I know why the caged bird sings??

This week is one in which I felt like giving up on finishing a PhD before I finish medical school. Why? After 20 years in the research game, it becomes increasingly difficult to essentially be insulted/have my experiences treated as if I just walked into a lab yesterday.

You may recall the PI under whom I'm to learn a new technique. Well, I spent a few days ago, having to reprove my original hypothesis which is of course, based of sound research data. 7 years ago, he tried something similar and got no results. First of all, I believe he was looking at the wrong receptor (THAT didn't go over well despite my best smhoozing). And second, antibodies from that particular company were and in some cases still are not considered to be very good.

You know sometimes I think my ideas are so good that people think I couldn't possibly know what the hell I'm talking about. Irronically, I can't the number of times when after doing a presentation, I've been addressed as "Doctor" or assumed to be a Post-Doc. Not bragging, but it is, what it is. The thing is that NO person of color would go half-cocked into a PI's face without having turned over every rock looking for anything that might dispute their hypothesis. This week, I felt like "I'm too old to be dealing with this shit!" on with the MD and to hell with the rest!

But of course, I had my reality check about the great need for my research when I checked my email and in my in box was a message from the cousin my age (41) with advanced breast cancer. So when I finish with this post, I'll finish working on my poster presentation. Can't think of a better way to spend a beautiful Friday afternoon!