Part 37 - I am a RA

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by DrKcWong

by DrKcWong

Background: 2004 - 2005 (Age 37 - 38 years)

In a library, I read an advertisement in the newspaper. It read "Part-time Research Associate at the Centre for Chronic Disease, University of Queensland. Research experience and knowledge in applied statistics are essential."

My Master of Science Degree specializing in Applied Statistics coupled with my research experience at Dartmouth, USA, could qualify me for the position. I would definitely apply for it.

I had to get my cracked LCD laptop computer working first. I went to a 'Cash & Carry' shop that sold used computer monitor and bought a $25 monitor.

Plugged the cheap but functional monitor to my laptop, I switched on the laptop. Wow, I could read the document on the monitor without cracked lines crisscrossing it. I typed my CV and application letter for the Research Associate (R.A.) position. I submitted the documents in person to the secretary at the Centre for Chronic Disease at University of Queensland (UQ) and awaited a call for an interview.

*****

Meanwhile, I moved on to do other clinical rotations i.e. rural health, community medicine/ general practice, obstetrics & gynecology (O & G), ENT, and respiratory/ cardiology. I kept my casual job at the nursing home on some evenings and weekends. It was tiring to struggle between studying and working part time. Well, the life was tough, I chose my path, and I would have to bite the bullet. No turning back.

In my O&G term, I waited hours to help in delivering my first baby. The couple had kindly granted permission for me to deliver the baby together with the midwife and an on-call obstetrician. They had their 6-year old daughter by the bedside to witness the arrival of her baby brother. The kid was keen initially but not until the moment the "water broke" (the amniotic sac broke) and the baby was about to be delivered. Frightened, she ran away for not having a clue what was going on.

The baby boy was delivered without complications and was handed to the mother. The baby cried loudly which was a good sign that his lungs functioned adequately. The mother held the baby's tiny hand, placed it on her chest and then on her face. The parents kissed the baby. The baby stopped crying. The love was emanating from the faces of the couple and the baby.

*****

I attended the interview and was offered the part-time job as a Research Associate (R.A.) at the Centre for Chronic Disease, University of Queensland. I couldn't afford time and energy to take on the casual job at the nursing home and gave it up.

My first research project was to analyze the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Chinese populations inside and outside mainland China using the international database collected over the past 40 years. It was a tedious process of reviewing, collating, analyzing, and interpreting the data and findings. My immediate supervisor was Dr. ZQ.

One day, Dr. ZQ discussed the project with me. He would like to read my draft report.

"I am going to write my introduction like this: In the search for a greener pasture, some Chinese people have migrated outside the mainland China..."

I read a few sentences of my draft report and they were factual statements.

"Hold on. What's the point you are making? We are researchers who investigate, analyze and report new findings. A researcher is not merely a reporter who reports known facts. We shall report our novel findings," Dr. ZQ educated me.

It is an important lesson that sticks in my head for the rest of my career!

(PS. The research was completed and published in an international journal in 2006, and it has been cited by other researchers 103 times as on 23rd September 2016.)

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Notable quote:

"Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible."
― Albert Einstein