Member Highlight
Where you work: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics--resident physician
Typical day in your (new) shoes: After getting ready for the day, I spend 
some time drinking my coffee, playing with my cat, and listening to the news. I go in to work to check on my patients before rounds. Next, I am at the hospital for the day talking with patients and their caregivers and developing plans with my team. I take some time for lectures with other residents in my class. At the end of the work day I go home, work-out, relax, and review learning points from the day.
What inspired you to pursue psychiatry? I grew up in a close-knit, small community in rural Missouri. While I loved growing up in this community,
not all experiences were happy. When tragedies struck, I saw how psychiatrists helped my friends and neighbors cope with their losses and move forward with resilience. These experiences demonstrated to me the importance of mental health care in restoring function, improving quality of life, and in some cases, preserving life.
Who has inspired you? My parents are both rural physicians, and their passion for helping their community was an inspiration for me as I grew up. My medical school dean, Dr. Lane Young-Walker, worked hard as a leader to bring psychiatric resources to those who have limited access to care and to give voices to those have never had the opportunities to express their needs in their communities. As I learned more about psychiatry, I also learned about the limited access to mental healthcare people face. Dr. Young Walker and my parents have all demonstrated the life of advocacy I wish to lead.
How do you spend your free time? Making flower arrangements, painting, yoga.