Current OU Sociology PhD canidate Leslie Miller was awarded a Nancy L. Mergler and Bullard Dissertation Completion Fellowship. The award is for doctoral candidate in the final phases of dissertation writing. Leslie’s dissertation project is titled, “Peoples’ Experiences with Pouches (PEWP) Study: An Examination of Providers’ Communication and the Stigmatization of Ostomates.” The project examines the stigmatization process of a unique patient population: people who have had ostomy surgery. An ostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdomen for the discharge of bodily wastes, which results in a pouch attached to the abdomen for the collection of urine or feces. Her findings stand to identify where and how stigma is generated in this patient group. Her dissertation will build on her strong research track that examines how the doctor-patient relationship impacts important health outcomes. She will examine the extent to which differences in doctor-patient interactions impact the stigmatization of ostomy patients. Leslie’s dissertation committee is: Mitchell Peck (chair), Ann Beutel, Stephanie Burge, Amy Kroska, and Miriam Gross. For more information about the study, visit the PEWP Study website: http://pewpstudy.oucreate.com/
Congratulations and well done Leslie!
