Northcentral University

Working on my PhD program has been a goal I have set myself to achieve, since graduating from my master's program in public health at Rutgers University-School of Public Health, in 2005. The most challenging aspect of this journey was settling on a field or topic. It can be regarded as certain I did not want to do my PhD on my public health area of focus, which was Environmental Occupational Health and Safety. However, I wanted my PhD program to reflect all of my educational background and professional experiences in the public health field. When I learned about Northcentral University (NCU) through Facebook and all the different PhD programs the school offers, I was immediately attracted to the Health Psychology track. Health Psychology is a field that looks at the individual from a biopsychosocial approach, which includes the genetic makeup as the biological component, the mental health, and how the social environment impacts their overall health and health-seeking behaviors. For me, this was a good field to combine my interests in nutrition, psychology, medicine, and environmental science. Certainly, working on my PhD program has come with many sacrifices, not only financial but also not being able to spend time with my children or participating in family events such as birthday parties, weddings and even funerals. Although, during the process, I have faced many challenges, especially in the personal arena, I have been very fortunate with all the professors with whom I have worked, as well as of course my advisors. They have been very understanding of all my personal challenges from going through a divorce to having a brother in critical condition in intensive care. Additionally, the support of my three children has been paramount, two of whom are in college, and the youngest one a fifth grader. My children have been the inspiration to all the different topics I have explored throughout my five years in pursuing my PhD degree program. Furthermore, most of the main topics of interest have been centered around the link between nutrition and health. For example, personal health issues have inspired me to explore topics on the area of obesity, diabetes type II, and hypertension amidst the Latino immigrant community in the USA; the connection between nutrition and learning disabilities (e.g., spectrum disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD), Dyslexia and others); the association between nutrition and mental health; the relationship of nutrition and substance disorders; and finally childhood cancer and nutrition as a complementary alternative medicine (CAM) treatment method. Exploring all these topics has not only educated me but has served as a healing process and coping mechanism during some trial times. Thus, the nutrition topic has been critical in my family life, being the mother of three children diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. This has set me on a path and a crusade to explore alternative healing methods, additionally to my being an education advocate of immigrant families. 8 The Psychology Bulletin Student Contributions MY EXPERIENCE AS A PH.D. STUDENT Ket y Rosario, MPH, CHHC, AADP

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