Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Nicole Sonderman, M.D.

I have never been a morning person, so not having to wake up before the sun rises is great.  I start my day with a scenic ride down the eclectic Bardstown road in the heart of the highlands neighborhood, headed towards downtown Louisville.  I park my car right next to the hospital!!  When I arrive, I interview each of my patients individually and try my best to get a good snapshot of how they have been in the hospital for the last 24 hours.  I then discuss their treatment with a group of skilled clinicians including attendings, social workers, medical students, nurses, and residents in an open and relaxed environment where my opinion is not only heard but heeded.  I then head to the cafeteria for lunch where I look forward to chatting with all my coworkers for a bit about things other than medicine (although somehow it always ends up slipping in...).  During the afternoon I catch up on work and write orders for patients, dictate discharge summaries, admit new patients, or study if it's a slow afternoon.  When I get home I either whip up something quick for dinner or choose from one of the many tasty restaurants Louisville has to offer (my weakness is thai).  After dinner I usually try and read a journal article or chapter from a review book, but if I'm too tired, I'll wrap up the day with a DVRed soap opera or reality show.  I have plenty of time to get to bed at a reasonable hour to keep me ready and energized to do it all again!