Advancing Science Together: The Impact of Volunteer Contributions
Medical student volunteers—ranging from first-year trainees to fifth-year students—have played a vital role in the success of our research studies, bringing dedication, curiosity, and a strong commitment to advancing science. Their feedback highlights how meaningful hands-on research experiences not only strengthen our studies but also shape the next generation of physician-scientists. Guillermo Ornelas, a fifth-year medical student at Yale University, shares his experience working with YC-SCAN2
Getting to Know You
What medical school are you currently attending, and what year are you in? I am currently attending the Yale School of Medicine, and I am a fifth-year student.
What sparked your initial interest in medicine? I have been exposed to medicine from a very young age. My mom is a nurse, and she would frequently talk about different medical topics with me, which were fascinating to me, and I wanted to learn more about them. In college I began studying neuroscience, which further piqued my interest in practical applications of neuroscience in medicine. I also studied psychology, and wanted to be able to learn techniques to be able to help people process emotionally difficult thoughts and behaviors. I came to realize that the best way to combine my passion for neuroscience and psychology in clinical practice would be to go to medical school and become a psychiatrist.
Are there particular clinical or research areas you’re most passionate about right now? I am most passionate about drug development for the treatment of major depressive disorder. There has been a renaissance in new medications available to treat depression recently, particularly with the approval of esketamine in the last decade, which demonstrated rapid treatment for depression. It is different from other antidepressants, which typically take weeks to months for patients to begin to notice an effect. More recently, psychedelics have been gathering a lot of attention for their potential to treat mood disorders and PTSD. Consequently, I want to study psychedelics for mood disorders and determine if they have any potential for more rapid reduction in symptoms, especially for patients who cannot tolerate or have not responded to traditional antidepressants.
Finding the Center
How did you first hear about the research center? I learned about the research center when I was exploring different professors at Yale who conducted research involving psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders. I discovered Dr. D'Souza was conducting a study using DMT for the treatment of major depressive disorder, and I learned about his lab and his associated work with cannabis.
What motivated you to get involved in research with us? I wanted to be able to help with research involving DMT and assess participants' response to the medication. I was also curious to study the electroencephalographic changes that occur with DMT administration, as I had a background in EEG research in a prior research lab studying epilepsy.
What stood out to you about this center compared to other research opportunities? I joined this center because the opportunity to study DMT for depression in a first of its kind clinical trial, and also to be exposed to projects involving cannabis, a topic that is very relevant today due to increasing cannabis use among the population following recreational legalization.
Your Research Experience
What projects or studies have you been involved in during your time here? I've assisted with numerous studies involving EEG. The main study that I am involved with is the DMT study for depression, but I am also involved with THC studies investigating the effects of the compound in young and older adults. I've also assisted with a study investigating abstinence from THC. My role in these studies is to assist with EEG recording and subsequent data analysis.
What has been the most interesting or surprising aspect of your research experience so far? This has been my first exposure to a clinical trial involving a novel drug. It's very interesting to see how these studies are conducted and the regulations associated with them. I did not imagine that clinical trials needed many staff members to keep a project running, and I'm very grateful for all my coworkers who help with these projects.
What new skills or knowledge have you gained through your participation? I learned to place EEG electrodes on participants, and continued to develop my skills in EEG preprocessing and data analysis. I had some exposure to this before coming into the lab, but now I have significant access to a great deal of EEG data that I am able to use to investigate how DMT affects participants’ brainwaves. I have also learned how to conduct structured clinical assessments to assess participants psychiatric history, and to ascertain the severity of their depression and anxiety.
Has this experience changed how you think about research or clinical practice? If so, how? I've learned that clinical research requires a great deal of patience, as there are many cogs in the system that are turning to ensure that the study is safe for participants. This process can be slow at times, but is important, and allows for these studies to occur in a safe manner.
Growth and Reflection
What lessons or experiences do you hope to carry forward from your time at the center? My experience interacting and interviewing patients has been immensely helpful, as I plan to become a psychiatrist and enter residency next year. As a psychiatrist, I will need to have a systematic way of assessing my patient's depression and anxiety, and I now have the tools and skills that are needed to be able to do this. I have also learned how to speak with patients in a way that allows them to open up and feel safe to discuss very sensitive aspects of their life with me to better treat them.
How has your journey as a medical student been so far, and where has research fit into that journey? As a fifth-year medical student here at Yale, I have completed all my preclinical coursework from biochemistry and embryology, all the way to obstetrics and geriatrics. Prior to starting medical school, I participated in a research program the summer before my enrollment at the medical school in fall of 2022. At this research program, I conducted research in epilepsy and the use of a smartwatch to assess severity and characterization of different types of epileptic seizures. The first summer after my first year at medical school, I continued this research in the Yale neurology department, continuing to gain experience and exposure to EEG recording and analysis. I then completed a year of clinical rotations in all the different specialties, including emergency medicine, surgery, neurology, pediatrics, internal medicine, and psychiatry. I then completed an elective psychiatry rotation at the clinical neuroscience research unit at the Connecticut Mental Health Center for a month, allowing me to see psychiatric clinical research projects being conducted there for patients who are hospitalized. The month after, I did a sub-internship at the Yale Psychiatric Hospital on the older adult floor, gathering very valuable experience in the inpatient treatment of psychiatric disorders and also the use of ketamine and ECT for the treatment of very severe depressive episodes and catatonia. I then completed a month sub-internship at Yale New Haven Hospital, in the infectious disease floor. Here I acted in the role of a first-year internal medicine resident, following a panel of patients throughout the month, from admission to discharge. I then was able to begin my full-time research in Dr. D'Souza's lab, where on my first day I was able to observe an infusion in a participant with depression. Today, I continue to assist in the recruitment of participants for the study, in the data collection of depression and anxiety scores, and also the recording and processing of EEG data.
What has been the most rewarding part of balancing medical training with research? One of the wonderful things about coming to Yale is excellent clinical training and also exposure to studies that are first-of-a-kind or one-of-a-kind. I have seen this myself, as I have gained invaluable clinical exposure to different specialties, and have also seen first-hand how research is conducted and its importance in advancing the field of medicine.
Looking Ahead
How do you see research playing a role in your future career? I would like to continue doing research as a psychiatry resident and as an attending psychiatrist. I would probably do this part-time, balancing having my own panel of patience in the clinic, and possibly also doing a fellowship in forensic psychiatry to be able to give expert testimony in the court system. When acting as a research psychiatrist, I hope to continue to assist in the development of new psychiatric medications for mood disorders or psychotic disorders.
What are your current goals or plans for the next stage of your training? Later this year, I will begin the process of applying to psychiatry residency programs. My hope is to match an institution that does excellent research like Yale, and one that also provides excellent clinical training.
Is there a specialty or path you’re especially excited to explore? As mentioned before, I'm particularly interested in the field of forensic psychiatry, as I would like to be able to evaluate people in the legal justice system and give expert testimony in court to determine if they are competent to stand trial. I almost considered being a lawyer at one point in my life, so this would be an excellent combination of both medicine and law.
Final Thoughts
What advice would you give to other medical students considering getting involved in research? My advice would be to start early, perhaps the summer after the first year in medical school when there is more free time. However, I would not do research while on clinical rotations, as clinical rotations are very demanding, and students need time to rest to ensure they perform at their best and learn as much as possible during these rotations. Once clinical rotations are over, I would then advise them to resume doing research that they enjoy.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience with the center or your journey in medicine? Everyone at the center has been wonderful and supportive since joining the lab last year. It is a wonderful place to gain exposure to clinical research and interact with patients. If you're interested in learning more about psychiatry and clinical research, I would recommend for you to check out the center to learn more about all the various studies we are conducting. The hope is one day our research will continue to help patients and contribute to the fund of scientific knowledge that we all benefit from.