B. Katherine Karlay is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana. She graduated from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Minors in Chemistry and Spanish. She received a post-baccalaureate degree from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles and a doctorate of medicine from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. During her medical school tenure, she served as Student National Medical Association President and founded the Diversity Council and Students Advocating for Medical Equality to raise the voices of minority medical students and patients. As an Albert Schweitzer fellow, she served at the New Orleans Women’s Shelter providing weekly health education for unhoused families and expanded those services to other shelters.

She is currently a fourth-year general psychiatry resident at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, where she is a part of the Interventional Psychiatry Concentration, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Social Media Committee. As a resident, she is assisting with the development of an Electroconvulsive Therapy program at Parkland Health and Hospitals, which will increase access to interventional psychiatric services to patients within the public sector.

Katherine is married with children. Outside of medicine, Katherine enjoys spending time with her family, skating, traveling, brunching, and being a “sports mom.” She is an active volunteer in her church and community. She enjoys engaging in community discussions in efforts to increase mental health awareness and mitigate stigma.

Why UT Southwestern

"Since the age of 7, my desire to pursue a career in medicine has been to wholeheartedly serve both underserved and marginalized communities. During medical school, I identified the community I desired to serve as those suffering from psychiatric conditions. Moreover, I became specifically invested in how racial inequalities, social injustices, and community trauma impacted the mental health of black and marginalized communities.

When searching for a residency program, I desired to train at an institution that both respected and valued my life experience and perspective as a black woman and mother. Additionally, I desired to train at a program with evidence that it genuinely prioritized inclusion and diversity. When completing my away rotation with UTSW Psychiatry as a medical student, I saw firsthand how patients of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds were treated with the utmost regard and provided top-quality healthcare with both empathy and compassion. I also noted the support given to residents ranging from career development to growing their families. As a mother, it was very important for me to train at a program that valued family life and living in a diverse community.

Due to my broad interests in the field of psychiatry, it has been truly amazing to train at various systems including Children’s Hospital, Parkland, Veterans Health Administration, UTSW, Dallas County Jail, Terrell State Hospital, and Metrocare. Due to the growth in the field of psychiatry, I desired to train at an institution where I could gain further insight into my interests. I came in with an interest in Interventional Psychiatry and now am a part of our newly developed Interventional Psychiatry Concentration which provides clinical experience in Electroconvulsive Therapy, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Esketamine Treatments, and IV Ketamine."

Career Goals

"After graduation, I will continue a career at UT Southwestern in Interventional and Emergency Psychiatry. Long term, I plan to engage with education systems, faith-based institutions, and the criminal justice system to reduce stigma and improve the mental health of Black, minority, and marginalized communities through combining psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and both integrative and interventional psychiatry in clinical practice."