Introduction

Seventeen years ago, I was born at St. Joseph's Hospital with absolutely no idea who I wanted to be. Years later, after seeing a human skeleton model in an encyclopedia, I became a self-proclaimed anatomy expert who was 100% sure about becoming a doctor. After the occasional identity crisis or two, I eventually figured out I wanted to study the brain and human behavior, but I still had no idea how I would put that into practice. Now, I have a more detailed plan for the future and I'm fortunate enough to be back where I started. 

As a part of my senior research project, I'm working with the wonderful Dr. Glynnis Zieman and Dr. Javier Cardenas at the Barrow Neurological Institute Concussion and Brain Injury Center in St. Joseph's Hospital. 

Initially, my project proposal was focused on how recurring brain injury results in physiological changes that can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Currently, I'd like to narrow down the scope of my research by studying one subset of patients at the clinic: domestic violence victims.

Although athletes in contact sports, military personnel, and domestic violence victims are all at risk for repeated head trauma, there has been a notable lack of attention given to the latter of the three groups. The prevalence of traumatic brain injuries in these populations has been dubbed the "Silent Epidemic", which is especially apparent in domestic violence victims because they are typically less likely to seek help. 

Throughout my project, I will observe the physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms found in domestic violence victims post injury. I will also monitor patient progress and analyze the results of their treatment over time based on self-reported symptom scales and other factors. Of course, due to my age and the sensitive nature of the subject, I have limited access to patient notes, but I will make do with the information I have. My hope is to provide statistical evidence of the positive impact of TBI treatment on domestic violence victims, as well as contribute to raising awareness about the issue.