It's unfortunate that just now I'm beginning some of the most interesting aspects of my internship with ECMC. Since May I've been doing a great deal of the same work (data entry/analysis) which has allowed me a gain a greater respect for the research process, but left me with little to write about. However, with the termination of the semester and openings available I'm going to be trained to help with inpatient proceedings on the drug and substance abuse floor, which would have been a lot more interesting to read about. I'm looking forward to this opportunity and plan to continue my involvement with the hospital until I'm not longer able to (most likely next June when move in accordance to graduate school).Working with Dr. Leonard has been a great experience. Though he is brilliant, he is very humanistic in the extent that I was able to talk at length with him on the subject of grad school, finding work, and what it's really like working in the mental health industry. Honestly, this is the most important feature I believe has been gained. The work I have been doing, though interesting and enjoyable (ie: reading patient files/seeing how certain characteristics correlate) it was rather simple and repetitive, which is partially why I am glad to be gaining more responsibility as a member of a mental health team on the substance abuse floor. This is not to say however that I'm downing on my months of participation. I understand that data crunching is a crucial aspect of the research process and that "everyone has to start somewhere" so to speak, and further, I look forward to my continual involvement with the RPPC study. The individuals I've been working with are all incredibly dedicated and have at some level inspired me by showing that psychology isn't something that merely exists in the classroom and textbooks, but is a real and applicable realm of science requiring a great amount of patients and consideration. Seeing the "real" side of how class topics are actually implicated in the diagnosis process has highlighted the need to really pay attention to course material and learning it to the extent that it becomes almost second nature. I was greatly impressed at the ability of these individuals to recall small details about a disorder quickly and continue to expand on the possible links of causality (ie: aspects of past history, current relationships, home/social life...). Over the winter break (after my drug/background checks have been completed) Dr. Leonard is going to mentor me in ways to work with patients who suffer self inflicted injuries and additions in the course of several weeks of meeting (twice a week). Additionally, I will become prepared to administer questionnaires to patients and more affluent in dissecting meanings and correlations presented by such. This is without question, very exciting.