West Hudson Psychiatric Society 2024 Meet and Greet: Key Takeaways and Insights
As part of PRMS’ ongoing efforts to support the behavioral healthcare community and to promote the organizations that work towards this mission, we are pleased to highlight the West Hudson Psychiatric Society and its members, Dr. Dominic Ferro, Psychiatrist in Rockland County, NY, and Dr. Emmanuel Ilori, PGY-2 Psychiatry Resident Physician at Garnet Health Medical Center in Hudson Valley, NY, to be featured as a guest bloggers this month. Drs. Ferro and Ilori reflect on their experiences attending the 2024 West Hudson Psychiatric Society Meet and Greet.
Enhancing Resident-Mentor Connections with New Speed-Dating Format
Since 2018, the West Hudson Psychiatric Society has been hosting a “Meet and Greet” for the residents at Garnet Health Medical Center with the generous support of PRMS. The relationship has been mutually beneficial. For the Society, the residents have brought an infusion of youthful energy and a perspective on the future direction of psychiatry. For the residents, our members have provided mentorship that augments their didactics and direct supervision with the added benefit of providing relationships with experienced psychiatrists removed from the demands of their hospital system. The “Meet and Greet” has spurred a more formal mentorship program in which several of our members have paired off in mentoring relationships with residents. Some of those relationships have lasted several years and many are ongoing.
This year, we adjusted the event’s format. In the past, each West Hudson member gave a rundown of their careers, followed by time for informal conversations with the residents. This year, at the thoughtful suggestion of Dr. Marc Tarle, we structured it like speed-dating. Every few minutes the residents and medical students in attendance rotated to sit with a different West Hudson member psychiatrist to allow for more informal interaction.
Our members in attendance included Drs. Faraz Mohammed, Marc Tarle, Jim Flax, Lisa Batson, Nick Batson, Ulrick Vieux, Muhammad Farooqi, Roger Maginley, Evaristo Akerele, Tresha Gibbs, and myself (Dr. Dom Ferro) as well as Rich Stagnato, RPLU, PRMS Senior Underwriter. Our members found the brief exchanges to be lively and they were shaped organically by the experiences and interests of both parties. The trainees had the opportunity to imagine different future careers and to find a mentor that they thought would be most helpful to them.
Mentorship and Career Growth
The opportunity to interact with psychiatrists who have progressed from residency to becoming successful, board-certified professionals during the West Hudson Meet and Greet event on July 18 was truly thrilling. This experience motivated me to redefine and sharpen my goals, create ambitious expectations, and prioritize the importance of mentorship in my career. I gained first-hand insights into how each mentor’s journey in psychiatry shaped who they are now and who they are becoming, learning about mistakes made and choices and opportunities that accelerated their successes.
The brief sessions with 10 psychiatrists from different specialties and backgrounds were brilliant, helping me initiate meaningful conversations and propelling me toward becoming not just a great psychiatrist, but also a balanced mentor for the next generation. I'm looking forward to more events like this in the future, as they provide invaluable opportunities for growth and networking in the field of psychiatry.
The WHPS Meet and Greet is typically held in July, after the arrival of the new class of residents. If you have not participated in the event, please consider joining and sharing your experience with the next generation of psychiatrists. Email West Hudson Psychiatric Society at westhudsonpsych@gmail.com to learn more.
Rich Stagnato, RPLU, PRMS Senior Underwriter, at the Meet and Greet
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