Electronic Summer 2024 | Issue 59

Member Spotlight: Vanessa Stan, MD

In this edition of Member Spotlight, IPS ECP (Early Career Psychiatrist), Dr. Sudhakar Shenoy, interviews IPS ECP, Dr. Vanessa Stan.

Dr. Shenoy: Dr. Stan, thank you so much for joining us for this interview. Could you tell me about yourself?

Dr. Stan: I grew up just outside Detroit in Allen Park, Michigan and I’ve apparently been telling my family I wanted to be a physician since I was just 4 years old. However, I didn’t really understand what that looked like because I’m the first physician in my family. I came to Chicago for undergrad at the University of Chicago and fell in love with the city. After graduation, I wanted to make sure becoming a physician was really the right path, so I spent a few years in the Boston area as a psychiatry research assistant. It was there that I realized this was what I wanted to do with my life. I did a master's at Loyola University of Chicago to strengthen my study skills and then completed my MPH at Johns Hopkins University before being accepted to medical school at Wayne State University in Detroit. I matched for psychiatry residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago and then completed geriatric psychiatry fellowship at Northwestern University. After that, I returned to Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, in Chicago, where I trained. I’ve been working there ever since and really love what I do every day as a general and geriatric outpatient psychiatrist. 

Dr. Shenoy: Well, we are definitely lucky to have you return to Chicago for your training and stay here to practice! Could you share with us about how you got involved in ISMS?

Dr. Stan: I first joined the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Michigan State Medical Society when I started medical school based on the encouragement of a friend from college. It was a really exciting time to be involved in organized medicine - the Affordable Care Act was being written and it was so fascinating to listen to the debates about how small differences in policy would have such a lasting impact on our patients. A number of the patients I saw in training in Detroit had conditions that we’re not supposed to see in the era of modern medical treatments due to a lack of access to affordable healthcare. Those patients really stuck with me, and I saw how organized medicine could be a voice for those who the system left behind. 

I got pretty involved, ending up as the chair for the Michigan State Medical Society Medical Student Section and we did a lot of work to engage students across the state with a resolution writing workshop and our first medical student lobby day in Lansing, Michigan. As a result, it was only natural that when I moved back to Chicago for residency, I got involved right away with the Illinois State Medical Society. I’ve stayed involved ever since, with a lot of my work being participation on our Communications and Membership Committee. I’ve always thought that Membership Committees in any group are the most important because they do the hard work of trying to figure out how you get passionate people into the room. No group or society can be strong without having passionate motivated members who see value in the organization. 

In April 2024, I was elected to join the Board of Trustees for ISMS. We have some challenges ahead with issues like ongoing attempts at scope expansion from our non-physician colleagues, increasing pressures to see more patients in less time and our physician workforce shortage. I’m really excited to be part of the solution to some of these tough issues. I also think it’s incredibly important that we have psychiatrists in these conversations, so I’m happy to be one of those voices. I’ve also gotten fantastic support from more senior physicians, including one of IPS’s own, Dr. Shastri Swaminathan, who I’ve known since residency. 

On top of all of this, I keep myself busy with AAGP (American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry) and the AMA. For the past 6 years, I’ve been the AAGP’s representative to the AMA Young Physicians Section and will end up helping other physicians understand our perspectives when it comes to issues we see every day, like the challenges with the current hospice benefit system or how dementia care really works. This past meeting, I was able to step up as the Delegate for AAGP to the larger AMA House of Delegates that represents physicians from across our country and across specialties. It’s pretty exciting to see how we can change the conversation about an issue just by being in the room and bringing up struggles my patients tell me about every day.

Dr. Shenoy: Wow! That definitely sounds like quite the journey! It’s exciting to see ECPs getting involved and being active in organizations at the state and national level! Can you tell us about your clinical interests?

Dr. Stan: I’m really passionate about improving the therapeutic alliance and behavioral management of dementia. In both cases, it comes down to understanding what is truly important to our patients and their goals and values. From there, you have a solid base to work together with both patients and families.

Dr. Shenoy: Can you tell us about how you’ve been involved with IPS? Is there anything in particular you look forward to from IPS?

Dr. Stan: I have only dipped my toes into the waters of IPS and am still understanding how the opportunities of IPS overlap with our other organized medicine federation societies. I’ve newly joined the ECP Whatsapp group and I’m hoping to find time to attend some of the social and networking events this coming year. 

Dr. Shenoy: How do you maintain work/life balance?

Dr. Stan: It’s really hard! I chose a job that has reasonable hours and I’ve learned over time to be thoughtful about how many different opportunities I sign up for at a time. The boundary setting that we learn in training comes in handy sometimes to take a step back and decide what matters the most.

Dr. Shenoy: Thank you for this wonderful interview. Finally, a two-part question. First, any words of advice for recent graduates of psychiatry residency/fellowship programs that are entering the psychiatric workforce? Second, any words for our new PGY-1 residents that are about to start their psychiatry journey?

Dr. Stan: I’d tell recent graduates to remember that it’s ok to change your mind. It’s a really big change to go from seeking so many places to take you into their program and then entering the job market where you often have more than one opportunity. It’s also hard to make sure you ask the right questions while interviewing when you’ve never been an attending. If the position isn’t a great fit, I’d always recommend processing it and trying to choose something that better fits who you are as a person. 

For the interns, I’d just tell them that it’s a long road, but it’s worth it. It’s really an honor and privilege to have the special and trusting relationships we nurture with our patients.