General Psychiatry Residency Resident Life

How I’ve been developing at BCM and my favorite rotation: 

On every rotation so far, I have applied something I learned from the previous rotation. In my first four months of residency, I worked on inpatient and outpatient services, a consult service, psychiatry and non-psychiatry services, and at both a community hospital and the VA. The word “practicing” medicine feels appropriate. If I keep showing up, the learning happens inevitably as I practice my skills with more patients and in more contexts. 

My favorite rotation so far was my first one:

Inpatient psychiatry at Ben Taub. Everyone on staff from the attendings to the upper-level residents to the pharmacists and nurses taught me, had my back, and built up my confidence. Once we had the hang of it, my new co-resident and I worked hard to support each other. I learned a lot. I enjoyed both the content and the people with whom I worked. 

Highlights of my training and why I picked BCM:

Baylor wants people because of who they already are. Our advisors encourage us to keep growing in the directions we choose. The program’s appreciation of individual strengths and personal fit creates a palpable sense of community. My interview day conversations had an inviting sense of familiarity.

A few other concrete things that stood out to me about the program:

Baylor has excellent psychotherapy training. It values the psychotherapy skillset for all practitioners, as these skills can be applied in all patient contexts. The program coordinators are friendly and great at their jobs. The level of administrative organization was clear from my interview day and continued after match. Finally, Houston is a great city for residency with amazing restaurants to explore. 

 My projects, tracks, or research: 

I am a yoga instructor. This year, I already taught workshops at the Institute for Spirituality and Health in the medical center. I am writing a memoir about a year I spent studying indigenous mind-body healing practices in different cultures on a grant from Rice University. After a brief hiatus due to the pandemic and multiple board exams, I am starting to perform original music and host events again, such as the open mic night I hosted for fellow residents during October, 2022.

What I’m interested in:

Currently, I have a wide variety of interests including addiction psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and psychodynamic psychotherapy. That’s the great thing about being an intern-I feel like I have the ability and time to explore where I fit in. I find I’m deeply sympathetic to individuals who suffer from addiction. Child and Adolescent psychiatry has so many applications, and there’s currently a lot of need. Psychodynamic therapy is what initially drew me to psychiatry. Its components can be applied in any field! 

How I’ve been developing at BCM and my favorite rotation: 

There is such of wealth of information you get from attendings, co-residents, and fellows. I do my best to incorporate the things I’ve learned from them into my treatment style. My favorite rotation so far has been Addiction Psychiatry with Dr. Daniel Ayanga. Not only was it my very first rotation at Baylor, but it was also the first time I was exposed to motivational interviewing in a psychiatric setting. Dr. Ayanga’s approach to the psychiatric diagnostic process really set a solid foundation for the rest of my rotations. 

Highlights of my training and why I picked BCM:

I chose Baylor due to the people. I was fortunate enough to do an away rotation during my 4th year of medical school. I interacted with current residents, a child and adolescent fellow, and an attending who completed residency at BCM. Everyone was welcoming, genuine, and eager to teach. I started residency here in July, and I’m glad I chose BCM! 

My projects, tracks or research:

I’m one of the Program Evaluation Committee representatives for my class. My job is to be a voice for the class and represent their opinions during meetings. This position gives me the opportunity to learn about the specific needs of my colleagues and how I can better serve them. My research interest is psychedelics. At the moment it’s limited to reading articles. I plan to pursue some form of research on the subject in the future.

What I’m interested in:

I’m planning to pursue a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship after completing residency. Kids have always been my favorite patient population, primarily because they represent hope. Intervening in childhood means the opportunity to change the trajectory of not just the child’s life but also help bring more stability and skill to the family as well. And, of course, being able to use stickers as a motivator is pretty fun!  

How I’ve been developing at BCM and my favorite rotation:

My favorite rotations by far have been those involving kids! During my second year I had the chance to work with Dr. Maldonado, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at TCH, who does a combination of family and individual therapy as well as medication management. It’s fascinating to watch how he does therapy, the elements that he brings into it, and the changes in his patients and their families as a result. Besides this, I’ve had a fantastic time working with Dr. Mao this year, also a child and adolescent psychiatrist at TCH, in the outpatient setting with a clinic focused on autism. Her knowledge is incredible, and I’m so glad I’ve gotten the chance to work with her.

Highlights of my training and why I picked BCM:

The main thing I remember from my Baylor interview day was how much the residents seemed to truly enjoy each other’s company. Everyone was so supportive and welcoming, and I was so excited about the potential to join that community! Now that I’m at Baylor, I’ve gotten to see firsthand how fantastic my Baylor co-residents are and am lucky enough to be able to call many of them close friends.

My projects, tracks, or research: 

One of the main projects I’ve been able to help with is psychoeducation seminars for middle and high school students at Chinquapin Preparatory School, a private college-preparatory school that works primarily with students from under-resourced communities. I’ve mostly been involved with teaching, and it’s been a fantastic opportunity to work with my favorite patient population in helping them learn about mental health with the hope of raising awareness and teaching specific skills to potentially prevent or mitigate current or future difficulty.  

What I’m interested in:

I’m interested in several specific areas within psychiatry: child and adolescent psychiatry, adverse childhood experiences, global mental health, refugee mental health, health policy, and forensic psychiatry.

I have the opportunity to be involved with several organized psychiatry organizations such as the World Network of Psychiatric Trainees, European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees, and the Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians where I have taken an active role in advocating for patient safety and scope of practice legislation.

How I’ve been developing at BCM and my favorite rotation:

I feel fortunate to train at so many different clinical sites such as Ben Taub (county hospital), Michael DeBakey VA, Methodist Houston, Texas Children's Hospital, and the Menninger Clinic. So far I have thoroughly enjoyed my Methodist rotations because the attendings are a pleasure to work with, and there are great learning opportunities when working with patients from all different backgrounds.

Why I picked BCM:

If you ask anyone, BCM's psychiatry program excels when it comes to numerous experiences at our various clinical sites. The strong training in both psychopharmacology and psychotherapy ensure that you will be a well-rounded psychiatrist by the time you graduate. 

One of the main reasons I chose BCM is the broad network of faculty with wide range of interests. From addictions to women's mental health to neuromodulation, if you have a particular interest, BCM will pair you up with a mentor to continue to foster those interests. I have been working with a child and adolescent psychiatrist who is also board-certified in addiction psychiatry on the relation between adverse childhood experiences and race during the age of COVID.

My projects, tracks, or research: 

I am immensely grateful to have the chance to learn from the Clinician Educator Track (CET) where we take extra classes and learn how to hone our skills in academics. Whether we are working on a QI project, research, or developing lectures for medical students, CET has broadened my understanding of how to integrate education into the clinical experience for ourselves and other trainees.

What I’m interested in:

My interests in psychiatry are psychotherapy, addiction psychiatry especially in the younger age group, child, and adolescent psychiatry. And when I am not working, I love road trips and sightseeing.

How I’ve been developing at BCM and my favorite rotation:

The Baylor experience has morphed me into a better psychiatrist in the last couple of months of arriving here. Baylor was my top choice program during the application cycle, and I would make this choice over again. My favorite rotation so far is the psych ER at Ben Taub Hospital where I quickly grew in a short time to shouldering the responsibility of coordinating the psychiatry emergency services during my rotation.

Highlights of my training and why I picked BCM:

Diverse clinical sites and diversity of psychopathologies with its unique patient populations. Also, the obvious camaraderie that existed between residents, staff, and faculty when I interviewed nailed this choice for me.

My projects, tracks, or research: 

I have been working on several research projects both within and outside the program. I have been focusing on research work in addiction psychiatry looking at the different epidemiological aspects of substance use in the general population, especially in the younger population. I am currently working on a review paper on Internet use and Internet gaming activities among the adolescents pre- and during the COVID pandemic.

What I’m interested in:

I am most interested in addressing substance use disorders in underrepresented minority populations, particularly in rural and border towns.

How I’ve been developing at BCM:

BCM has provided valuable opportunities to grow not just as a physician but an educator, researcher, and advocate for my patients.

Highlights of my training:

My favorite part of training has been my year working in our county hospital’s Substance Addiction Treatment (SAT) clinic. It was rewarding to use life-changing medications such as Suboxone and apply important psychotherapeutic interventions for patients who have historically experienced significant barriers to receiving care.

My projects, tracks, or research:

I am on the Clinician Educator Track (CET). In addition, I am completing the REACH fellowship through SAMHSA/AAAP/Yale.

What I’m interested in:

I’m interested in academic medicine, addiction psychiatry, and women's mental health. 

My favorite rotation:

My favorite rotation at Baylor so far has been the Substance Abuse Treatment (SAT) Clinic at Ben Taub Hospital where we treat adult patients with substance use disorders and frequently utilize motivational interviewing.

Why I picked BCM:

At Baylor, I appreciate the diversity of subspecialty training opportunities and the array of psychotherapy learning options. Most of all, I value the chance to customize my residency experience and connect with my co-residents.  

My projects, tracks, or research: 

As a resident leader of the Psychiatry Residency Outreach to the Public Sector (PROPS) organization, I have planned community lectures and co-coordinated mental health outreach programs both for adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and for Houston law enforcement. The Clinical Educator Track (CET), of which I am a part, has also been an important venue for enhancing resident teaching and leadership skills, while also supporting our development of academic writing and research skills.