february 19, 2024: a week in the life

this week

I’ve moved boldly forward with my first primary data analysis this week, handling missing questionnaire data and assessing associations between my variables of interest. I still have some questions about the data that need addressing before I can move forward with my main analyses, but I’m hopeful that I can resolve them in good time. Alongside this work, I’ve been drafting proposals and liaising with potential collaborators for new projects relating to the safety of blood donation. More updates to come!

next week

I hope to finish drafting the “introduction” and “methods” sections of my primary analysis write-up next week, as well as making some progress on my main analyses. I also hope to improve upon my first systematic review and meta-analysis draft and get a better handle on what is feasible in terms of those aforementioned collaborations. Finally, I promise (to you and myself) that I’ll finally organise my browser bookmarks next week!

outside the lab

I returned to old habits this weekend, strolling through a new part of town and sketching the wares of a local fruit vendor as my fingers froze up. There’s a lot of liberation to be found in simple acts like these.

on the reading list

Mansournia MA, Nazemipour M. Recommendations for accurate reporting in medical research statistics. The Lancet. 2024;403(10427):611-2.

weekly photo

Praline chocolate courtesy of a colleague.

about me

I’m Yaning (she/her), a PhD candidate in Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge. I am working with colleagues in the Blood and Transplant Research Unit, the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, and NHS Blood and Transplant (England’s national blood service) to improve the safety and efficiency of voluntary whole blood donation. I’m supervised by the amazing Dr Lois Kim and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This is my blog about my journey through this candidature, starting from nine months before my transfer of status. Please feel free to reach out at yw645 [at] cam [dot] ac [dot] uk!