Getting my research off the ground has been difficult. I arrived with a concrete idea for a project but hadn't written the IRB. I wanted to visit the school where I'd be working, to get to know the community and make local contacts. My US mentor introduced me to a pulmonologist who guided me on the US side. Peruvian-wise I engaged in a trial and error process to make contacts.  I started working with the head of the asthma department at the Children's Institute, but let's just say we weren't on the same page. I stopped going after my 4th visit because I spent more time waiting for him to arrive outside or feeling like I was a disturbance to him. I then started shadowing in the general pediatrics ward and met a Dr. DC, a TB expert, whom I started working with. When it came to teaching and patient care we got along great. However, then we started developing a retrospective study, and the day I was going to turn in the project for review he sat me down and told me we couldn't turn it in because this was a project he wanted to do with his colleagues. I asked why he pushed me to write the IRB and agreed to working with me earlier, but he couldn't give me a straight answer. Instead he told me about other Americans who have come and taken data without including or acknowledging the Peruvian physicians. I tried to explain that I was not these "other Americans," but there was an inherent mistrust that I don't think he'll ever get over. 

Over my three months at the children's hospital I realized that it's a political environment I don't want to try overcoming. Using the wrong physician's name around can very much affect the way you'll be treated. It's a pity that my relationship with Dr. DC ended this way because he really is a great teacher and I enjoyed sitting in on outpatient visits (MDR TB in kids is crazy to treat, but can be cured). I just hope he uses the data he's stored. It goes back to 1970 and contains information about 4000 children with TB in just about anywhere you can and can't think of.

In the last month I've been going to meetings all around Lima figuring the logistics of my study in Puente Piedra. I'm using this time to think about every step of the project and anything I could ever need including materials, medications, equipment training, personnel, community support, etc. I feel that I'm running around Lima like a chicken with my head cut off, but I want to have everything ready by late February. The kids are starting school in March, and my information/consent meeting is planned for March 20. I'll be moving to the shanty town around then to save the (minimum) 3 hour daily commute. Thankfully, two of the other scholars will also be moving. I am soooo excited to finally start working with the kids. It's the reason I'm in Peru and (mostly) everything I've done in the meantime has been to prepare. If there is one thing I don't need to learn any more of it's that research is frustrating and if things work out like you plan them, you're lucky, but you can't expect they will. We'll see what else is in store for me, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I can just imagine chasing crying kids around the courtyard because they don't want the PPD injection (TB test) my protocol calls for.

In travel news I visited Ica/Huacachina/Paracas last week, but I'll write about my sandboarding adventures next time...maybe when I get back from Brazil (heading there before starting my data collection) and spending Carnaval there!!