Gerry-Lynn Wichman, M.D. 

A typical day for a second year psychiatry resident is somewhat different than that of an intern. Being on my inpatient child psychiatry rotation this month, I generally get to work between 7:30 and 8:00am and start the day by participating in morning treatment team. This is where I discuss my patients with an attending physician, social workers, nurses, other residents, and medical students. I then spend the rest of the morning and early afternoons interviewing my patients, writing notes, and formulating plans for their treatment with much more autonomy than last year.  I also have my own clinic each week, which is an introduction to the outpatient setting as well as another opportunity to work with more independence.  I continue to take in-house call at the Emergency Psychiatric Service, however I only have about three calls per month this year compared to five or six calls per month as an intern.  Some days there are conferences or lectures to attend, and I also have weekly meetings with an advisor to talk about long-term patients and to discuss any issues or concerns I may have. Although this may sound busy, I generally get home in the late afternoon or early evening with plenty of time to do a little additional studying as well as enjoy my life outside of work.  So far, my experience as a second year resident has continued to validate my decision to choose a career in psychiatry and to pursue it here at the University of Louisville.