We have finally started field work. Here is what we are supposed to do (feel free to skip this list as it is rather uninteresting)
1) Go to a bus station, train station, public park, etc. that has been identified as a place where male sex workers pick up male clients.
2) The peer outreach worker ( another male sex worker) approaches people that he identifies as MSM and recruits them for the project
3) We show them a video explaining HIV and the oral swab HIV test. We then take informed consent and do the oral swab (which has a fair number of false positives).
4) Take 5 drops of blood for a confirmatory HIV test (we will use this if a client tested positive but we are having trouble getting him to go to a government testing and treatment center for follow up).
5) Administer a questionnaire on demographics, risk behavior, and acceptability of the oral swab test.
6) Follow up by phone the next day (hopefully we get their number and call them) to give test results, post-test counseling, and make an appointment to take positives to government centers for care.

Sorry for the boring shop talk. But basically this comes down to me sitting around in these sex work zones, waiting around for MSM to show up. For a long long time. Then occasionally someone agrees to do the test. My team is me and two MSM, a counselor and a peer outreach worker. So all of a sudden I have been immersed in this world of MSM, lounging around in parks with groups of transvestites, transgenders, sex workers, etc. I’m hearing about their boyfriends, wives, clients, etc. (often from one person). The same guy invited me home for his wife’s biryiani and gave me a ride home with his boyfriend.

Anyway, I am currently stuck in the middle of a battle of the NGOs (non-governmental organizations). Some other groups who are working with MSM are not happy with our project because we are working in the areas that they typically work in, doing the same kind of work that they do. The other NGO’s outreach workers are thus afraid that they won’t be able to make their targets for numbers of MSM connected to care/HIV testing. Because of these issues, we have had to put a hold on work in hotspots. Starting today, I’ll be working mostly in clinics, drop in centers and residential areas. That means that Grandma can worry a lot less about me hanging out at night at shady bus stops with prostitutes! But it also means it’s going to be a pain in the ass for me to reach my target of 300 MSM tested. It’s a double pain in the ass though, because the launch for my curriculum got pushed back to August. I guess this is the reality of trying to push my research work through with a population/culture that I know next to nothing about.

In other news, there was a solar eclipse today. Cool, right? I wanted to go outside and see. Unfortunately, I was informed that I couldn’t be exposed to the sun today. Apparently, solar eclipses are bad for your skin, and they especially focus their rays on the oldest child of the family, so no sun for Hannah. Also, if Hindus look at the sun or moon today, their eyes will burn out. Fun fact.

Also, my MCAT scores came out at 3am today. I definitely didn’t get much sleep last night. It went pretty well, but I ended up looking like a great reader who can’t write or do science for shit. No biggie though, I think I will go ahead with my applications. Looks like I’ll be making a stop at the sweet shop today to pick up something made with pure ghee for the whole extended family. Apparently this is what you are supposed to do when something goes well for you (or cook Biryani, but my Indian cooking skills have def not reached that level yet, I mostly just peel potatoes and chop vegetables). How did it go for the rest of you? I’m thinking about applying to the branch of Duke in Singapore, have any of you checked it out? Really good program, much lower average MCATs—sounds good to me. Also, theres no application fee and you must promise to work in Singapore for 5 years (including residency) then the only charge 26,332 for tuition and fees—sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.