The first half of my internship at Mayo Clinic has been exhilarating, filled with hands-on experiences and new fields to explore. During the second week, we began sleep scoring by identifying REM Sleep Without Atonia (RSWA), a topic I touched on in my previous blog. If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend checking it out.
This week, we practiced scoring using training files prepared by Dr. St. Louis and his sleep medicine team. These files included sleep hypnograms, which are now digitized. The hypnograms are created by sleep technologists using electrodes placed on the scalp and muscles, including the arms and legs, to track patient activity during sleep. These recordings help us diagnose REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) by determining RSWA during the REM period.
Here is an example of 15 seconds of REM from one of the files I scored:
By the second week of scoring practice, I had completed all the required training files and was ready for the standardized scoring test, known as "The Gold Standard," designed by Dr. St. Louis. This test requires a minimum score of 88% to qualify for scoring actual sleep studies. I took the test the day after finishing my training files and passed on the first try. A big shout-out to my teammates for their support—we set a record by achieving this within two weeks, the fastest time ever compared to previous internship groups.
During our second week, we discovered "Thursdays on First," a downtown event featuring bands, food, vendors, and more. It starts around noon, coinciding with our lunch break. It quickly became a tradition for our team to attend every Thursday, enjoying different lunches and exploring the event. I usually indulge in delicious tacos and ice cream, a carb-heavy treat I allow myself once a week.
Here is an image of a less crowded "Thursdays on First":
Another highlight was visualizing my brain activity one morning by recording my EEG waves using an EEG cap. It was clear from the waves that I was tired that day, which was accurate since I had not slept well the night before.
Here is an image of me with the EEG cap along with Laura McLees (fellow Cornell intern) saying, "Go Rams!":
Currently, my team and I are scoring actual files from various institutes worldwide and working on a project for the Center of Sleep Medicine's future publication. We will also be performing statistical analyses to calculate the REM Atonia Index (RAI), crucial for diagnosing RBD. I am excited to continue learning and contributing to sleep medicine research throughout the internship.
A memorable moment was at the end of the fourth week, the day before my birthday. Dr. St. Louis' lab organized a small outing to celebrate our first month at Mayo. I was surprised by the presence of Parker Creech, a Cornell and Delta Phi Rho alum, and even more surprised when my teammates brought a cake and sang happy birthday to me. It was a heartwarming and unexpected celebration.
Here are my pictures with my teammates, the cake, and Parker:
Luckily, since my birthday fell on a weekend, some friends from Cornell drove over from Iowa to celebrate with me. We enjoyed downtown Rochester, had pizza, bowled, and tried some Middle Eastern food while watching the EURO soccer tournament. It was the best weekend I have had in Rochester, surrounded by great friends.
Here are two pics of me and my friends: Andrew Stewart ’25, Charlie Link ’25, and Sam Bigalke ’27:
Once I passed the Gold Standard test, I was given the green light to shadow doctors. I saw this as an opportunity to explore different medical fields and the life of a physician.
First, I shadowed Dr. Alkhouli, an interventional cardiologist at Saint Marys Hospital, where I observed three surgeries on cases with atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease. Next, I switched gears to neuro-oncology, shadowing Dr. Sener. He taught me about various types of brain tumors and how to read CT scans. I then continued in neurology with Dr. Mustafa, who included me in his team of residents. His senior resident, Dr. Blazek, was very welcoming and provided insights into the physician's life and neurology. During a teaching session, the lecturer quizzed the residents on diagnosing cases based on CT and MRI images and even put me on the spot to explain what I saw. It was an exciting and educational experience. During lunch, Dr. Mustafa kindly gave me his card to get food from the Saint Marys Cafeteria.
Here is me in scrubs during one of the shadowing sessions:
In the coming weeks, I plan to expand my learning experiences and continue my scoring project in sleep medicine. Also, I am excited about my upcoming shadowing with neurosurgeons.
Stay tuned for more updates on my journey!