Research Topic & IRB

Wow, I'm finally home in New Orleans for spring break (see PHAST) after a maddening late-night dash to get my background/introduction written and sent to Cheryl, my PI and MHIRT mentor.

Our main research project has been the role of optimism/pessimism on pregnancy outcomes, with cross-cultural implications across China, Ghana, and the United States. A few weeks ago, the outcome of postpartum depression was thrown into the mix, and since it didn't fall into the optimism protocol, we had to file a new one. This is great experience...drafting a real live protocol (i.e. attached to money) to be submitted for IRB approval. The goal is to get the IRB app in this week so that the months-long approval process can be settled before I start the research in Beijing.

I'm really happy with where we're going with the project...more on that later. (^O^)