Member Spotlight

Q&A with Emi Deumic Shultz, MD
Resident Fellow Member Deputy Representative

Name
Emira (Emi) Deumic Shultz

Where you work
I am completing my Child & Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, set to graduate in June! :)

Typical day in your shoes
Every day is a bit different for me, which I enjoy. I split my time during the week between seeing patients in the child & adolescent outpatient clinic, in the children's hospital as the fellow on the child psych consultation service, and I also see undergraduate and graduate students at the University Student Health Clinic. As our fellowship's Chief Fellow, I assign clinic schedules, organize medical student and rotating resident experiences, and try to put out the little fires before they start. Excel has definitely become a close friend of mine.

What's your favorite part of being a psychiatrist? 
I like the challenge of having to balance truly listening, building a relationship, and asking the right questions in order to parse out what may be going on for each individual.

What's the best advice you've ever heard? 
My family immigrated to the US from Bosnia when I was 2.5 years old. Growing up, my parents always used to tell me, "Pamet u glavu." This translates from Bosnian to mean "Be smart,"  but I've always taken it as advice to keep a good head on my shoulders. I used to roll my eyes as a teenager, but I think this advice has actually helped ground me in life and stay true to myself. 

Favorite vacation experience/ destination
I'd have to say my honeymoon in Paris in 2019. I think it's extra special to me since it was our last big vacation before the pandemic hit. 

If you could sit next to anyone on a plane, who would you choose?
My husband. I get motion sick easily, so I'm not much of an airplane conversationalist. He'd respect my choice to sleep the whole way and even give me the window seat. 

Favorite TV show
I don't have a specific show, but my favorite channels are probably the Food Network and HGTV. Feel free to throw in a sprinkle of Lifetime and Hallmark during the holidays.

Favorite part of the winter season
Aside from being a season of family get-togethers, I enjoy the simplicity of getting cozy by the fire under a blanket with my morning cup of coffee. I also feel that people are just a tad nicer to each other during the holiday season which is welcomed in a world that's been fairly divided as of late.