Erick graduated from Livingston College in 2001 where he had majored in Public Health with a minor in Spanish. He is a native of Chile, where he lived up until the age of four when his family had decided to move to Iowa, then to New Orleans and eventually to New Jersey.
Erick’s plans consisted of going onto graduate school to continue his study in Public Health. As an intern, he aspired to ultimately obtain a Ph.D. and work in the epidemiology or mental health field. Thus, he understood the necessity for research experience and how it is essential to his success. Erick had stated now realizes how hard it is to gain valuable research experience if you do not know the computer programs necessary to conduct statistical analyses and credits Project L/EARN for teaching him “these skills and more!”
Erick had thoroughly enjoyed his work, exploring the effects of insurance type on the inpatient length of stay of mentally ill patients, with Dr. Stephen Hansell who, “Taught [him] a lot and guided [him] through the research process”. He further enjoyed working with and learning from his fellow interns and other faculty members at the Institute. He would “Recommend this program to anyone looking for valuable research experience…if they’re dedicated and willing to work hard”.
