Securing a Mentor

After months of interviewing potential candidates, I am relieved and excited to have finally secured a mentor. I look forward to working with Dr. Nyaz Didehbani, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist studying chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) at UT Southwestern Medical Center's Frisco Campus. I chose Dr. Didehbani to learn from her groundbreaking work in investigating the aforementioned conditions, her years of experience in the field of neuropsychology, and our many commonalities. Although I entered ISM particularly interested in investigating psychiatric disorders like social anxiety and depression, it is such an incredible opportunity to be able to broaden my understanding of the field by understanding sports injuries and their impacts on the brain. Moreover, some related side effects of CTE include suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric symptoms, so there is still flexibility for me to incorporate my first semester studies into my second semester work. This week I will be speaking with Dr. Didehbani to fine-tune the responsibilities and requirements of the mentorship position, and hopefully gain a better understanding as to how to navigate the mentorship learning process in a virtual world. I hope to still gain a valuable mentorship experience and strengthen my medical understanding to prepare me for my college and career goals.