Member Highlight

It is a bit difficult to capture a “typical” day. I start with a cup of coffee with my husband and a check-in with my thirteen year old. Then off to work where I juggle directing the program with my clinical work with residents on the consult service at Broadlawns. Because we are still building this new program and I am new to practicing in Iowa, I frequently meet new people to talk about opportunities for the residents. So many people are invested in helping make the residency program
work and I am so grateful for that. The excitement about having more psychiatrists
in the state is really infectious.

I worked on a hotline as a volunteer in high school and again in college. After I got over my fear of talking to really frightened and upset people, I realized that I loved doing it and that there was nothing quite like ending a call with a person feeling better than when they called. I was hooked. My interest in science combined with encouragement from my mother, who is a psychiatric nurse, to think about medical school led me in that direction for pursing my interest in helping people in emotional distress.

I love shaping this new program and using my experience as a faculty member in residency programs to pull together a great group of faculty, staff and, of course, residents, to train psychiatrists who will care for people long after I retire.

My patients continue to be my biggest inspiration. They tell me what I need to teach and to learn and to change by bringing their problems to me. I am grateful for so many teachers over the years who taught me how to listen to patients.