Seeing People, Not Just Data: My Clinical Learning Journey at CIDD

Hello! My name is Yutong Wu, and I’m from Nanjing, China. I’m currently a junior majoring in Psychology and Biostatistics, with a minor in Education.

My interest in clinical psychology first began in middle school when I realized how fascinated I was by observing people, understanding their behaviors, and exploring the reasons behind them. Although my high school didn’t offer psychology courses, I started teaching myself, reading related books, and even founded a psychology club. Together with my peers, we volunteered at a local brain hospital and conducted a research project on adolescent anxiety and physical activity, which was later published in Springer Ebooks. That experience was the first time I truly felt the power of psychological research. It can genuinely make a difference in people’s lives. Over time, I also came to realize the importance of statistics in psychology. So many psychological insights are grounded in data, which is why I decided to pursue a double major in Psychology and Biostatistics, hoping to understand and help people in a more scientific and systematic way.

During college, I’ve been fortunate to participate in several research projects. I worked in Dr. Rodebaugh’s Lab, where I assisted with behavioral coding of social support interactions. Currently, I am in Dr. Chen’s Lab, conducting research comparing machine learning and traditional statistical models for predicting dementia risk. Beyond research, I’ve also completed over 60 hours of volunteer counseling with Hope 24, and explored alternative therapeutic approaches such as art therapy and music therapy, working closely with hearing-impaired children and hospital patients.

This semester, I am interning at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD). CIDD integrates clinical service, research, and education to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. I chose CIDD as my GIL internship site because I have always believed that real clinical experience helps transform psychological theories into meaningful practice. And it turned out to be exactly that. Every week, I meet new people, listen to their stories, and use psychological knowledge to understand and support them.

At CIDD, I work under the guidance of Dr. Melissa Beck and Dr. Heather Hazlett. I shadow interdisciplinary teams across various specialty clinics such as the School-Age Autism Clinic, Adult Autism Assessment Clinic, and Neuropsychology Clinic. Together with clinicians, I review patients’ background information, discuss preliminary assessments, and assist in diagnostic planning. My main tasks include observing and learning how clinical assessments such as the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) and WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) are administered, helping score self-report measures, and learning how to integrate multiple assessments into a final diagnosis.

Through these experiences, I’ve gained valuable knowledge about autism spectrum disorders and cognitive conditions, as well as communication skills for working with patients and their families. What I appreciate most about CIDD is its atmosphere—professional yet deeply compassionate. Every individual who comes here has a unique story and background, and the team always listens and supports them with patience and respect. I feel truly lucky to be learning in such an environment. Dr. Beck, Dr. Hazlett, and the entire team have been incredibly supportive, guiding me through every step of the clinical assessment process and giving me opportunities to take part in real evaluations.

This internship has allowed me to experience the true beauty of clinical psychology. It’s not only about science and data. It’s about connection, understanding, and care. Behind every dataset and every report is a real human story. Looking ahead, I hope to become a biostatistician in the field of mental health research, building bridges between clinical practice and data science to make psychological studies more accurate and impactful, and, more importantly, to make sure every person who needs help is truly seen.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Buzinski and Richie for leading the GIL Internship Program and offering us so much guidance on our career paths, helping us better prepare for the future. Once again, thank you to Dr. Beck, Dr. Hazlett, and our amazing team at CIDD. I am truly grateful for your mentorship, kindness, and support throughout this journey.