Internship

About the Internship

(Behavioral Health Research Program) at Indiana University School of Medicine conducts research with adolescents and their families to improve health outcomes for young people, to understand the cause of adolescent behavioral health, and to develop and implement evidence-based interventions. The project will allow IUSM experts to understand brain mechanisms that underlie risky decision-making in youth and the capacity for brain function to predict later drug and high-risk sexual behaviors. The Hulvershorn lab is hoping to develop technology to treat substance use disorders with a lightweight, inexpensive headband that can suppress the wearer’s cravings and support drug abstinence indefinitely.

Project Summary:

At the Hulvershorn Lab, part of the Behavioral Health Research Program (BHP) at Indiana University School of Medicine, we investigate the brain mechanisms and environmental factors that drive adolescents to engage in risky decision-making. Our research aims to identify the most impactful physiological and environmental influences on how the adolescent brain interacts with different choices and how these decisions shape long-term health outcomes, including the likelihood of developing conditions like substance use disorder. Using functional MRI scans and risky decision-making tasks, we examine the underlying brain mechanisms behind these behaviors. Through a prospective cohort research model, we longitudinally track participants as they transition into adulthood, providing crucial insights into behavioral development over time. This work is essential in advancing personalized medicine by informing targeted interventions and preventive strategies for high-risk youth, particularly those with a family history of substance use disorder. By improving our understanding of adolescent behavioral health, we aim to enhance health outcomes and mitigate future risks such as drug use and high-risk sexual behaviors.

LHSI Showcase - Kylie Reid 24-25.pptx

Workplace

Some skills I have that will be beneficial are my people skills. I am very personable and can create safety in conversations with people, which is vital for working with adolescents. I learned this through my multiple years working in customer service at a dry cleaner! Another skill I have that will be tremendously helpful in my internship is how comfortable I am with asking questions and admitting I do not know something. I used to be nervous about asking questions, but throughout college, I have learned that asking questions and talking through something is the best way I learn! I am also very detail-oriented and a perfectionist, which is sometimes a problem, but with technical work and charting, it is going to help me a lot! This has been an innate skill I have had my whole life, but I mostly picked it up from my mom and the way I was raised. It helps me constantly be aware!

Throughout the internship, my contributions have remained rather steady and consistent. I have become someone who helps streamline redundant tasks, continues to follow up with patients, and remains in constant communication with various people involved in the studies. Even though it feels as though I am not doing the substantial part of the research or creating the findings from the study, I am still constantly helping to continue to function. Without my contribution, there would be more time spent by other team members, and they could be spending that time to dive deeper into the research questions!

Successes and Challenges

One time I felt really successful as an intern was when they decided to put me into a rotation where I would find and present a paper to the whole lab, and that felt really exciting that they trusted me to do that! I have been attending their weekly and monthly meetings and have done all of my work on time to build rapport, and that is why I feel like they were comfortable to bestow that responsibility on me! Another time that I felt successful was when I got added to be a part of another team in the Behavioral Health Research Program! I am starting soon on working with another project, and the ways I have portrayed myself in the program have impacted the trust they have with me, and I also feel like me asking what I can do to help further helps create that trust. Something else I am proud of is that I got through multiple CITI and RedCap trainings, which were extensive! Throughout all of these, I have gained more confidence in the research field as well as how a psychology team actually works together, which is invaluable because that will be something not a lot of students get the opportunity to experience. I feel as though it has given me a broader understanding of the behind the scenes when it comes to patient care as an occupational therapist!

Something challenging for me was figuring out time management. I have struggled to balance my mentoring job and all the responsibilities that come with that. I have gotten a bit burnt out, but the way I have been overcoming it is by creating pockets of time where I specifically work on different jobs and assignments for school. Another thing that has been challenging for me is learning how SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) work. I have had to learn how to read those and Google or ask the lab members for help understanding. Learning that language and how it relates to me as an intern has been a big learning curve for me. My internship team has been incredible and so supportive throughout many obstacles. I had two surgeries that took place, and I struggled to recover, and they were so kind and helpful in my transition back. I couldn't have asked for a better team.

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