In this special episode dedicated to medical students, residents and fellows, Dr. Josh Prudent and Dr. Amrit Misra join me as we talk about mental health training, mental health advocacy, addressing our own biases as practitioners, how ACE impacts the populations we serve, and the stigmatization around practitioners’ own mental health struggles.
Mental health concerns affect all areas of medicine and pediatrics is no different. Because pediatrics provides an opportunity for prevention and early identification, it is critical that our trainees receive in-depth mental health training in order to promote emotional well-being.
Josh Prudent is a 2nd-year Pediatric Resident at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and the District 5 resident representative to the American Academy of Pediatrics. He completed medical school at the John Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Prudent is pursuing a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. His advocacy interests include immigrant and refugee rights, vaccine advocacy, youth mental health and behavioral health, and secure patient pediatric research funding.
Amrit Misra is a 3rd-year Pediatric Cardiology fellow at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. He completed medical school at the University of Michigan and completed his Internal Medicine-Pediatrics training at Detroit Medical Center. He served as one of the Pediatric Chief Residents at Children’s Hospital and his clinical interests include adult congenital cardiology, community and global health, and transitional medicine.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Prudent and Dr. Misra
[00:01 – 03:54] Opening Segment
- Dr. Amrit Misra talks about his background and his involvement in the American Academy of Pediatrics.
[03:55 – 8:54] Advocacy Projects for Mental Health
- Dr. Misra talks about the AAP’s Section On Pediatric Trainees’ focus on mental health for this year’s annual advocacy campaign
[08:55 – 15:42] Are Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows Receiving Adequate Mental Health Training?
- Dr. Misra’s thoughts on how medical school and residency can further bridge the gap of training required to fit the vast needs of mental health.
- Dr. Josh Prudent joins the interview and gives his thoughts.
[15:43 – 29:41] How Are You Integrating Your Adverse Childhood Experiences Training Into the Work You Are Doing?
- Dr. Prudent incorporates ACEs into his patient’s medical care and talks about the nuances of approaching these conversations with clients.
- Dr. Misra shares where he sees ACEs impact his patients
- The need to provide more holistic care and for pediatricians to uncover biases within themselves in order to properly diagnose
- Approaching biases with a level of humility and desire to improve patient care.
[29:42 – 44:06] Medical Students and Mental Health
- The stigmatization around mental health and the shame and fear of failure surrounding getting help.
- Burnout and the shift in perspective of making sure medical students are aware of their wellness
- Dr. Prudent and Dr. Misra share their appreciation for very good attendings
[44:07 – 49:37] IWhat Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self?
- Dr. Misra would tell his younger self to relax and enjoy the process.
- Dr. Prudent advises to maintain strong relationships with your friends at every stage in your life.
- How does a resident find out about the Section on Pediatric Trainees (SOPT)? (Links below)
[49:38 – 52:11] Closing Segment
- Finals takeaways
- Trainees have a very special place in the AAP’s Section On Pediatric Trainees
- The SOPT dedicated all their activities to mental health for their annual advocacy campaign
- We need more mental health training in medical training
- They have seen the impact of ACE on the populations they serve
- Home visits opened Dr. Misra’s eyes
- Dr. Prudent described awareness of his own biases
- Programs have a better awareness of physician trainee mental health but there is still some stigma
- Josh shared relationships are key to trainee health. Amrite closes with his advice, “Relax and know that this is a journey. Take your time.”
Tweetable Quotes:
“Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have significant impact acutely but also chronically long term. People think that, ‘This happened two years ago. It’s not going to impact our patient anymore.’ But people still think and reflect upon those traumatic moments and life experiences.” – Dr. Josh Prudent
“I uncovered biases that I never thought I had within myself… Beyond being a subspecialist, as physicians in general being able to do these things, recognizing your own biases, and being able to address them is very important. It’s something that makes you a better physician overall.” – Dr. Amrit Misra
Resources Mentioned:
- The Academy of American Pediatrics
- Adverse Childhood Experiences
- AAP: Section on Pediatric Trainees
- Section on Pediatric Trainees: How to join
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