Electronic Spring 2024 | Issue 58

Member Spotlight: Sudhakar Shenoy, MD

In this edition of Member Spotlight, IPS RFM (Resident/Fellow Member) Committee Chair, Dr. Jasleen Singh, interviews IPS ECP (Early Career Psychiatrists) Committee Chair and recently elected ECP-Trustee-at-Large for the American Psychiatric Association's Board of Trustees, Dr. Sudhakar Shenoy.

Dr. Singh: Dr. Shenoy, thank you so much for taking the time for this interview. Could you share with our members a little bit about yourself?

Dr. Shenoy: Thank you for this interview, Jasleen. I was born and raised in India. I earned my Medical Degree from the prestigious Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute in Bangalore and graduated as valedictorian of my class. Before residency, I participated in research training at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Virginia Commonwealth University-Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in India.

Then I completed my residency in psychiatry and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. I am board-certified in both Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

When I was young, a life-threatening accident required me to undergo multiple surgeries, and due to a lack of medical resources and access issues, it was difficult for me to receive medical care in India. However, this life-changing adversity and the physicians who treated me with compassion inspired me to become a doctor myself. This continues to have an impact on me and is a driving force to provide exceptional care to my patients.

Dr. Singh: Wow, what an inspiring story! Thank you for sharing that with us. Could you tell us about your professional career? What does work currently look like for you?

Dr. Shenoy: As an International Medical Graduate (IMG), I served three years in underserved areas and am currently finishing up five years of the same service, as required by IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health) and HHS (Health and Human Services). I previously worked at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and I currently work at Clarity Clinic in downtown Chicago.

Dr. Singh: What are your clinical interests?

Dr. Shenoy: As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, my clinical interests include ADHD, autism, and intellectual disabilities. Helping my patients succeed despite their challenges is the most fulfilling part of my work.

Dr. Singh: As the current Chair of the IPS ECP committee, I was wondering if you could speak briefly about your vision for this committee and any future plans this committee might have for 2024?

Dr. Shenoy: The ECP Committee formally started under Dr. Chandan Khandai as the Chair in 2019-2020, and I was one of the first committee members. His vision to involve ECPs with IPS was exemplary and still serves as the informal benchmark even to other district branches of APA. The senior leadership of IPS has been very supportive and encouraging, which led this committee to flourish and grow stronger.

Through this committee, over 125 ECPs are well connected with each other. We stay in touch through newer channels of communication like WhatsApp groups, Facebook groups, etc. This approach has helped reduce email burnout while fostering a positive sense of connection with fellow ECPs.

Through these channels, multiple active members of the ECP committee take the lead in planning both formal and informal events. Formal events include programs at the IPS Annual Meeting and the IPS rooftop professional networking events. Informal events include restaurant outings, happy hours, art festivals, etc.

If you are an ECP, or about to graduate and become an ECP, then please consider joining the WhatsApp group to keep yourself updated about these activities and enjoy camaraderie, professional networking, and friendships. Please reach out to me to get added to the WhatsApp group.

Dr. Singh: I also wanted to extend congratulations on your recent election to the position of Early Career Psychiatrist Trustee-at-Large for APA. It is exciting to see an ECP from IPS nominated and elected to this position.

Dr. Shenoy: Thank you so much for the wishes! I am truly humbled and grateful for the trust that has been placed in me. It will be an honor to serve in this important leadership position. I am excited and committed to leading with integrity, empathy, dedication, and a service-oriented mindset to our patients, the field of psychiatry, and our profession as a physician. I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who supported me and my candidacy. I will uphold my platform of advocacy, community, and engagement.

Dr. Singh: Would you be willing to share a little about your journey in APA and IPS?

Dr. Shenoy: I have been involved with IPS since I was a resident, although being in Springfield, attending in-person events was very difficult at that time. However, once I graduated I started attending more events organized by IPS and became interested in organizing talks and events. Being part of the IPS ECP committee provided me with the springboard that got me involved in leadership in the IPS Council. For the last three years, I got nominated and elected as the "ECP Rep to IPS Council" and I am proud to say that I did not miss a single Council Meeting, strongly representing ECPs and advocating for our cause.

For the APA, I have been active with the Minority/Under-Represented Caucuses, especially with the IMG Caucus. Consistently presenting at APA Annual Meetings got me interested in the APA's Scientific Program Committee (SPC). In 2023, I got appointed to that committee as a Corresponding Member. It has been a lot of fun to be part of organizing the APA's Annual Meeting and I'm looking forward to it in New York City in May 2024. I hope you are going too!

Dr. Singh: That's amazing! It seems you are also active with many professional organizations and also hold leadership roles in multiple, including IPS, ICCAP (Illinois Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry), AACAP (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry), and IAPA (Indo-American Psychiatric Association). Do you have any advice for trainees/ECPs who want to be more involved at the district branch and/or national level?

Dr. Shenoy: Thank you. President Theodore Roosevelt famously said, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are". This is an important reminder and can be applied in many situations. I would encourage trainees and ECPs to "start low and go slow", and get involved at a pace that you're comfortable with while continuing to maintain a work-life balance.

Also, getting involved is fun! All the things I have been able to do are because I have fun while doing it. For example, the ECP Committee has led me to make a lot of new friends both personal and professional.

If you are a resident/fellow/medical student, then getting involved with the RFM Committee would be a great place to start. If you're about to graduate, or an ECP, then the ECP committee would be your best option.

There are certainly other committees that you can explore based on your interests. IPS has a great website and a full webpage dedicated to listing committees.

Dr. Singh: What general advice do you have for those earlier in their psychiatry career (medical students, trainees)?

Dr. Shenoy: It’s a long road, and years of dedication have led you to become who you are so pat your back every once in a while. Be the best physician you can for your patients. Be kind, be humble, and success will be yours. Happiness is multifactorial so make service a part of how you derive happiness. Serving others, including your patients, and serving your community is the easiest way to be happy.

Dr. Singh: Thank you for the advice! What are some of your interests outside medicine?

Dr. Shenoy: I enjoy travel, and I have traveled to 28 states in the United States so far. I enjoy photography as a hobby, and I have won a couple of photography contests and been featured on TV for my photography talent. I love tennis, badminton, cricket, and soccer and more recently, I’ve caught on the Pickleball trend too.