In this episode of The STEAM Success Blueprint, host ⁠David Ferguson( a fourth-year pharmacy student) ⁠ sits down with Romeo Mays, a fourth-year medical student at PCOM in Philadelphia applying to residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Romeo opens up about growing up in the Bay Area balancing competitive basketball with a science-driven environment shaped by nearby institutions like Stanford and Cal, choosing a Master's in Organizational Leadership over a direct path to medical school, and the imposter syndrome that he encountered. The conversation moves through what "intelligence" really means once memorization stops being enough, how one conversation with a friend turned into a medical-school content platform followed by thousands, and why Romeo believes the biggest thing holding people back is rarely ability , it's exposure. David also previews an early build of his own Bahamian-set chemistry textbook and gets Romeo's live, on-the-spot reaction to it.

In this episode:

• Growing up in the Bay Area near Stanford and Cal, and how that environment shaped Romeo's dual pursuit of basketball and academic excellence
• Choosing Dominican University of California for biology, and why chemistry and psychology became his minors
• The COVID-year decision to pursue a Master's in Organizational Leadership at the University of Redlands instead of heading straight to med school
• Confronting imposter syndrome in his first two years at PCOM, and redefining what "intelligence" actually means
• The third-year rotations — OB, family medicine, radiology, surgery — that reconnected him with his reason for pursuing medicine
• The origin story of his content platform, @romeomaysjr, and the first-generation students it was built for
• His current focus on sports medicine, adaptive sports, and pediatrics as he applies to PM&R residency
• A live look at David's in-progress chemistry textbook and Romeo's real-time feedback on it
• Why "comparison is the thief of joy" and "why not you?" have become two of Romeo's guiding principles

Follow & Subscribe:🎧 Follow us and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts: ⁠The STEAM Success Blueprint⁠👉 Follow us, young leaders, on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-ferguson-458b97aa/⁠🔗 Connect with Romeo Mays on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/romeo.mays.71⁠ or Instagram @romeomaysjr

Guest Biography: Romeo Mays, a great young leader, who is a fourth-year medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), currently applying to residency programs in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Raised in the Bay Area of Northern California, Romeo earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Dominican University of California, with double minors in Chemistry and Psychology, while playing collegiate basketball throughout his undergraduate career. After an extra year of NCAA eligibility granted during the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued playing basketball at the graduate level while earning his Master's degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Redlands.

A first-generation college graduate now finishing his medical training, Romeo's clinical interests include sports medicine, adaptive sports, and pediatrics, fields that let him draw on his own background as an athlete to help patients regain function, mobility, and confidence. He is also the creator of a widely followed medical school content platform (@romeomaysjr), where he documents his journey through the pre-med and medical school process to demystify it for students , particularly first-generation and underrepresented students , who don't typically have a canonical roadmap of their own to follow.

Outside of medicine, Romeo recharges by hiking near water, playing pickleball, and staying active around his neighborhood , chasing the same discipline outdoors that carried him through his hardest semesters.

Please note: The views of this podcast represent those of my guest and I.

The STEAM Success Blueprint: An Interview with Pramin Pradeep, Co-founder and CEO of BotGauge AI

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In this episode of The STEAM Success Blueprint, host David Ferguson welcomes Pramin Pradeep, Co-founder and CEO of BotGauge AI, where he is building autonomous quality infrastructure for modern software teams. With over a decade of experience in enterprise QA transformation and low-code ecosystems, Pramin has worked with companies such as Adobe, Infosys, and Unqork.

Pramin shares his journey through software testing, product development, and entrepreneurship, explaining why understanding a problem deeply should come before building a solution. The conversation explores his distinction between automation and autonomy, how testing can expose weaknesses in AI agents, and why responsibility for AI-generated code must extend across teams.

They also discuss what software quality means for users, the skills Pramin believes students should develop as technology roles evolve, and the potential role of AI agents in biological and chemical research.

For students, founders, developers, and curious STEAM professionals, this episode offers a thoughtful look at building technology with purpose, accountability, and the user in mind.

The views shared reflect the personal perspectives of the guest and host. This episode is educational and does not constitute medical or professional advice.

Music is open source: Music by Dmitrii Spis from Pixabay

In this episode of The STEAM Success Blueprint, host David Ferguson( a fourth-year pharmacy student) sits down with Romeo Mays, a fourth-year medical student at PCOM in Philadelphia applying to residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Romeo opens up about growing up in the Bay Area balancing competitive basketball with a science-driven environment shaped by nearby institutions like Stanford and Cal, choosing a Master's in Organizational Leadership over a direct path to medical school, and the imposter syndrome that he encountered. The conversation moves through what "intelligence" really means once memorization stops being enough, how one conversation with a friend turned into a medical-school content platform followed by thousands, and why Romeo believes the biggest thing holding people back is rarely ability , it's exposure. David also previews an early build of his own Bahamian-set chemistry textbook and gets Romeo's live, on-the-spot reaction to it.

In this episode:

• Growing up in the Bay Area near Stanford and Cal, and how that environment shaped Romeo's dual pursuit of basketball and academic excellence
• Choosing Dominican University of California for biology, and why chemistry and psychology became his minors
• The COVID-year decision to pursue a Master's in Organizational Leadership at the University of Redlands instead of heading straight to med school
• Confronting imposter syndrome in his first two years at PCOM, and redefining what "intelligence" actually means
• The third-year rotations — OB, family medicine, radiology, surgery — that reconnected him with his reason for pursuing medicine
• The origin story of his content platform, @romeomaysjr, and the first-generation students it was built for
• His current focus on sports medicine, adaptive sports, and pediatrics as he applies to PM&R residency
• A live look at David's in-progress chemistry textbook and Romeo's real-time feedback on it
• Why "comparison is the thief of joy" and "why not you?" have become two of Romeo's guiding principles

Follow & Subscribe:
🎧 Follow us and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts: The STEAM Success Blueprint
👉 Follow us, young leaders, on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-ferguson-458b97aa/
🔗 Connect with Romeo Mays on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romeo.mays.71 or Instagram @romeomaysjr

Guest Biography: Romeo Mays, a great young leader, who is a fourth-year medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), currently applying to residency programs in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Raised in the Bay Area of Northern California, Romeo earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Dominican University of California, with double minors in Chemistry and Psychology, while playing collegiate basketball throughout his undergraduate career. After an extra year of NCAA eligibility granted during the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued playing basketball at the graduate level while earning his Master's degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Redlands.

A first-generation college graduate now finishing his medical training, Romeo's clinical interests include sports medicine, adaptive sports, and pediatrics, fields that let him draw on his own background as an athlete to help patients regain function, mobility, and confidence. He is also the creator of a widely followed medical school content platform (@romeomaysjr), where he documents his journey through the pre-med and medical school process to demystify it for students , particularly first-generation and underrepresented students , who don't typically have a canonical roadmap of their own to follow.

Outside of medicine, Romeo recharges by hiking near water, playing pickleball, and staying active around his neighborhood , chasing the same discipline outdoors that carried him through his hardest semesters.

Please note: The views of this podcast represent those of my guest and I.

In this 2023 remixed podcast interview episode with Simar, a former Senior at Harvard University, now Harvard graduate and Stanford MD Candidate, we discuss Simar's achievements in science communication, his perseverance, and the hard work required to produce good work, science communication, and good journalism. Furthermore, Simar provides insights as he is a developing and achieving young leader in the science and journalism arenas. Definitely an episode worth listening to!

Here are the links to his website and LinkedIn Page:

1. Simar's website: https://www.simarbajaj.com/

2. Simar's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simar-bajaj/

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In this episode, we discuss, Dr. Emery Brown's phenomenal career at Harvard University and MIT , his research and ,his journey to becoming a successful Physician-Scientist at Harvard University. Link to Dr. Brown's Biography: https://imes.mit.edu/people/faculty/brown-emery/

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Disclaimer: Please note the views of this podcast represent those of my guests and I, and do not constitute medical or professional advice or consultation. Please see the relevant healthcare professionals for any needed advice.

In this interview we discuss with Gabriel, his successful career thus far, and how to achieve those "5%" moments that complement to success, through networking and working hard. He is a former colleague of mine from GT, and a young leader in the making achieving things in the office and in the community. Definitely a good interview.

Recorded in : 2022

In this episode of The New Chemist’s Podcasting Group’s — The Path to KOLs, host David Ferguson sits down with Christine Hollis, Chief Talent & Diversity Officer at Marshall Gerstein. Christine has dedicated her career to guiding scientists and engineers into impactful roles within intellectual property law, bridging the worlds of innovation and legal protection.

She shares insights on:

• Pathways for STEM talent to enter IP law as patent agents or technical specialists.

• The skills scientists bring to legal environments and innovation ecosystems.

• Strategies for diversity, equity, and inclusion in science-driven law.

• The future of STEM-law collaboration in an era of AI, biotech, and medtech.

Whether you’re a student, scientist, or innovator, Christine’s vision will broaden your perspective on how STEM expertise can shape industries beyond the lab.

Disclaimer: These episodes do not constitute medical or professional advice. These are only for intellectual engagement. Please see your local and board-certified health professional for medical advice, consultation, and suggestions.

Music by Viacheslav Starostin from Pixabay

The New Chemist’s Podcasting Group — The Path to KOLs: Accelerating First-in-Human in LATAM — Julio G. Martinez-Clark, CEO, bioaccess® w/ Chadwin Hanna, MD-PhD Student (UF) and David Ferguson (Host)

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On The Path to KOLs from The New Chemist’s Podcasting Group, hosts David Ferguson and Chadwin Hanna explore how Latin America is becoming a strategic engine for high-quality, cost-effective clinical research.

Julio G. Martinez-Clark—Ambassador of IAOCR/GCSA Americas and CEO of bioaccess®—breaks down how aligning to global competence standards and smarter site activation can compress timelines for First-in-Human and Early Feasibility Studies without compromising quality. He shares lessons from pioneering trials, practical blueprints for building city-level clinical hubs, and pragmatic guidance for innovators entering LATAM markets. The conversation also touches on sustaining regional infrastructure, cross-border collaboration, and the mindset behind his long-running Global Trial Accelerators™ series.

Guest: Julio G. Martinez-Clark, CEO, bioaccess®
Hosts: David Ferguson, BS, MS, Pharm.D. Candidate; Chadwin Hanna, MD Candidate & PhD Student

Please note: The views of this podcast reflect those of my guest(s) and I, and do not constitute medical advice, consultation and suggestions. Please see a board certified and state licensed medical professional.