[WTGPhoben]

more progression:

>>>>> begin personal statement draft 6

My focus has always been on the inner workings of the brain, and this focus has led me to choose radiology. After being involved as an undergraduate with an fMRI/TMS/EEG project investigating regions of co-activation and -deactivation in judgment vs. perception tasks I considered pursuing graduate studies in Cognitive Neuroscience. Ultimately, I decided that medical training would offer me the most freedom in working with people. Once in medical school I considered neurosurgery, but became intrigued by the possibility of studying the brain in a non-invasive manner using complementary structural and functional imaging techniques. Thus, my academic interest in the brain led me to radiology.

My my desire to go into academic medicine has been cemented by my current involvement on a project with the University of Washington's Neuropsychiatry Imaging Group. We are analyzing MRI data of the brains of children with autism over time, so as to be able to combine basic science and clinical medicine in a synergistic way to diagnose and treat neuropsychiatric disorders.

To learn more about clinical radiology I have pursued several options. I have spoken extensively with my father, a practicing diagnostic radiologist. I have also spent time in the reading room whenever possible during the 3rd year required clerkships. Furthermore, I am planning on taking four months of radiology clerkships during the 2007-2008 school year, including a month dedicated to a voxel-based morphometry project with the Neuropsychiatry Imaging Group. I have read the radiology literature extensively, with a particular eye on the mathematics underlying the correction of MRI data for magnet inhomogeneity. Finally, I have become familiarizedwith the geometrical and statistical methods used in imaging research through my involvement in the University of Washington's Medical Scientist Research Training Program. Although my 3-dimensional echocardiography research did not involve radiology or brain imaging directly, it allowed me to accomplish the above and provided the opportunity to be published as first author in a peer reviewed journal (Clark TJ et al, Physiological Measurement 2006).

My outside activities reveal interests in applied physics in various guises. My interests in imaging and optics outside of medicine are represented by my efforts as a dedicated amateur photographer, with some of my work visible at www.toshiclark.com. My interest in acoustics is seen and heard in my ongoing involvement as a trumpet player and composer with community orchestras and a brass quintet. My interest in kinetics is represented by skiing, sailing, and amateur automobile racing with the Sports Car Club of America.

The locales in which I have lived show similar variety: I grew up in New York City as my father went through his medical training, watching him study endless textbooks. More recently I earned my undergraduate degree in Computer Science at Harvard University, and proudly greeted my sister as Dr. Clark after her 2006 graduation from University of Michigan Medical School. Currently she is undertaking a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Colorado. As a result, I have ties to many regions of the country and am actively considering residency programs located both within and outside of the Pacific Northwest.

I seek a residency program strong in training both for clinical practice and an academic career. Following residency training I would like: to pursue a fellowship in MRI imaging of the central nervous system, continue to be involved in developing visualization software, and possibly to help develop novel MRI tracers to illuminate various tissues' functional capabilities. Thus, an established program involving collaboration within the school would be beneficial, especially between the Radiology, Bioengineering, and Applied Mathematics departments. I look forward to joining an institution that both supports its community of residents in their training and encourages them to take part in outside intellectual endeavors.

For style points: Fewer I/My statements. Mix it up and maybe be a little more anecdotal while saying the same thing. Let the reader find your point instead of hitting them with it.

 

[Toshi]

ya, the whole paragraph that begins with "My" bugs me. i'll wait until after meeting with my radiology advisor to tweak further, and will clean up the somewhat awkward "applied physics"/activities paragraph.

 

[WTGPhoben]

ya, the whole paragraph that begins with "My" bugs me. i'll wait until after meeting with my radiology advisor to tweak further, and will clean up the somewhat awkward "applied physics"/activities paragraph.

It's really hard not to sound calculated answering essay questions... My editors always told me that it's important not to tell the reader explicitly what you want them to think. example of telling: "My outside activities reveal interests in applied physics in various guises. " The point being that if (in this case) your activities actually do reveal interests in applied physics, you don't have to tell them and if they don't you're going to look like you're grasping at straws, so you might as well skip the explanation. They may not see exactly your point if your example isn't perfect, but If the story is good they'll at least like you.

 

[Toshi]

huh, so it isn't like teaching, where you tell 'em what you're going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you just told 'em?

 

[WTGPhoben]

Santa Cruz calls it the Superlight, but Supersmall also applies. This is my rig in a standard size (and standard weight if I put the tires and tools in my other luggage) airline box. Don't ask how long it took me to get it in there, but it'll be saving me $170:

Days to TransRockies Challenge: 5

 

[WTGPhoben]

huh, so it isn't like teaching, where you tell 'em what you're going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you just told 'em?

exactly:

 

[Toshi]

Santa Cruz calls it the Superlight, but Supersmall also applies. This is my rig in a standard size (and standard weight if I put the tires and tools in my other luggage) airline box. Don't ask how long it took me to get it in there, but it'll be saving me $170:

Days to TransRockies Challenge: 5

nice jersey, heh. what is a "standard airline box"? this is the first i have heard of such a thing.

 

[WTGPhoben]

oh, and note the fork upgrade. for inertial valving (terralogic). lthumbsdown: for price and available technical documentation.

...but nothing will ever feel as plush as an old-school coil/oil bomber. Nothing. Too bad their current fork line eats it in the racy 100mm space.

 

[WTGPhoben]

nice jersey, heh. what is a "standard airline box"? this is the first i have heard of such a thing.

what I was implying is this box meets the requirements for getting on the plane with no oversize charge. The Harvard digs are the only ones that fit me right with my current lack of fat or muscle above the waist

 

[Toshi]

amazing RC helicopter piloting:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8996836251682690877&hl=en

makes the "kobra" and similar maneuvers performed by the thrust vectoring combat planes (see my terminator sex/ipod/mig-29M OVT) seem trivial.

 

[Toshi]

1/2: here's a semi-pro driver's thoughts on the ride and handling of the new, '08 WRX: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1318620

2/2: sitting through a lecture on the mechanics of CT (computerized tomography) capture and processing i was struck by how ridiculously similar it is to photography with a dSLR:

- in both the image data is captured in a "raw" file
- in processing a CT you choose either bone or soft tissue algorithms, which are analogous to choosing white balance, tone curve, saturation, exposure compensation, sharpening, and smoothing in something like Adobe Lightroom
- in viewing a CT you choose "windows", which are analogous in turn to setting levels and contrast in something like Adobe Photoshop. these windows are necessary because the dynamic range of CTs far exceeds even the best Barco monochrome LCD displays (which run at 2000x3000 px, cool, eh?), and additionally far exceeds the number of shades that the eye can discriminate. thus you need to restrict the dynamic range in order to be able to see both local contrast and to be able to see details on structures that normally would be totally lost in the shadows (soft tissues) and highlights (bones). CT data is 12 bits, btw -- that's a lot of shades of grey...

 

[Toshi]

2/2: sitting through a lecture on the mechanics of CT (computerized tomography) capture and processing i was struck by how ridiculously similar it is to photography with a dSLR:

- in both the image data is captured in a "raw" file
- in processing a CT you choose either bone or soft tissue algorithms, which are analogous to choosing white balance, tone curve, saturation, exposure compensation, sharpening, and smoothing in something like Adobe Lightroom
- in viewing a CT you choose "windows", which are analogous in turn to setting levels and contrast in something like Adobe Photoshop. these windows are necessary because the dynamic range of CTs far exceeds even the best Barco monochrome LCD displays (which run at 2000x3000 px, cool, eh?), and additionally far exceeds the number of shades that the eye can discriminate. thus you need to restrict the dynamic range in order to be able to see both local contrast and to be able to see details on structures that normally would be totally lost in the shadows (soft tissues) and highlights (bones). CT data is 12 bits, btw -- that's a lot of shades of grey...

and here is this above concept applied to yet another draft, draft #7 by my numbering system. note changes in bold, particularly the entire 4th paragraph.

>>>>> begin draft 7

My focus has always been on the inner workings of the brain, and this focus has led me to choose radiology. I initially became interested in neuroscience as an undergraduate, drawn in by the question of how complex behavior can arise from a vast network of elegant, simple circuits. After being involved with an fMRI/TMS/EEG project investigating regions of co-activation and -deactivation in judgment vs. perception tasks I considered pursuing graduate studies in Cognitive Neuroscience. Ultimately, I decided that medical training would offer me the most freedom in working with people. Once in medical school I considered neurosurgery, but became intrigued by the possibility of studying the brain in a non-invasive manner using complementary structural and functional imaging techniques. Thus, my academic interest in the brain led me to radiology.

My desire to go into academic medicine has been cemented by my current involvement on a project with the University of Washington's Neuropsychiatry Imaging Group. We are analyzing MRI data of the brains of children with autism over time, so as to be able to combine basic science and clinical medicine in a synergistic way to diagnose and treat neuropsychiatric disorders.

To learn more about clinical radiology I have pursued several options. I have spoken extensively with my father, a practicing diagnostic radiologist. I have also spent time in the reading room whenever possible during the 3rd year required clerkships. Furthermore, I am planning on taking four months of radiology clerkships during the 2007-2008 school year, including a month dedicated to a voxel-based morphometry project with the Neuropsychiatry Imaging Group. I have read the radiology literature extensively, with a particular eye on the mathematics underlying the correction of MRI data for magnet inhomogeneity. Finally, I have become familiarized with the geometrical and statistical methods used in imaging research through my involvement in the University of Washington's Medical Scientist Research Training Program. Although my 3-dimensional echocardiography research did not involve radiology or brain imaging directly, it allowed me to accomplish the above and provided the opportunity to be published as first author in a peer reviewed journal (Clark TJ et al, Physiological Measurement 2006).

My outside activities reflect qualities that would make me a good resident and radiologist. As a dedicated amateur photographer I hone my skills both behind the camera and behind the computer terminal. In particular, there exist many parallels between the processing of computerized tomography data and that of images from a digital SLR camera: both start out as raw sensor data, have algorithms governing tone curves, sharpening, and smoothing applied, and then have their levels or windows set in order to optimize both dynamic range and display quality. While such direct comparisons between radiological techniques do not exist for my other interests of trumpet performance, musical composition, skiing, and sailing, they nevertheless reflect the intellectual curiosity and energy that I would bring to a residency program.

The locales in which I have lived show similar variety: I grew up in New York City as my father went through his medical training, watching him study endless textbooks. More recently I earned my undergraduate degree in Computer Science at Harvard University, and proudly greeted my sister as Dr. Clark after her 2006 graduation from University of Michigan Medical School. Currently she is undertaking a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Colorado. As a result, I have ties to many regions of the country and am actively considering residency programs located both within and outside of the Pacific Northwest.

I seek a residency program strong in training both for clinical practice and an academic career. Following residency training I would like to pursue a fellowship in MRI imaging of the central nervous system, continue to be involved in developing visualization software, and possibly to help develop novel MRI tracers to illuminate various tissues' functional capabilities. Thus, an established program involving collaboration within the school would be beneficial, especially between the Radiology, Bioengineering, and Applied Mathematics departments. I look forward to joining an institution that both supports its community of residents in their training and encourages them to take part in outside intellectual endeavors.

 

[Toshi]

the sell-off continues (i've been considering selling this lens for a while, actually):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110157378895

canon 28mm f/1.8 USM. on eBay. $0.99 starting bid, no reserve price.

and the discerning audience here should appreciate my product shot of it, complete with external flash to be slightly artsy:

 

[narlus]

that's a nice lens...why get rid of it?

i might auctionsnipe this badboy...i have no direct need for it, but if i get it at a good price, it may tip my hand faster to buying a 5D (and it will be much cheaper than the 35L).

 

[Toshi]

that's a nice lens...why get rid of it?

i might auctionsnipe this badboy...i have no direct need for it, but if i get it at a good price, it may tip my hand faster to buying a 5D (and it will be much cheaper than the 35L).

why get rid of it? well, trying not to outlive my student loans by too much, for one... although i did use it quite extensively on this last road trip since it's acceptably wide with the 1.6x crop yet accepts a polarizer without issue, i generally use it less than my other lenses. i find that i shoot at 20mm or 200mm (effective) much of the time, go figure.

 

[narlus]

you want to get rid of some debt? sell yr fancy boy car!

 

[Toshi]

you want to get rid of some debt? sell yr fancy boy car!

there's actually a fairly good chance i'll do that around june of next year when readying to (probably) move elsewhere for residency: the car will be approaching its 50,000 mile point (end of warranty), and i'll have gotten good use out of the racing tires by then. right now they have 8 runs on them, and they're good for about 120...

we shall see.

 

[Toshi]

there's actually a fairly good chance i'll do that around june of next year when readying to (probably) move elsewhere for residency: the car will be approaching its 50,000 mile point (end of warranty), and i'll have gotten good use out of the racing tires by then. right now they have 8 runs on them, and they're good for about 120...

we shall see.

it'd be fun (and cheap! in purchase price, insurance, and consumables) to have something like the below and a beater (a la '96 impreza L wagon).

http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/257871.aspx

 

[Toshi]

alexis, you'll like this, subaru's official mockup of the '08 WRC challenger:

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/09/first-look-subaru-wrc-concept-heading-to-frankfurt/

 

[Toshi]

i jumped on the road bike for a rare non-commuting jaunt along the burke-gilman trail. seattle is a great place for many reasons, and this is one of them.

the day's route:

and an uncharacteristically poor capture from me, from golden gardens right near the end of the route (straight off my iPhone -- my external drive is being repaired so i don't have access to iPhoto/Photoshop for the moment without jumping through hoops):

ugly image un-inlined: http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/1568/img0039rd9.jpg

i got tired at the 12 mile point after climbing the switchbacks up from golden gardens and there's no especially bike friendly route straight across town (and lots of hills) so i hopped on the bus with my uw-provided bus pass. the buses in seattle are pretty cool, by the way: the big routes get doubly-long articulated buses that are diesel-electric hybrids.

 

[Toshi]

lots of practice improves one's scrabble-ing ability. go figure. this board was getting pretty dense.

 

[Toshi]

the results aren't posted on the web yet, but i did quite well for myself on sunday at the Bremerton Sports Car Club autocross event.

in their weird classing structure (SCCA) A Stock and B Stock cars are lumped together. for example, i, in my B Stock RX-8, had to run straight up against a Honda S2000 and a newer Porsche Boxster, both of which are A Stock, one class up, typically.

despite this handicap i beat the other 10 entries in Sports B* handily, with 2nd place 1.2 seconds back and 3rd place 1.7 or so. the S2000 and Boxster were outside the top 3, iirc. on the preliminary results posted at the event, at least, in raw time i was 11/130 or so, and ahead of a few Sports A entries even (ie, Super Stock, Z06/Exige/etc.). when the results are posted officially i'll calculate indexed time based on SCCA class...

* see http://www.autocrossscorekeeper.com/register/bscc/viewentries.asp

 

[Toshi]

check it:

i'm especially happy with the sale price for the lens. i bought it used from keh.com for $349 in march 2003. $70 for 4.5 years of use isn't bad.

 

[narlus]

if you baby yr lenses, they do hold value. that's exceptional cost/usage for you, though.

 

[Toshi]

 

[Toshi]

randomly catching up on photos from the last few weeks now that my external hard drive is operable once again:

http://tinyurl.com/yttvyr

an example or two:

 

[Toshi]

 

[Toshi]

the results aren't posted on the web yet, but i did quite well for myself on sunday at the Bremerton Sports Car Club autocross event.

in their weird classing structure (SCCA) A Stock and B Stock cars are lumped together. for example, i, in my B Stock RX-8, had to run straight up against a Honda S2000 and a newer Porsche Boxster, both of which are A Stock, one class up, typically.

despite this handicap i beat the other 10 entries in Sports B* handily, with 2nd place 1.2 seconds back and 3rd place 1.7 or so. the S2000 and Boxster were outside the top 3, iirc. on the preliminary results posted at the event, at least, in raw time i was 11/130 or so, and ahead of a few Sports A entries even (ie, Super Stock, Z06/Exige/etc.). when the results are posted officially i'll calculate indexed time based on SCCA class...

* see http://www.autocrossscorekeeper.com/register/bscc/viewentries.asp

incorrect: http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/8417/picture1ug0.png

 

[Toshi]

i went on my first real trail ride in probably 2.5 years today. rode the Iverson RR trail out at Tiger Mtn. short, slippery, and quite fun, probably 5-6 miles in 80 minutes of not-quite-constant riding. now i remember why i used to do this. the $26 trunk rack i picked up from performance bike on sale worked just fine, btw, if a tremendous pain compared to the ol' sportworks. but hey, i'm living frugally. sorta. heh

no pics today. oh, the other amusing part is that my riding buddy was a friend from high school, and we almost had a middle school (!) compadre join us.

 

[Toshi]

incorrect table:

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/8417/picture1ug0.png

turns out i had a couple of the indices wrong, and i ended up PAXing 9th out of 130.

 

[Toshi]

this is really cool, content aware image resizing. the video is worth watching if you are a photographer to any degree.

http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/08/25/1835256

"At the SIGGRAPH 2007 conference in San Diego, two Israeli professors, Shai Avidan and Ariel Shamir, have demonstrated a new method to shrink images. The method is called 'Seam Carving for Content-Aware Image Resizing' (PDF paper here) and it figures out which parts of an image are less significant. This makes it possible to change the aspect ratio of an image without making the content look skewed or stretched out. There is a video demonstration up on YouTube."

 

[binary visions]

Fraser and I were talking about this the other day. DPReview posted it as a news item - I thought it was awesome.

I was half wondering if there would be some kind of way to configure it. That is, to intercede at the edge detection process and indicate to the algorithm a part of the image that it may peg as important or unimportant and manually change it.

 

[Toshi]

Fraser and I were talking about this the other day. DPReview posted it as a news item - I thought it was awesome.

I was half wondering if there would be some kind of way to configure it. That is, to intercede at the edge detection process and indicate to the algorithm a part of the image that it may peg as important or unimportant and manually change it.

the demo video addresses this...

 

[binary visions]

the demo video addresses this...

Ahh. I'm at work, so I didn't hit the end of the video, nor did I have the sound on. Oops.

 

[Toshi]

if any of you are curious as to where i might end up, you should look at this:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=peP2MMXqCxONtxZzcko-ySQ&hl=en

(the answer is: anywhere. meh. i still haven't added states beginning with A through F-before-south-florida, too.)

 

[binary visions]

I enjoy the fact that Thai restaurants is a major criteria in choosing your next school

 

[Toshi]

actually, I think that the Thai restaurant count is a decent proxy for the strength of the Asian community... (please disregard capitalization of Asian, etc.: the phone does it automatically)

In narrowing the list down I think I'll first cull the community programs with no symphony and <5 Thai joints. After that I'm kind of clueless, sadly. I may end up applying to most and turning down excess interviews (with any luck)

 

[Toshi]

ugh. and after this i have to fly all about and interview here and there. expensive!

 

[Toshi]

a few photos from autocrossing this weekend: http://tinyurl.com/33gpzd

ferry ride over to bremerton:

jessica helping me to prep the car and swap the wheels:

i only shot 9 or 10 action shots after i ran since i was horribly sick, and most of these shots turned out to be back-focused (due to my own timing error). this one turned out ok:

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

thats a neat 3 ton jack.

i saw a 100% aluminum snap on jack the other day at a store. the brushed finish was to drool for. supposed to be a racing one, 3 pumps and the car was all up. it was like 5kg only.... and US$600 plus 19% sales tax