This summer, I worked as a research assistant with Dr. Anne-Marie McCarthy and her team at the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics. Dr. McCarthy and her research team focus on examining risks of aggressive breast cancers and disparities in the risk of breast cancer. As a research assistant, I have had the opportunity to be involved in a few different projects in the department.

One of the projects I have been involved in is based on disparities in diagnosis and outcomes of endometrial cancer between Non-Hispanic Black and NH-White women. Another project I’m working on is a meta-analysis on triple-negative breast cancer. Through these projects, I have developed a variety of different skills. I’ve learned how to gather research articles and assess whether they are appropriate for our research based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, conduct literature reviews, and write full IRB protocols for upcoming projects. I have also learned how to extract data for analysis by pulling descriptive statistics using extraction templates, and assess the risk of bias in research journals. 

I have frequently attended several department meetings for other projects I am not working on, which have exposed me to other approaches and perspectives on breast cancer, further broadening my understanding of the discipline. Looking at statistical models, like the Gail Model, and the usage of STATA software to assess the epidemiology of breast cancer were fascinating to me; though I had statistical experience before this summer, looking at these models and their analysis helped me realize how crucial data analysis is in such research and has encouraged me to consider getting more statistical experience in the future. 

Although my summer research has been remote, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience and have had a great time working with such an experienced research team. Being able to work firsthand on research papers has been an honor, and I look forward to continuing these projects!