle of writing 150 separate emails early second semester paid off.

Thakur emerged with research internship at the University of California, San Francisco, last summer. 

Pursuing his particular interest investigating cardiovascular related health issues, Thakur invested a great amount of time researching different works of university professors that appealed to him.

But as it turned out, the brutal work leading up to obtaining the internship was only the beginning. 

At UCSF, Thakur worked in the lab for six hours a day, four days a week this summer.

Thakur studied a sensory organ of the human body called the carotid body. This organ detects low oxygen levels and becomes hyperactive, leading to detrimental health problems.

“For people with sleep apnea, that can become an issue, because at night they have trouble breathing and it causes them to have high blood pressure, which in turn leads to heart failure down the line,” said Thakur. 

Thakur said his research focused on figuring out how the carotid body molecularly recognizes the low blood oxygen level in hopes of creating a drug that prevents the body’s hyperactivity in the future.

“There’s a lot of critical thinking,” said Thakur. “Not everything is put in front of you. You got to kind of  make connections between two things.” 

Internships are difficult enough to acquire even without the added pressure of Thakur’s route. 

iQuest teacher Shanna Gagnon said that students outside of the internship program are unsupported by mentors and are largely on their own.

In the iQuest program, students learn basic skills of professional profile building, interviewing, and networking. Without the program’s support, pursuing career interests like Thakur’s proved to be far more difficult.

“I think that he was able to obtain the internship because of how dedicated and driven he was,” said Gagnon.

Thakur said he’s been interested in the medical field since seventh grade, when he started reading up on the subjects involved. 

Since then, he’s been inseparable from the field, taking classes in the biomedical pathway since freshman year, participating in HOSA, and, of course, pursuing internships. 

“I think if you show a good, deep interest, you actually want to be there, then they might choose you,” said Thakur. 

At first, it can seem surprising that Thakur didn’t obtain the internship through personal connections, nor did he do so through a program.

Thakur obtained the internship through sheer determination. His teachers aren’t surprised.

“He’s very gung ho,” said science teacher Kusy Espinosa, who had Thakur in several classes.  “When he wants something, he goes for it and he’s very persistent about things and he makes sure that he covers all his bases and that he’s contacted everyone.”

Espinosa has watched over Thakur for three years and counting, teaching him biology, honors anatomy and physiology, as well as acting as the adviser for HOSA. 

She agrees that Thakur’s work ethic is commendable.

“He’s always very diligent about his work, and he’s always very persistent about understanding what it is that he’s supposed to be doing,” said Espinosa.

Thakur explains that he enjoys the medical field not only because of its content, but also the patient interaction. While biomedical research intrigues him, Thakur is leaning toward a career as a doctor because of the communication involved.

“I’m more an interactive person: hands-on, talking to people,” said Thakur.

But his grueling summer didn’t stop with obtaining the medical internship. Thakur also utilized his spare time to work on his Eagle Scout project.

Thakur’s project involved flattening a service road near the Chabot Space Center in Oakland. By creating and organizing a project from start to finish, Thakur demonstrated  his communication and leadership skills.

Senior Krish Thukral, a member of Thakur’s Boy Scout troop, speaks highly of Thakur.

“He is a very good scout, loyal, hardworking, very friendly,” Thukral said. “He embodies the scout oath and law.”

As reflected by not only this internship but also the other aspects of his life, Thakur is on a road to achieve bigger and  better things. He’s certainly ready to put in the work required. 

“I honestly think of him as an adult, not a teenager because of how mature and responsible he is,” said senior Pranav Anand.