Spring 2011 already

I am happy to report that things are going better now than they were when I wrote my last post.... 5 months ago. This week, the first scientific manuscript that I wrote from start to finish (with some editing by my co-authors), was published in Public Health Nutrition. I have another review article on the health effects of cocoa on its third or fourth (I've lost track) round of revisions now. That thing has been such a thorn in my side for nearly 2 years. If it actually gets published, I may throw a party. A chocolate party would be very apropos. On second thought, who needs an excuse to hold such a party?? Hmm.. food for thought.

Now in my 4th semester, I have a new set of challenges. Primarily, I need to figure out just what the heck I'm doing my dissertation on and which faculty member will be the chair of my committee. Plus the minor detail of finding funding for the project.

What I would really love to do is a randomized, controlled trial testing the effects of a Mediterranean diet on metabolic (e.g. glucose, insulin, cholesterol levels, etc.) and endocrine (hormonal) parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Because the only apparent funding organizations for such a study are government agencies that receive a large volume of high-quality proposals and also have a long turnaround time, I have opted to seek funding from a private organization. I am currently in the process of recruiting a reproductive endocrinologist (Ob/Gyn) to help me refine my study protocol and make decisions about who will participate in the study and what the outcome measures will be. The next step will be to submit a proposal to the organization and hope that they think my study is worth funding. If they don't.. it's back to the drawing board.
I do have at least one "back-up" plan in the works, but that is not guaranteed either, so there are a lot of unkowns at the moment. The uncertainty is unsettling to say the least.

On the plus side, after this semester I will have only 3 more courses to take. One I will take over the summer online. This is great because it means I don't have to commute, but it's not so great because it also means I have to pay for the class out of pocket. The 2nd class I will take in the fall, hopefully while also working on my dissertation study (whatever it will be). However, the 3rd class I need to take is posing quite a challenge. I need to take this course prior to the Spring 2012 semester, but it won't be offered at UMass again until that time. I could have taken it this semester, but I was a brat and didn't want to (long story). So... now I'm trying to find a comparable course I can take online at another university. Turns out this isn't so easy, and I haven't a clue how I'm going to fulfill this requirement. Lovely.

Also on the plus side, my classes this semester are amazing.  I am doing an independent study that will involve analyzing data from a large cohort study to evaluate the relationship between diabetes and breast cancer risk. In addition, I'm taking Nutrition & Reproductive Health, Nutrition Problems in the US, and Minerals. The first two cover all of my favorite topics: endocrinology, pregnancy nutrition, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The final course is surprisingly fascinating and is opening up a whole new world of insights for me. It is challenging, and I think I may have actually failed the first exam, but I love that it's pushing me to learn more than I think I can. The expectations are refreshingly high. I am used to being able to get away with studying for an hour for an exam and getting an A. I learned the hard way that that won't work for this class. And that's fine with me.