Road to Approval

BUMPS IN THE ROAD

After I had a general idea of what I wanted to research, I began to explore different research methodologies and feasible research questions. Initially, I was dead-set on research involving biomedically-engineered skin. However, due to my lack in experience in the Rock Canyon Biotechnology Program and the ethical limitations in human skin testing, I was unable to pursue this research idea further. This brought me back to square one. 

Then, after research into more realistic topics, I found an interest in pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). Last year, in AP Seminar, I wrote my Individual Written Report on traumatic brain injury, and I was curious to see if I could take this topic further, examining if pediatric TBI led to future neurological disorders. I planned to study the amount of pediatric hospital stays and repeat-patients in specific areas. However, I reached another obstacle, as there were too many variables that contribute to pediatric hospital stays; thus, it would be impossible to make definite conclusions. Once again, I was back to square one.

Finally, after discovering the gap in pediatric medical research, I found a potential topic. Obesity had been greatly researched on an adult level; however, there was little research about adolescent obesity. After further research, I also discovered that adolescent obesity had no publications comparing socioeconomic disparities between the U.S. states and U.S. territories. This was the gap in research that I aimed to fill. Obesity impacted millions of children within the United States, and I found it extremely important to investigate what socioeconomic factors contributed to this major health concern.