Interview with IPS Program Chair

2022 Annual Meeting: An interview with Dr. Lillian Joy Houston, MD

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Dr. Houston, thank you for speaking with me today. I know you are currently at the 2022 Annual Meeting - Association for Academic Psychiatry in Denver, Colorado. Can you tell me about your presentations there? Also, I hear there is a new textbook that you have co-authored. Please tell me about it?

Answer: Dr. Houston: Thank you so much for this interview, Dr. Shenoy. As the Vice Chair of Education at SIU School of Medicine's Psychiatry Department, I am involved in multiple projects. At the meeting in Denver, I am co-facilitating the AAP Book Club, co-presenting a workshop on faculty development with Drs. Wolf and Broquet from SIU, and presenting a media session about using film to teach.

About the textbook, the title is “Graduate Medical Education in Psychiatry”. The book is about structure and programming for psychiatry residency programs to design and implement best practices. If you are interested, here is a link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-00836-8?page=1#toc

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Thank you so much for that link, I will check it out. Next, jumping right in to the topic for today’s interview, what makes the IPS Annual Meeting 2022 special?

Answer: Dr. Houston: Oh, The first reason that this meeting is special, is because this will be the first time we are having an in-person meeting since 2020! I am excited to meet and speak with people in-person. Aren't you, too? Next, the theme of this Annual Meeting is focused on Technology and Innovation in Psychiatry. This theme is timely and very relevant considering how the practice of psychiatry adapted in response to the pandemic, and for the future. Finally, this is the first time we are having an all-day meeting as compared to previous versions. This annual meeting also has a career fair!

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Yes!! I and the rest of the Early Career Psychiatrist Committee are thankful that our request for a career fair and networking opportunities was granted. As an ECP, I have to ask you my most important question, “Will there be lunch?”

Answer: Dr. Houston: Haha.. Yes, there will be lunch! A networking lunch, especially focused for the younger crowd including ECPs, Residents and Fellows. The Career Fair is going to help youngsters like yourself and anyone else who may be looking for something new, look into job opportunities, even if you are just looking to educate yourself with the kinds of options out there.
Also, yes, we are hoping to have more lunches and networking opportunities for ECPs in the future as well.

Question: Dr. Shenoy: In my mind, I said “Lunch, check!”. The next thing on my mind is “Will I get some CMEs?”.

Answer: Dr. Houston: You’re asking some great questions! The answer is... Hopefully! We are working to be able to provide CME credits for the educational session part of the IPS Annual Meeting. More details will be shared if/when we have final approval.

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Wow! That is amazing. Next, as I would ask at a music festival, “What’s the line-up?”.

Answer: Dr. Houston: The “line-up” is full of headliners, to continue the music analogy. We have an excellent, talented, resourceful panel of speakers who are well known. We have speakers from the APA and we also have our Illinois’ speakers, IPS members that will make for an excellent day of learning.

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Speaking of speakers, I hear the Speaker of the House will be in the house?

Answer: Dr. Houston: Ha! Good play of words there. Yes, we are proud to have Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch as our Key-Note Speaker. It is important for us to have our elected leaders involved as we are able to contribute to mental health advocacy and policy for our patients that we serve and also to advocate for our profession.

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Yes, IPS does advocate for us all year round, and I think more of us should get involved with advocacy. Anyways, the next question, will there be fun activities?

Answer: Dr. Houston: Yes, plenty of them in fact. Networking lunches, cocktail hour in the evening, the awards ceremony with dinner. I am also hearing that we have sponsors and exhibitors that will put up booths.

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Technology, innovation, topics including virtual reality; amazing panelists and speakers; Speaker of the House; fun activities, food, lunch, dinner, cocktail hour, networking, sponsors, exhibits. Okay, I’m convinced I should register and attend the meeting. Again, as an ECP, would it be expensive?

Answer: Dr. Houston: In fact, the IPS and your membership dues helps us organize this event. The registration fee includes not only the meeting, but also covers the lunch, dinner, cocktail hour, etc. You can also make use of the Early Bird Rate before September 16. There is also special pricing for resident members and medical student members.

Question: Dr. Shenoy: Oh, I did not realize that the registration fee covered so many things. So, I guess I will see you at the meeting in-person then? I am excited to meet colleagues, mentors, friends and to make new friends.

Answer: Dr. Houston: I’m excited as well. Looking forward to seeing a lot of members, including early career members like you-ECPs, residents, fellows, medical students. We have put in a lot of effort in planning and organizing this annual meeting for IPS members. We hope to provide a valuable and immersive experience to every member and attendee. Your support in participation and in attendance will help us all have a great experience together.

In this article, Dr. Sudhakar Shenoy, MD, Council Member and Chair of the ECP Committee, interviews Dr. Lillian Joy Houston, MD, the Treasurer of Illinois Psychiatric Society and Chair of the Event Planning Committee about the IPS Annual Meeting & Career Fair 2022.

Member Spotlight and Q&A: