Why Having a Good Rapport with Your Specialist is a Good Thing

I had an appointment with one of my doctors this morning. The one that no one else in the family has need for. He's got a great way of just checking up with you as a person before getting to the part of the appointment that most of us just would rather do without.

Anyway, since I hadn't seen him since last January, he asked how school was going. I mentioned that I had just started grad school and decided on a PhD. He asked what area of study and when I said that ideally, my plans were to research computer based curricula for students with Asperger's Syndrome.

It ends up his mom does autism research in the midwest. He gave me her contact info, the contact info of the other principal investigator at that university as well and told me a bunch of info about their program. Granted, I'm not going into research from the psychology side, but it IS important for me to find a mentor or a backup mentor who has worked in the specialty area I want.

He wasn't sure if that university offered a PhD. or EdD. in Instructional Technology, but it was a school that wasn't on the list I got from a professional organization for the field. Sure enough, I just looked up the school's academic programs-and the EdD in IT is listed.

Amazing how my doctor asks some questions about my academic plans and then has information that really helps me out. Even if that program isn't the right fit, contacting these two researchers might point me to others who are combining research with Asperger's students in ways that complement what I want to do in two years.

Oh, and the doctor's visit was one of the rare ones I had where I don't have to go back anytime soon. :) I really like those kinds of visits!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Glad that I'm not "Guilty By Association" on this one

Webmaster Alex speaks Anonymously

Wal Mart Your Zone $500.00 Gift Card Contest!