Guest Blog: Dr. Avani Patel, Mississippi Psychiatric Association Resident Liaison

As part of PRMS’ ongoing commitment to behavioral health, we invited Dr. Avani Patel, PGY-3 Psychiatry Resident in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, to be featured as a guest blogger this month. Dr. Patel reflects on her experience as the Mississippi Psychiatric Association’s Resident Liaison over the past year.

As a PGY-3 at the Department of Psychiatry at University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), I was recently named as the first Mississippi resident physician to serve in the APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship cohort. Most importantly, over the past year, I served as the Mississippi Psychiatric Association (MPA) Resident Liaison from the UMMC to the Executive Council of the MPA. I also served on the Journal Committee of the MPA.

This experience serving on the council and connecting with MPA’s Executive Director, President, and other Executive Council members was fundamental to my growth both within the MPA and the APA. The MPA Executive Director spends a great deal of time sharing opportunities with the resident physicians, which is invaluable. MPA’s Executive Council members are dedicated to the inclusion of the resident physician voice at the table by including representatives in meetings and listening to our opinions.

I have learned a great deal about the climate of organized medicine and how vital our role is in the future of mental health care, both state-wide and on a national level. I was also fortunate to contribute articles to the Journal of the MPA and attend the annual Mississippi Psychiatric Association and Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association (LPMA) conference in February, where I placed second in the case reports category of the resident poster competition. I am grateful for the travel scholarship provided by the MPA and PRMS.  

It was truly an honor to serve on the MPA Executive Council as a resident physician liaison, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work towards advancing mental health care in my home state of Mississippi.

Below please find a few photos from my experience serving as the MPA Resident Liaison – from socializing with colleagues to attending the MPA/LPMA annual conference to presenting at the poster competition.

Learn more about the Mississippi Psychiatric Association at https://www.msmpa.com/.

To learn more about the superior psychiatry-specific insurance program and comprehensive services offered by PRMS, click here.