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Student Profile: Ana El Behadi

Ana El Behadi

Since childhood, I have had an interest in children’s health. I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, but had the opportunity to visit the United States throughout my youth. Traveling between these two worlds highlighted the sharp contrast between the opportunities and resources available to children in need. Because of my interest in working with children and families, I majored in Psychology at Rice University and earned a Master’s in Child Development at Tufts University. At Tufts, I conducted research on how to accurately diagnose developmental and behavioral problems in young children. My work on developmental disorders led me to conduct research on pediatric chronic illnesses.

For me, this was a natural transition because both developmental disorders and long-term pediatric illnesses are chronic conditions and thus pose particular biopsychosocial challenges for children and families. I continued my research in pediatric health psychology at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, where I worked with adolescents with chronic pain. My desire to continue my research with diverse pediatric medical populations brought me to UT Southwestern.

Due to my interest in Pediatric Health Psychology, I was drawn to the program’s close collaboration with Children’s Healthâ„  Children’s Medical Center (CMC). UTSW’s relationship with CMC opens opportunities for students to receive excellent research and clinical training while working with a variety of medical populations.

At CMC, I conduct research under the mentorship of Melissa Faith, Ph.D. Currently, I am most excited about a recently grant-funded project to deliver motivational interviewing (MI) to enhance adherence to oral chemotherapy regimens for pediatric cancer patients. As part of this project, I will be evaluating differences in MI effectiveness and acceptability between our Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients.

In addition to the research opportunities available through the program, one of the aspects I value most about UTSW is the opportunity for professional development. From early in my first year, I was able to work with children and families from underserved populations at CMC as part of the Cultural Diversity Fellowship. More recently, as part of my practicum, I conduct intellectual disability assessments at Metrocare, the largest provider of mental health services in Dallas County. At UTSW, I not only have been able to grow as a student within the Clinical Psychology department but also as a future professional within the field of pediatric psychology. My mentor and other faculty members have provided me with generous support and encouragement to pursue leadership roles at a national level, including participation on the Society of Pediatric Psychology’s Student Advisory Board.

Overall, our faculty are not only educators but are also actively involved in research and clinical work due to the program’s affiliation with the UT Southwestern Medical School and teaching hospitals. Their experience comes through in the classroom, providing multiple clinical perspectives in an environment where we are receiving excellent training to become future Clinical Psychologists. Finally, one of the things that I most enjoy is the collaborative nature of the program. The opportunity to work with students and faculty in different specialties contributes to our training as well-rounded psychologists.