Page 59 - 2017-2018 Department of Psychiatry Annual Report

also devotes some extra hours in the healthcare system. Program in September 2018. These
early mornings, in the evening and on funding sources will add further
weekends. Undergraduate research assistants stability to their program over the
have been critical for Dr. Keshen’s next few years. There have also been
Dr. Keshen hopes his work will lead research program from the beginning. members of the department, including
to more successful outcomes for Initially, Thomas Helson was paid Drs. Joel Town and Abraham Nunes
eating disorders patients. “If our as a summer student through a who have consistently contributed
feasibility drug study shows that government co-op program, a their expertise in statistics and
the psychostimulant is a potentially Dalhousie Department of Psychiatry research methodology to the eating
effective and safe treatment for Research Fund award, and private disorders projects. The research team
bulimia nervosa, our goal is to apply donations. “He has been instrumental has also received mentorship and
for an external grant to conduct a in preparing grant, protocol and guidance from senior researchers in
larger, randomized controlled trial Research Ethics Board applications our department and other academic
to test this treatment,” he says. that have created the foundation eating disorder centers in Canada,
“Investigating such a novel treatment for our research program,” says Dr. the US, and England.
for bulimia is relevant because Keshen. Thomas will start medical
current psychological and medication school at Dalhousie in September Though he didn’t plan to be a
treatments lead to relatively low 2018, but fortunately Dr. Keshen has researcher, Dr. Aaron Keshen is
remission rates, and high relapse two other strong research assistants passionate about it and his recent
rates.” The longer-term goal of the in Laura Dixon and Sarrah Ali. Both grant success has allowed him
smaller BED study is to test the have been volunteering their time, to further pursue this interest. His
implementation of this approach in and more recently, paid through current research projects will be
a clinical setting. Dr. Keshen hopes grant funding. Laura was awarded a ongoing over the next one-to-two
this accessible approach could help Dalhousie Department of Psychiatry years.
fill a gap in the treatment of BED Summer Studentship starting this
in NS where there are currently no May and will be starting the Dalhousie
treatment options within the public Masters in Psychiatry Research

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