Hi! My name is Emily Huber, and I am a current senior from Annapolis, Maryland. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in both Chemistry and Neuroscience. Ever since my first introductory psychology class during my freshman year of college, I have been absolutely captivated by the depth and diversity of the field of psychology. My interest grew as I continued to seek out both clinical and research opportunities. I became involved in Dr. Keely Muscatell’s Social Neuroscience and Health Lab studying various immune and endocrine markers related to stress. I am currently completing an Honors Thesis in Dr. Muscatell’s lab on the relationship between social belongingness and physiological exam stress. Additionally, I am involved in Dr. Mitch Prinstein’s Peer Relations Lab, where I investigate the impact of peer relationships on adolescent suicidality.
My research experiences and volunteer positions at the UNC Hospitals Emergency Department and the Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) have only continued to grow my love for mental health advocacy. Through the Gil Internship, I sought clinical psychology worksites to further my understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of various psychiatric conditions, particularly trauma, chronic illness, and mood disorders. This desire led me to have the privilege of working at 3C Family Services under the mentorship of Dr. Lori Schweickert, the Medical Director of the practice. Dr. Schweickert is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in child and adolescent disorders and holds a clinical faculty position at Duke University.
3C Family Services is a private practice that utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to promote child mental health and development, strengthen family relationships, and provide a myriad of treatment options to patients. To maximize treatment benefits, 3C offers psychiatric medication management, individual/family/group therapy, psychological testing, and other services. The organization’s team of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers provides a comprehensive care team for every patient and allows for diverse insight to each individual’s life experiences.
Through my internship, I attend weekly case conferences with all of the clinicians, where we discuss particularly difficult patients and brainstorm the most promising treatment options. I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to offer insight from the perspective of an undergraduate student, which has supplemented the understanding of the treatment team. Additionally, I frequently complete literature searches for clinicians who are curious about a new treatment or therapy — such as the utilization of Naltrexone for treating self-harm behaviors and the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) in treating OCD. I have even been able to read Dr. Marsha Linehan’s book about the original development of DBT! Under Dr. Schweickert’s guidance, I attended the North Carolina Psychiatric Association annual meeting, where I took part in lectures ranging from the psychiatric toll of COVID-19 to the top psychiatric research findings of 2019-20. In the long-term, I plan on completing a clinical research poster for the American Psychiatric Association.
Post-graduation, my ultimate goal is to pursue a M.D. to build a career in women’s health, psychiatry, neurology, or another related field. My internship experience has strengthened my clinical reasoning skills and prepared me to effectively work with other health professionals. I am extremely grateful to the Karen M. Gil program for this opportunity, and feel so lucky to represent an organization as lovely as 3C Family Services.
