At the beginning of my PhD journey I had the most amazing ideas for my research project. A little naive and idealistic, I thought that everything would fall into place and I could fulfil my dreams. As I started to plan my projects reality sunk in and I had to compromise on some of my ideas.Continue reading “The magic of saying ‘oh, OK’”
Category Archives: research
Week 2 of PhD data collection in Nepal (half way mark)
Another week down of performing 4D pelvic floor muscle ultrasound for Nepali women and we’ve really hit our stride. My research partner and I are in a good rhythm now and have become super efficient. We have a local Nepali intern helping us who is an absolute gem, we really couldn’t do it without his help.Continue reading “Week 2 of PhD data collection in Nepal (half way mark)”
Week 1 of my PhD data collection in Nepal
There was so much anticipation and anxiety leading up to commencing my PhD research projects being conducted in Nepal this November. Having arrived now and completed 2 days of data collection has significantly eased my stress so now I’m feeling quite calm about the upcoming 4 weeks. Partnering with groups overseas can create an element of stress inContinue reading “Week 1 of my PhD data collection in Nepal”
What doesn’t kill you makes a good story
I have now completed my first full year as a PhD student and wow… has it been a learning experience on so many levels. So many highs and lows, ups and downs, wins and losses. Looking back over the year I feel a small sense of pride that I have made it this far andContinue reading “What doesn’t kill you makes a good story”
Time for review and reflection
At my University, it’s that time of the year where PhD students meet for their Annual Performance Reviews. While some of the paperwork may seem like an unnecessary time waster, it’s actually been a worthwhile task for me. Sometimes it’s easy to get stuck down in the day-to-day grind making you feel like a mouse in aContinue reading “Time for review and reflection”
Riding the PhD rollercoaster
I know it’s been said before, that doing a PhD is like being on a rollercoaster – so many highs and lows, ups and downs. These moments of extreme can very easily happen in the same week, day or even hour. This past week I was feeling very satisfied with myself, being able to checkContinue reading “Riding the PhD rollercoaster”
Pelvic Organ Prolapse Month
June is Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) month and is a great way to increase awareness and conversation around this common condition. POP effects women all around the world but there is a very high prevalence for young women in Nepal. POP is a condition where the uterus, bowel and/or bladder fall into the vagina. AContinue reading “Pelvic Organ Prolapse Month”
Comparison: the buzzkill
There are some days during my PhD journey that I feel like a winner. Emails come through with definitive answers and advice, words flow onto the laptop screen and goals are checked off the list. These days are deeply satisfying and are what keep me pushing forward through the PhD marathon. This moment of feeling accomplished can beContinue reading “Comparison: the buzzkill”
Fake it ’til you make it
As a newbie researcher, I wonder if ignorance is bliss. In my first 7 months as a PhD student, I was able to develop a research proposal, submit an ethics application and have it approved and conduct a study in Nepal. I’m not exactly sure how I pulled this off and my unrealistic expectations magically seemedContinue reading “Fake it ’til you make it”
You’re only as good as those who support you
I have just completed my first field work project in Nepal for my PhD. It went surprisingly well considering I have no experience in conducting research. It quickly became apparent that my success can be entirely credited to my awesome local research assistant. She had conducted research before and project managed many events in Nepal andContinue reading “You’re only as good as those who support you”
Delena-Mae PhD 