I studied philosophy and biology in undergrad, with a focus on analytical philosophy and the nature of consciousness. I first became interested in medicine when reading Oliver Sacks, a neurologist who wrote extensively on unusual neuropsychiatric cases. Originally from Ohio, I attended the University of Toledo for medical school and Psychiatric residency. I chose psychiatry over neurology because (a) I found schizophrenia and psychosis interesting from a research / neuroscience perspective, (b) my background in stoicism and existentialism was more applicable to psychotherapy than neurology, and (c) I had an interest in drug policy, especially the opioid epidemic and marijuana / psychedelic legalization.

In residency I grew increasingly frustrated by the disconnect between the evidence base and clinical practice in psychiatry, especially with regard to pharmaceutical company influence. This lead me to dig more deeply into the primary literature, and especially the historical literature not easily available online, such as drug trials and other studies from the 1970s and 1980s. I do not know everything there is to know, and I am still piecing together a rational treatment approach for common psychiatric complaints, one that properly balances evidence of risk and benefit, without novelty bias or other distortions. In the future I hope to focus my studies on psychoneuroendocrinology, especially the role of testosterone in male mood and behavior, as well as nootropic and memory / cognitive issues, and rational polypharmacy regarding gabaergic agents.