This summer, I’m excited to be continuing my clinical research internship from last year at the Lurie Center for Autism in Lexington, MA. Having the opportunity to return for a second summer has been a great opportunity to jump right into work without having to worry about learning everything from scratch.
The Lurie Center is a multidisciplinary care center for people with developmental disabilities under the umbrella of Massachusetts General Hospital. Patients and their families may come to the Center to see a psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, primary care physician, physical therapist, gastroenterologist, social worker, physical therapist, or a range of other providers. One of the benefits of this system is that patients receive care from specialists that work closely with one another, as many of their providers are in one place. This arrangement is unique, but provides essential holistic treatment, given that many disorders treated at the center may affect multiple bodily systems.
In addition to providing clinical care, the Lurie Center conducts research. To help with this mission, my role as an intern is to support ongoing clinical research activities through data entry and an independent project. Both of these tasks are centered on Williams syndrome (WS), a rare neurodevelopmental disorder which results from the hemizygous deletion of 25-27 genes on chromosome 7. Some of the typical characteristics of WS include very friendly personalities, intellectual disability, distinctive facial features, and cardiovascular problems. Additionally, anxiety disorders are commonly exhibited. The data entry project that I’m working on involves an ongoing prospective study using the drug buspirone to treat anxiety in WS individuals. Interacting with information collected during research visits has provided me with insight into the details of how studies are conducted, which will be valuable if I want to pursue similar work in the future. For my independent project, I’m helping to write a paper that retrospectively looks at the use of buspirone in WS. It’s a unique perspective to have in combination with the data entry project. Together, they create a more complete picture of patient-oriented research processes.
One important takeaway that I’ve had in this internship is that it’s essential to provide dignified care for those with developmental disabilities across their entire lifespan. A great deal of attention is paid to children with these disorders, whereas the systems necessary to support adults may not exist. Therefore, centers and programs that cater to this population, like the Lurie Center, must become commonplace.
In a professional sense, I’ve learned that I enjoy working with people in a clinical setting. My favorite parts of the internship have been shadowing patient visits and learning about each individual as they work towards solutions. Though I don’t yet know exactly how this will translate into my future path, it’s valuable to know what excites me. I’ve also learned that having a supportive mentorship team is key, and I’m grateful for the psychiatrist and clinical research coordinator who have thoughtfully mentored me the past two summers. So, my advice for anyone in the summer internship process is to try to work with people whom you respect and who invest in your growth. Also, don’t be afraid to express your interest even if you think an opportunity may be unobtainable. Being persistent can pay off in the end!
