Perform Clinical Research on Autism Spectrum Disorder

By Emily Stonestreet ‘24​
Treating individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Emily poses with a coworker.

This summer, I participated in the Undergraduate Research Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Lurie Center for Autism. The Lurie Center is a clinical, research, training and advocacy program dedicated to treating individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders across the lifespan.

As part of my internship, I conducted a semi-independent research project on the pharmacological treatment of ADHD in children with ASD under the mentorship of Dr. Kelly Dakin ‘02. I worked with a team of physician scientists to distill the prescribing practices of Lurie Center psychiatrists and neurologists into guidelines for pediatricians caring for children and adolescents with ASD. I also had the opportunity to shadow physicians during patient visits and I helped recruit new patients to ongoing study trials at the Lurie Center.

Through the wonderful guidance of my mentors, I learned a lot about how to perform clinical research and about the healthcare field in general. This internship confirmed my aspirations to pursue a career in pediatric medicine, potentially with a focus on neurology. I loved learning from and developing relationships with both the patients and the dedicated, multidisciplinary care team at the Lurie Center! 

Internship funded by the CXD Internship Fund​.