Why UTSW Psychiatry?

UTSW Psychiatry caught me off guard during the interview cycle. I had been considering leaving Texas, and I applied to programs throughout the West Coast, South, and Southwest, but when I arrived for my virtual interview day and started learning more about what UTSW had to offer, I was blown away.

I knew going into interview season that I highly valued breadth of training. When else would I have the chance to experience various aspects of our dynamic field? Learning about the opportunities at UTSW, I realized there really was nothing this program doesn’t offer: A variety of training sites, diverse patient populations, numerous research and community engagement projects, and any fellowship I might choose to pursue in the future. Not only that, but what I’ve come to find out is that my co-residents are also so diverse--in backgrounds, past experiences, interests, and personalities. It’s amazing how different we all are, yet how close and well connected we have become already. Everyone, from the chair of the department to fellow residents, has been immensely welcoming and supportive.

Equally as important to me was finding a program that shared my values of being truly patient-centered: honoring patients as human beings, treating all persons with dignity, and being open to interrogating our roles in perpetuating inequality in the medical field. UTSW conveyed that to me, even through a virtual interview. Meeting Dr. Brenner, Dr. Thomas, and other program leaders, I was struck by their empathy and commitment, not only to patients but to us as trainees. I can truly say now that what they expressed was not just an interview-day veneer. Even over the first few months of intern year, residency leadership has taken the time to meet with us consistently to check in and get our feedback. They care a lot about making this program work well for us so we can better serve our patients.

Career Goals

My main career interests are either in inpatient, acute psychiatric care, or addiction psychiatry. So far, I’ve only rotated at the VA inpatient psychiatry unit, but I’m excited to rotate on the inpatient units at UTSW and Parkland Hospitals as well. I’m also looking forward to my VA Gold rotation, which gives us exposure to substance use treatment from the very first year of training. Another interest I’ve developed since starting at UTSW is recovery-oriented psychiatry. This aspect of psychiatry aligns with my background as a social worker, emphasizing the values of autonomy, the benefits of peer support, and the recognition that our patients are people with multifaceted, dynamic lives and personal goals beyond being our patients. I have been lucky enough to connect with an amazing mentor who is so passionate about this field (and also a graduate of this program!). Lastly, medical student and resident mental health is very important to me, and I hope to continue supporting and advocating for trainee wellness during and after residency.

Education

Undergraduate: Pomona College/BA Psychology (I actually considered a music minor, but music theory was much harder than I expected!)

Graduate: University of Southern California/Master’s in Social Work

Medical School: UT Health San Antonio Lozano Long School of Medicine

Follow Me for a Week

Monday: Arrive to the VA at 8am. Review overnight events for my patients (I usually follow about 3-4 patients at a time) and stop by to see them and check in on their progress. At 9am there is an interdisciplinary meeting, where physicians, nurse practitioners, nursing staff, social workers, pharmacists, and other members of the team meet to discuss each patient for continuity of care. Later, my attending and I will meet with the patients, and we’ll discuss their treatment plans. Break for lunch, catch up on notes and orders in the afternoon, and head home at 4pm, where I will take a break to rest and then get some exercise and cook dinner in the evening.

Tuesday: Similar to above, but we have didactics on Tuesday afternoons, so I’ll leave the VA around 12 or 12:30 and head home. We have virtual didactics most weeks, with in-person didactics at least once a month. Being at home an extra weekday afternoon allows me to learn while spending needed time with my dog. After didactics, I might meet up with some co-interns for trivia.

Wednesday: Same as Monday, but a little less hectic now that we’re settling into the week. I can talk through psychiatry concepts with the medical student rotating with us or discuss cases with the attendings. This week, we reviewed the indications for clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. I head home at 4 pm in time to attend a free sound bath at a small pottery studio.

Thursday: Same as above, but today I’m on short call, which means I’ll stay at the VA on call from 4-8pm. On call, I will help take care of any urgent patient needs. I always have an attending just a phone call away if I have questions or need help. The nursing staff are also so experienced and understanding that I’m new to all this!

Friday: Same as above, but today I had the chance to see the new electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) machines and learn a bit about how they work. After work, I’ll grab dinner with a friend at a local pizza place and read up some more on ECT.

Saturday and Sunday: Fortunately, we have most weekends off on this rotation, although we may have to take long call from 8am-8pm or 8pm-8am. Luckily, there’s a nice call room for us where we can rest during our downtime. It’s also a good chance to catch up on reading or any projects. On the “golden weekends,” I’ll take time to rest, run errands, and do something fun, like see a movie or go to one of the many amazing museums in the Dallas area. I moved to a cool area of town called North Oak Cliff (near Bishop Arts), and I’ve been exploring all the small shops and cafes that are within walking distance of me. I love this area!