Nathan K
- Research Program Mentor
MD/MBA at Dartmouth College
Expertise
mental health, wellness, digital health/technology, business models, public health
Bio
'I envision a world where every person can reach their fullest potential without being held back by mental health issues. This means that all of us have come to acknowledge the significance of mental health alongside physical health concerns and understand the need to raise the current mental health standard.' I wrote the above vision statement in 2014 while I was a Sophomore at Columbia University, and that vision still guides me today. This has led and inspired me to pursue experiences in clinical/bench research in neuroscience/psychiatry, healthcare innovation and business, and medicine currently as a Psychiatry Resident in New York. As a mentor, my aim is to help you explore a passion and develop skills. My hope is that we can build a habit together of exchanging insight, and refining our perspectives on a topic of your choice. Outside of my career interests, I boast a solid 3-point basketball shot, enjoy running and strength training, and recently, have been an enthusiastic pickleball learner. Fun fact - I was a top 10 table tennis player in the United States (<10 years old) in another life! My top artists on Spotify over the last several years include Justin Bieber, The Kid Laroi, and Keshi.Project ideas
Reconceptualizing Suicide: An arrhythmia of the brain versus a sequelae of mental illness
Despite being one of the prevailing public health concerns in our country, suicide rates have continued to increase over decades. A part of the problem is that the conception of suicide is inaccurate in many research domains as well to the general public. The prevailing thought is that suicide is often a sequelae of severe mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder. However, according to prevalence data, those with severe mood disorders only account for a fraction of suicide attempts. What are other models to approach and re-conceptualize suicide? Some recent literature has started to tease out differences between people who ideate about suicide and people who actually make an attempt. This project would involve a literature review about suicide and divorcing this phenomenon from being viewed as a consequence of depression. The outcome is variable - a research paper, opinion piece, or essay would be feasible though other outcomes are welcome. You will learn how to utilize PubMed search engines (with MeSH terms), digest primary research, and tap into writing.
Å Guide to Discussing Wellness and Mental Health With Your Family
Mental health begins with family. Families are often the first detectors of mental illness and are instrumental for successful mental healthcare for most patients. However, the dynamics of mental health within a family are extremely complicated, especially when factoring cultural and generational backgrounds. For some, conversations within family about wellness and mental illness may come natural and easy - for many others, this is a topic to avoid with a 50-foot pole. Join me on an adventure to investigate how we can work at destigmatizing mental health within some of our most intimate interpersonal connections. The outcome of this project is variable - I could see this produced as an opinion paper backed with primary research to being a small study supported by creating a survey and sampling classmates.