Growing Up Baylor: Dr. Kim Worley
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magine studying, training and eventually working at the same institution during the span of your career. A special group of physicians, faculty members, researchers and staff at Baylor College of Medicine have had this unique experience.
Dr. Kim Worley, professor in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College, tells us how studying, training and working at Baylor has impacted her life and career.
Q: Did you always know you wanted to study medicine/science?
A: STEM, yes.
Q: Where and when did your journey with Baylor College of Medicine start?
A: I entered the second class of the molecular genetics Ph.D. program in 1988.
Q: What is your favorite memory from being a student at Baylor?
A: The obstacle course and other games on the first department retreat.
Q: What inspired you to continue studying and working at Baylor?
A: The opportunity to shift direction (from molecular genetics Ph.D. to computational biology postdoc) and opportunities to have a bigger impact on the field (computational biology, the human genome project, de novo genomes assembly and analysis for many animals, large-scale genomic projects (human microbiome, encode) and having a lasting impact.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what you would you tell your younger self?
A: You go, girl!
Q: What do you think makes the program at Baylor unique?
A: Striving for excellence and fostering a collaborative environment.
Q: Do you have advice for current trainees?
A: Keep learning. Be open to different paths.
Q: How has sticking with Baylor programs and ultimately becoming a faculty member impacted your life/career?
A: Completely.
