As a psychiatrist, you devote your life to making others feel better. You’ve received one of the highest levels of education of all health care professionals and you have what it takes to guide others in and toward a healthy mental health path. So with all of your training in human experience and behavior, how would you rate your own life and career?
According to “9 Habits of Highly Effective Psychiatrists” by Therese J. Borchard, there are several qualities that most psychiatrists possess. She says everyone has a different amount of each quality, and that is what sets psychiatrists apart. As an experiment, take this abbreviated list of Borchard’s suggested qualities and apply them to your career. How effective are you?
1. Possesses some humility
The idea here is that humility provides one of the ultimate human elements that fosters healthy relationships between you and your patients. Truth is, while your patients will appreciate your expertise, nobody likes a standoffish know-it-all. Sharing your personal experiences and admitting when you don’t know something goes a long way with everyone. Humility makes you relatable and breathes life into your career. It also happens to be one of the most sought after attributes interviewers look for in a candidate.
2. Prescribes judiciously
For someone who has not dealt with a mental health diagnosis, the idea of using medication in this area is often seen as superfluous. According to a 2011 mentalhealth.gov study, one in five American adults experienced a mental health issue, and one in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Those statistics alone should speak for themselves, but the stigma of mental illness often gets in the way, and undoubtedly you encounter patients (and non-patients) who think less of you for prescribing anything. A healthy prescription for you and your career is to stay on top of all existing and new medications. Not only does this keep you sharp, it instills confidence in your patients. An open discussion of medication options, including possible side effects goes along with the next item on the list.
3/4. Addresses underlying or accompanying conditions and thinks holistically
No one understands the complexity of a human better than you. Every person who enters your office is a puzzle that you often have to go strictly on their word to interpret. Medication may be part of solving the puzzle, but there are many other options as well. You wouldn’t prescribe the same medications over and over without investigating other options, so mix up your game plans through research and collaboration. The strategy of mindfulness has been buzzing lately. What could this stress-busting approach mean for both you and your patients? How can you incorporate the latest information in the industry in your interview?
5/6. Refers to other doctors and consults other physicians
Collaboration was mentioned above. Here’s what Borchard says about this: “Not only is an effective psychiatrist good at identifying symptoms of contributing illnesses, she has done her homework on which physicians are at the top of their field in other specialties so that she can confidently refer her patients to them. She has done considerable research on psychotherapists, compiling a list of excellent marriage and family therapists, personal (supportive) and cognitive-behavioral therapists, therapists for children, and group therapy resources.” This passage screams “big picture,” “fresh ideas,” “goodwill,” and ties back into humility. This type of networking may also help in the future if you begin looking for a new job or specialty. Maybe you find another specialist whose work is enticing. A locum tenens option might work to expand your expertise.
7/8. Is Accessible and keeps good records
It goes without saying that staying accessible to your patients is crucial; so is keeping good records. It can be very frustrating for a patient (especially one in distress) to try to recall medication dosages, behavioral patterns or suggested action plans. In your career, do you stay open to colleagues (see #4 above), keep information from all networking activities and stay in touch with your recruiter? With all that you do for others, make sure you keep good notes for yourself!
9. Gives hope
Do you feel like you are every patient’s cheerleader? Do you summon the strength to compassionately offer hope in an incredibly challenging or difficult situation? Your profession is a noble and precious one. Your patients come to you for hope. The guidance you provide changes lives everyday in ways that you can and cannot see. While this can make tracking effectiveness difficult, you know the intangible results are some of the sweetest of all.
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By Melissa Baysinger
