Henry Kietzman

Hi, I’m Henry! I was born the youngest of three siblings in Mystic, CT to a chemical engineer and author. I soon moved to Aurora, Ontario, then to Midland, Michigan, then back to Mystic before graduating high school. I did work at Mystic Pizza for several years, where the 1988 Julia Roberts movie is playing on loop (so I’ve seen it many, many times). I attended Swarthmore College for undergrad where I majored in Neuroscience while also participating in musicals as well as the DIII swim team. After graduating, I spent a year working as a research technician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine prior to enrolling in the MD/PhD Program at Emory University School of Medicine. During my clinical years at Emory, I was involved in student wellness initiatives focusing on fostering resilience through connection. I also served as president of the MD/PhD Student Association and the Psychiatry Student Interest Group, as well as the service chair of the Emory LGBTQ+ student group. I became involved in the Persistent Symptoms Treatment and Recovery (PSTAR) clinic for patients with psychosis during my M1 year and continued to work there throughout my time in the program. When I transitioned to my PhD, I joined the lab of Dr. Shannon Gourley, and became very interested in how our experiences sculpt our choices, particularly those choices that are dependent upon the prefrontal cortex. Particularly, my PhD investigated how rodents incorporate social information into their decisions, and the underlying necessary neural circuits. Going forward, I hope to continue investigating social cognition in rodents and humans in the lab, while also providing clinical care for LGBTQ+ populations. Outside of lab and clinic, I love watching campy or artsy horror films, going to drag shows, running, hiking, canoeing, and spending time with my cat and fiancé (soon to be husband!). I’m excited and honored to be joining the Yale Psychiatry community.