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Chris D

- Research Program Mentor

MD at Baylor College of Medicine

Expertise

Psychiatry, Medicine, Business/Consulting

Bio

Hi! I'm Chris. I am a resident physician in Psychiatry in Austin, Texas. I took an unusual path to medicine, which started in the business world. I have an undergraduate degree in Accounting, and I've had the opportunity to work with a variety of stakeholders in healthcare, most recently as a consultant at McKinsey and Company. I am passionate about health systems and equity, and my job is to help build a better mental healthcare system. Outside of work, you'd either find me at the gym, playing the guitar, rock climbing, or outside with our crazy puppy, Olive. Music and any sort of physical activity are the things that keep me going. More than anything, I love to be around people who are excited about something. If you feel like we might be a good match, I would love to work with you to come up with a project that you'll be excited about.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Social Media and Mental Health Disorders

Social media is not going anywhere. We often discuss the mental health implications of the pervasiveness of social media, particularly for adolescents, but there is no definitive research as to the effects of time spent on specific social media outlets on specific symptoms. Surveying a moderate-sized group of young individuals as to their social media usage, and overlaying this data with a relevant, evidence-based questionnaire could help us understand specific adverse (or beneficial) effects that are associated with social media engagement.

Alternative Approaches to the Management of Mental Health Disorders

There are a number of natural and/or non-pharmacologic approaches to the management of disorders like anxiety and depression, but there is a general lack of high-quality research on these topics. A well-constructed review paper could help shed light on non-drug approaches to the treatment of mental health disorders.

Languages I know

Spanish, conversational

Teaching experience

I have tutored students in a variety of subjects including mathematics, physics, chemistry, and Spanish up to early college levels. I've also enjoyed coaching baseball at the middle and high-school levels.

Credentials

Work experience

Memorial Hermann Health System (2014 - 2014)
Strategic Planning Intern
McKinsey & Company (2019 - 2020)
MD Fellow
Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin (2021 - Current)
Psychiatry Resident

Education

University of Texas Austin (UT Austin)
BBA Bachelor of Business Administration (2015)
Accounting
Baylor College of Medicine
MD Doctor of Medicine (2021)
Psychiatry

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