After working in India for three and half years following medical school, I was thrilled to move to the United States with my husband to elevate my medical career through an American residency program. I took the USMLEs and passed Step 1 and Step 2 CS on my first tries. My plans were set until a crystallizing event changed my life: I lost my closest cousin to suicide. The circumstances and trauma that surrounded her passing formed scars that have changed me forever.
Depressed and upset, I took time off from Step 2 CK preparation to be with family. I pondered how her death could have been prevented. I felt different in so many ways. I realized that medicine is more than fixing broken bones, treating illnesses, or restoring physical health. The cost of ignoring patients’ psychological well-being became much too clear and I was very keen and determined to explore my interest
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It was challenging and fulfilling, allowing me to glimpse their dark side, growing up in broken, unfavorable family settings. Under a psychiatrist’s supervision, I cared for four children. I talked with them daily, discussing their behavior and trying to understand their emotions and thought process. I encouraged each to use positive coping skills and verbalize their emotions and helped develop insight into their behavior. An 11-year-old girl with Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder responded particularly well with substantial improvement in her coping skills and reduction in impulsivity. After careful assessment, pharmacotherapy, and family sessions, I was elated to see her go home and return to school. I felt very confident and happy to be able to contribute in this journey of their life. Through my time in these rotations, my appreciation of the effects of mental illness and the vital need of a strong patient doctor relationship only