Physicians making an impact: Dr. Mitesh Patel
For Dr. Mitesh Patel, physician well-being isn鈥檛 at the end of the to-do list鈥攊t鈥檚 the very first item. It鈥檚 a principle he strives to instill in every psychiatry resident he teaches.
As the Program Director of the Psychiatry Residency program at 91影视鈥檚 School of Medicine, he has built a curriculum designed to rethink how residents are trained. With innovative approaches that reflect the future of psychiatric care, the program aims to prepare community leaders who can deliver sustainable, inclusive care from day one.
鈥淥ne of the first things I tell them is 鈥榶ou are no longer students鈥�,鈥� Dr. Patel said. 鈥淭hey are all doctors now, and they are our future colleagues. You will see me treat them with the professionalism and respect that a colleague deserves. We will be transparent and hold one another accountable.鈥�
Learning where it's needed most
Dr. Patel also emphasizes the importance of residents being placed in community hospitals and Community Mental Health Organizations (CMHOs) such as Youthdale, one of 91影视鈥檚 clinical affiliates, where he also serves as Chief of Psychiatry.
Youthdale supports children, youth, young adults and families from diverse backgrounds who are living with complex mental health needs. Dr. Patel has seen firsthand how much of a difference residents can make in community-based settings, providing care for underserved populations that might otherwise be difficult to reach.
鈥淎t Youthdale, we see some of the highest-risk young people, many of whom come from incredibly difficult circumstances,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 really wanted to prepare the next generation of psychiatrists to work with underserved populations.鈥�
Soft skills to core competencies
To prepare psychiatrists for today鈥檚 health care challenges, Dr. Patel has infused the curriculum with leadership and interpersonal development alongside rigorous clinical training.
鈥淕ood psychiatrists must be good leaders, not just clinically capable,鈥� he said.
Leadership, advocacy and self-care are essential to creating lasting change. That's why Dr. Patel has built them into the program through a leadership course, advocacy projects, peer mentoring and protected self-care time.
Protecting wellness, preventing burnout
Physician burnout has been making headlines for good reason鈥攊t has become a system-level issue, with 46 per cent of doctors reporting high levels of burnout.
Through mandated self-care time, residents set aside a weekly half-day dedicated entirely to their own well-being. During this time, they are not permitted to complete residency work, creating protected space away from the demands of training.
鈥淭he hope is that they鈥檒l pick up something that really interests them,鈥� Dr. Patel explained. 鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 spending time with their family, maybe it鈥檚 going to the dentist, maybe it鈥檚 taking up a hobby. Carving out that half day in your calendar to take care of yourself is a really important skill to master as a practicing physician.鈥�
Doing things differently
Dr. Patel was drawn to the 91影视 School of Medicine because it offered him the opportunity to redefine psychiatry education. A new medical school creates an opportunity to build a different kind of learning culture from the ground up.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 do things differently and teach residents skills that are in line with where health care is headed, then who will?鈥� asked Dr. Patel. 鈥淭his is what we should do as a healthcare system. We should be looking for where things aren鈥檛 working well and shifting resources to areas that need more support.鈥�
Dr. Patel believes that preparing psychiatrists for the future means paying attention to emerging priorities, including changing demographics, artificial intelligence, LGBTQ+ health and Indigenous well-being.