Week 1:
Sleep is the Best Medicine

June 5, 2023

Hello! My name is Payton Douglass, and I have the incredible opportunity to intern at the Mayo Clinic Department of Sleep Medicine with Dr. St. Louis and his team in Rochester, Minnesota. I am very excited about the immersive and hands-on experience I will obtain working with innovative physicians and researchers.

I will be a senior at Cornell College with majors in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB), and Religion with a minor in Dance. Cornell has optimally prepared me for research at an exceptional establishment like the Mayo Clinic by allowing me to ask my own questions and pursuing research to find answers. Last summer, I worked at the University of Iowa researching the use of ketamine as an antidepressant in a wet lab. This summer I’m very excited to be on the clinical side of research and considering factors like neurodegenerative disease history, lifestyle, and drug impact. As a rising senior, I am looking to narrow down my plans following graduation, and one decision that needs to be made is whether to pursue medical school or an MD-Ph.D. program. This fellowship will give me a more apparent answer by fully immersing myself in a workplace where different employees explored each of these paths.

I arrived in Rochester in a heavy rain, and I’ve had standard Midwest weather since! On Wednesday, my uncle (Cornell 1994 alum) and I explored Rochester and the Mayo Clinic area. We walked around the skywalk and subway to ensure I wouldn’t get lost when navigating the Mayo campus.

I officially started my internship in the Sleep Medicine department in the Gonda building. I met Dr. Erik St. Louis, M.D., and a couple of my lab partners for the summer, Maia and Harry. All three of them attended St. Olaf in Minnesota, and we all connected over our liberal arts experience. In addition, Dr. St. Louis provided a thorough history of the Mayo Clinic and the field of sleep medicine. It was fascinating to hear about his coworkers that have pushed the field forward.

Dr. St. Louis lectured on the introduction to sleep, REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD), and REM Sleep Without Atonia (RSWA). An adequate amount of sleep is vital for our well-being, but the amount and type of sleep changes throughout our lifespan. Process R balances sleep and wakefulness, and Process C, the circadian clock, regulates our sleep. Fun fact: a human’s circadian clock is closer to 24.2 hour cycles which we found out when a couple of scientists went into a cave and measured their wake cycles. Overall, quality sleep is essential! Dr. St. Louis taught his area of work and research regarding RBD, where a person reenacts their dreams and has muscle activity due to RSWA.

In addition, we spent time with Emma, a Clinical Research Assistant, and she taught us about the program they use to stage and score sleep. She explained North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy (NAPS), the different roles of the staff, and becoming more familiar with RBD research at the Mayo Clinic.

Once my training ended, I had some time to visit St. Mary’s Hospital Campus! My friends told me about the chapel inside the hospital, so I decided to go for a Holy Hour. Learning about the Franciscan Sisters’ role in Mayo Clinic history was incredible, which allowed my double major to come full circle this week. Coincidentally, I found a security guard I met the day before, and he showed me where the chapel was. Another fun fact: he used to work construction on the Mayo campus for 38 years!

Over the weekend, I explored Rochester more and went to the local Art Center. This section was made by artist Anne Labovitz and highlights the concept of “wellness” from the perspective of health and arts. I had the opportunity to speak with Anne Labovitz; it was incredible hear her explain her artwork.

Overall, I had a wonderful first week at the Mayo Clinic and in Rochester! I encountered so many great people, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the remainder of my time here.