#PhDGoals

[theonlynailah]

Mini Progress Report

Baby, reading back through these entries… whew. I can write ✍🏽. Sure, I use grammar tools and ChatGPT to tighten things up, but the voice? That’s all me.

Here’s a quick check-in on life lately:

Work So much has shifted since I was last here. I’ve got a new supervisor — and I think he’s more intimidated by me than he realizes 😌. It’s becoming clear: not having my Ph.D 🎓 is the one thing that might hold me back. Everyone around me sees that I’m ready for more leadership, and that’s because I didn’t learn it — I am it. I’m a wolf 🐺.

I went through the job search process for the Director of New Student Programming at SIUE — and I got the job. But I chose to stay. I thought a move was what I needed, but it wasn’t the right time. I would’ve been the first and only Black woman in that department, surrounded by all white colleagues. And I’m not trying to be the Ruby Bridges of my career path — especially not after just watching Sinners.

I leaned on my family, mentors, and close friends for advice 🫶🏽, but deep down I already knew the answer. It just felt good to be wanted. When I called to decline, the Vice Chancellor told me they’d wait for me if I needed time. That meant something. But this season with my sister? That’s something I’m not willing to trade 👯🏽‍♀️. (Side note: I did apply for Alexis’ old job in Student Activities — so we’ll see what life has in store 👀.)

Staying at UTA feels like it’s about to push me into something greater. I got the raise I said I wanted 💸, and now it’s time to get serious about my Ph.D apps.

Sometimes I hold back because of how people in my story might be perceived. I know the field is small, and politics are real — but honestly, sometimes that feels like an excuse. I’ve been disappointed by people I once admired, like RJ. I’m just being honest — that one still stings.

As I grow, I’m learning how to move on without always having to say everything out loud. I talk about everyone and everything else, sometimes so I don’t have to fully talk about me. That’s probably been my best-kept secret.

But here I am again — another night, writing it out. Hoping I knock a few more things off this list before the year ends 🗓️.

[confusedresearchstudyblr]

Hey Tumblr,

Help me write my SOP please. Any templates, any suggestions help!!

Thanks in advance!!

[phdduniya]

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[prashasconsulting]

PhD Progress Recap: Thanks to Prashas Research Consulting! 📊✨

Here’s a quick look at my PhD progress this month! From refining my literature review to finalizing my research design, Prashas Research Consulting has been a huge help in keeping me on track. 🚀📚

If you're also on your research journey, let me know your progress below—and be sure to check out Prashas Research Consulting for expert support! 💡

[faizcollegetour]

Ph.D.  after a 4-Year Bachelor's Degree with 75% Marks: UGC Guidelines

The National Eligibility Test (NET) is now available to students with four-year undergraduate degrees directly, according to a Sunday announcement made by UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar. The purpose of this modification is to make the procedure easier for students who want to pursue higher education.

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[mahiraagarwal]

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[thescrcservices]

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[jaxxreads]

In addition to making progress on the writing of my dissertation, today I figured out how to create three more graphs to depict the narrative structures! #phdgoals #dissertating #nonlinearfiction #summerwritinggroup (at London, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCugYean1Oy/?igshid=sg7719ro7ohy

[stayfocusedstaycalm]

All the learning doesn't come from classroom. . . .!! . . . . . . . . . . . #cyprus #stimulate #eu #europe @stimulate_ejd #horizon2020 #hpc #kickoff #meeting #findtheboat #networking #socialize #learning #phd #phdlife #phdgoals #enjoy #sea #castle #trip (at Girne) https://www.instagram.com/p/BstOmkeFyhZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=kuaqgc4gahf3

[lehlohonolomazindo-blog]

Looking forward to this year. It’s gonna be greater. #greatness #dream #dreamcatcher #dedication #mentor #coach #motivationalspeaker #motivation #inspiration #tall #tallguys #tallman #education #graduation #phdgoals #work #academic #academicplanner #2019goals (at Durban, KwaZulu-Natal) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsPxy-Lnwk9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o03c36i0x13k

[sherlock-in-the-library-03]

I want a PhD in flying alien spaceships...

#me in a crisis

[c33ma-blog]

Finished my last assignment EVER, attended the WITS group at MSU and got my comp citations cleaned up, and made a schedule for all my summer writing. Day 4 of #30daysofproductivity #acwri #phdgoals (at Caribou Coffee)

[moreinyoucoach-blog]

When I look back to where I’ve come from, I realize that I am further than I think I am. It’s so dangerous to compare yourself to the next one. But I do compare the new me to the old me. I am no longer the little girl from the projects afraid to speak up. I am a woman walking in my purpose, and sharing it with the world. I am working on milestone 7 of 16. I have been in school for a long time, but that’s ok. I’m not Dr. D yet, but I’m almost there! #careercoach #purpose #futuredrdetracarter #capellauniversity #beproudofeverystep #straightastudent #passion #power #nevergiveup #goals #phdgoals #dontwaittocelebrate

[phdduniya]

PhD: The journey of transforming ideas into real-world impact.📚

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[prashasconsulting]

PhD fam, how’s your journey going? Drop your progress below and let’s keep pushing forward together! 📊✨

Here’s a quick PhD progress update! In the past month, I’ve made major strides with my literature review, research design, and methodology, all while working with Prashas Research Consulting to make sure I'm on the right path. 🔍💼

Whether you’re in the early stages of your PhD or well into your research, check out Prashas Research Consulting for expert support in navigating your academic journey. 🌟

What’s your biggest win this month? Drop it in the comments below! Let’s keep motivating each other! 💬👩‍🏫

[jasonhaw]

Life in Ghana 7 (9/13 - 22): The Unwavering Kindness of Ghanaians

It has been seven weeks since I have arrived here and I have probably talked to dozens of Ghanaians by this point. Every single one of them has been extremely kind and generous and hospitable. I borrow some words in Filipino: Wala akong masabi (I have nothing [ill] to say). This week I share about 5 little acts of kindness over the past week.

1. Tuesday (Sep 12): We visited the District Health Office of the neighboring Ningo-Prampram district (Dodowa is in Shai-Osudoku, and both Ningo-Prampram and Shai-Osudoku used to be part of the same district, Dangme West). We were welcomed by Dr. Gifty Ofori-Ansah, who welcomed us with kind words and a comprehensive presentation on the health status of the district. From the moment I talked to her, I can tell that she is a very smart, decisive, and open-minded woman, and she was kind enough to offer her input to the research topics of Natalie and Allie, who are still in the process of writing their proposal. We also met some of the supervisors managing the different health programs like family planning and infectious disease control. 

What I admired about her was her humility and dedication as a public servant when she was talking about the issues that plagued her district - teenage pregnancy, quack doctors (and its relationship with religious faith), and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases. She reminded me of the hardworking municipal health officers that I have met so far in the Philippines. It is people like her that continue to give me hope about public health - that most of us have good, wonderful hearts always ready to help those in need.

2. Monday (Sep 18): I presented my initial results to the staff of the research center and the room was packed. Days leading up to the presentation, I felt a bit uncomfortable because I did not want to feel like a foreigner telling them what their health system is like given that these are researchers who have spent their careers understanding their own health system. After I presented, my colleagues gave wonderful and helpful remarks on how to improve my paper. One thing I appreciate about Ghanaians is that they always have a sense of humor even in the driest of things, such as presenting something as technical as statistical analysis. After that presentation, I am more confident in finishing my presentation.  

3. Tuesday (Sep 19): I had two tasks that day: go to immigration and extend my visa stay, and visit a professor over at the University of Ghana who has written extensively on the topic of quality of care perceptions, which you may recall is also my topic for my scholarly paper. The Ghana Immigration Service is the first government office I have transacted since arriving here, and while the office is a bit chaotic, it is miles and miles better from the Bureau of Immigration back home. First of all, there are no fixers! Fixers, as officially defined by law in the Philippines, are "any individual whether or not officially involved in the operation of a government office or agency who has access to people working therein, and whether or not in collusion with them, facilitates speedy completion of transactions for pecuniary gain or any other advantage or consideration." We have a law that explicitly bans fixers in government offices (Republic Act 9485) but of course, just like most laws in the Philippines, no one implements them. Second, the immigration officers have been extremely helpful, unlike the ones in the Philippines where a lot of them are snarky and powertrip foreigners.

After that trip to immigration, I visited a professor at the University of Ghana Business School and an expert on quality of care perceptions in hospitals. We had a very fun and fruitful discussion on his papers, and I also consulted with him on my method. He was very honored that someone read his 400 page dissertation on the topic, and I told him that I love doing research so 400 pages is a breezy read to me. At the end of the meeting, he agreed to review my paper and comment on it. I am so honored to have someone so knowledgeable on the topic review my work.  

4. Wednesday (Sep 20): I left early again to visit another professor who is currently based in the University of Health and Allied Sciences at Ho, the capital of Volta Region, which is east of Greater Accra Region. The ride took almost three hours getting there - mostly because Ghanaian roads are not paved (which makes me carsick most of the time). The trip was definitely, definitely worth it. I cannot stress how engaging and fruitful our discussion was. He has written a lot of papers on the topic of health care quality, as he also did his dissertation on it. What particularly interested me was how he ended up doing his PhD program, which I hope I will have the opportunity to have in the future when I finally study for my PhD. In short, he was my #PhDGoals. In summary (and if I understood it correctly): The National Health Insurance Agency (= PhilHealth in the Philippines) asked help from the Dutch government to solve their issue of low population coverage/ enrollment into the scheme. The Dutch government gave them a grant, and allowed three PhD students (one from Ghana Health Service, one from the Netherlands, and one from the school where Prof Kaba was affiliated at that time), and one postdoc (who is now head of research at the insurance agency) to be principal investigators in distinct but interrated parts of the project grant. Prof Kaba was primarily responsible for doing the quantitative work in assessing the impact of the project, which was a community trial that used community engagement as a tool to improve insurance enrollment. Since then, he has written 9 published papers on the topic (in very reputable journals like PLoS One)! 

What particularly impressed me with his PhD journey was that: (1) he was involved with the insurance agency the entire time - and some of his recommendations have been turned to policy, such as the issuance of the cards on the same day, and the shift to biometric insurance cards, and (2) the PhD students leading the studies had a lot of freedom with their paper, with national implications. I have never seen anything as seamless and empowering as his PhD program, and all I could think about during that meeting was how we should emulate this in the Philippines. Like this was my lightbulb moment for my PhD program - I want my PhD program to be structured like this. I will not settle for anything less. 

But going back this professor, he was so, so kind. First of all, he saw my undergraduate thesis online (which is published in a Scopus-indexed journal) and was very interested with the findings we had on family planning in urban poor communities in the Philippines. I was so flattered someone actually read our paper. Second, he wanted me to invite for lunch but I had to decline as I had matters to attend back at the research center before office closes (remember the journey back is 3 hours!). Finally, he was just a guy who had a lot of good vibes, showed love for his country, and is very intelligent. I am so grateful to have met someone as inspiring as him.

5. Thursday (Sep 22): I will post more about this in my next post next week, but we went to a nature reserve in nearby Shai Hills. But going back to the overall theme of kindness of Ghanaians, I just want to remark how everyone has been so kind to us whenever we ride the tro-tro. As lost foreigners (oburonis), we would not have known where to go, but someone - either the mate (conductor) or a kind passenger - always tells us where to alight and what to ride. Even the taxi driver that took us home from the reserve did not scam us (or at least based from our computations as we spent around 30 cedis in tro-tros coming there, and the taxi home was just 50 cedis).   

Honestly, this country is just oozing with kindness, and I am starting to regret that I only have four weeks remaining here. I honestly want to extend but matters at home are more pressing at the end of the year. Ghana's tourism slogan should be, "Visit Ghana for good vibes."