Interview of Emily Shoteen Allerton by Jorey E. Cohen
Emily (Shoteen) Allerton is an alumnus of the SanGiovanni Lab. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 2021 with a B.A. in Russian and Slavic Studies, creative writing, and a B.S. in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science with an emphasis in Integrative Neuropsychiatry. Currently, she is a research assistant at The University of Arizona with the AYEM-B project, studying the health impact of a culturally informed Mind-Body Medicine curriculum for native families. Ms. Allerton is Tlingit and Haida, grandchild of the Eagle Frog Kuus Gaa Díi clan. She aspires to become an integrative neuropsychiatrist in Southeast Alaska, empowering patients to find their own healing sources through traditional medicine and to protect and promote traditional, non-western healthcare modalities as a path for healing. Over the summer, she interned at the Sealaska Heritage Institute Art Campus in Juneau, AK where she was helping to develop projects to empower native artists and promote indigenous sovereignty in Northwest Coast art.
Q: Tell me about a notable achievement/experience in college:
A: One of my most formative experiences was studying abroad in Kazakhstan. As someone who struggled with some serious health challenges, getting to have that experience meant a lot to me and that was possible due to the Gilman Scholarship. I made huge bounds in my language learning journey, laid the foundations of important friendships, and gave me a chance to witness some consequences of the Soviet Union and its cultural homogenization, particularly in the arena of language and traditional medical knowledge. If you’re a current college student, I fervently recommend talking to program advisors and the study abroad department at your school to discuss the possibility of studying abroad as it will challenge and develop your perspectives, empathy, and understanding of the threads that connect us all.
Q: What did you enjoy the most and what did you learn from being a team member in Dr. SanGiovanni’s lab?
A: Dr. SanGiovanni was intentional about fostering a community among the lab members and students. I felt we were empowered, nourished, and respected as scientists and as human beings. I deeply appreciated the autonomy we were offered in developing and pursuing projects and the space and time made for us to ask questions and push each other to learn. Our study in the gut-retina group pushed me to ask the right questions, find connections, and consider, in the broader picture, how we can influence human physical and psychological health through factors that affect the microbiome. That solidified my interest in integrative psychiatry, which can look at these physiological underpinnings of psychiatric illnesses, viewing patients as a whole person, and approaching treatment through a variety of outlets. Because I was provided the space in the SanGiovanni Lab to explore these ideas, and the support of our community, it gave me a love for research with human wellness at heart and the confidence to keep moving forward toward my goals.
Q: How did you get involved in your current role?
A: One of the integrative doctors I shadowed with in undergrad recommended getting in touch with Dr. Noshene Ranjbar, a local integrative psychiatrist. Our goals and values aligned and she offered a position in the mind-body medicine department of the AYEM-B project. I’m so grateful for the mentors and relationships I’ve been lucky enough to find and I’m looking forward to working with her further.
I applied for the SHI Art Internship through a formal application and interview process. I wanted to spend the summer with space to work on my art and writing before delving into full-time MCAT study. Not only has it given me the space to spend time with my family, learn more about my Alaskan community, and develop my art, but it also challenged my project management skills, taught me about planning and executing events, and it gave me insight into organizational leadership which is are lessons I’ll carry forward to be of greater service in future roles.
Q: How is post-college life?
A: Everyone emphasizes how exciting it is to be done with college and out in the world. While that’s true, I don’t think it’s spoken enough about how a lot of the spaces in your life can suddenly feel empty right after you graduate. It was really important for me to build a community and a structure for myself outside of the one provided by the college environment, with that as my foundation. Other than that, it’s been pretty fantastic to carve my path and put to use the skills I developed in college. I’m endlessly grateful for the influence and support the SanGiovanni Lab and its members have given me and am thrilled to see what the next “generations” of students will learn, create, and where their paths will take them!
Q: What are your plans for the next few years?
A: I’m planning to apply to MD/PhD programs next spring—cross your fingers! I hope to work as an integrative psychiatrist and research indigenous plant medicines in Southeast Alaska while emphasizing indigenous sovereignty and environmental conservation. In the future, I’d like to help develop and empower medical infrastructure in post-soviet countries and will be looking for medical volunteer opportunities if/when I’m a medical student. I’m always looking for ways to incorporate art and writing in this journey and have some storytelling projects in the works.