Why I love psychiatry and you will too

Please can you introduce yourself briefly and tell us about your current role?

I am Dr Priya Premalatha. I am a General Adult Consultant Psychiatrist. I am an International Medical Graduate from India and a busy mum to two boys.

I finished my medical school in India then completed the Foundation Programme and Psychiatry Training in South London and Maudsley NHS Trust.  

I have been a consultant for four years now and I have worked in an inpatient setting, Liaison services and currently work in the Community. 

I am also actively involved in Service Development where I am the lead currently for opening a new service in our borough (Olanzapine Long-acting Injection Clinics). I offer free tutorials for British Indian Medical Association. I organise Startwell Event twice a year for the general wellbeing of new Consultants in our Trust. 

I was shortlisted as a finalist for the London Psychiatrist of the year organised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2023 and the Liaison team, I worked with won the London Clinical Team of the Year award in 2022. 

How would you describe your job to a medical student or Foundation doctor? 

I currently work in the Primary Care Team where my primary responsibilities include providing senior clinical input for patients who are on depot and oral antipsychotic medications.  

 We are a team made of resident doctors, nurses, pharmacists, phlebotomists, admin, psychologist, social worker, students and team manager.  

 I also lead the Multidisciplinary Team Meeting daily discussing crisis, referrals, zoning(red/amber/green) and discharges. I am also involved in complex discharge planning, complex capacity assessments, court of protection assessments and hearings and wider MDT best interest and professionals meeting. 

I see patients in Outpatient Clinics and do home visits. 

In your role, you sometimes work alongside Foundation doctors and medical students doing rotations in psychiatry. What sort of work do they do, and how much do you enjoy helping the next generation of psychiatrist’s progress in their careers? 

I have been incredibly lucky throughout my training to have excellent Clinical Supervisors who looked after me and have been nothing but amazing and supportive. I always inspired to be one when I became a consultant too.  

I have supervised 3rd and 4th year medical students, Psychiatry Resident doctors, Foundation doctors, mental health studies placement students, nursing students and GP trainees. 

I give them weekly supervision, they join the team meetings, they get involved in Quality Improvement Projects, they shadow me when I see patients and I encourage them to speak to patients and carers, we then discuss and reflect along with teaching, they also document under my supervision.

They see how Psychiatry is unique, rewarding and how we help our patients using the biopsychosocial model.  

Many of our medical students and foundation doctors have gone on to choose Psychiatry. It gives me immense satisfaction when they give excellent feedback to me as a Clinical Supervisor as it motivates me to inspire them more. 

Why did you choose psychiatry? 

Working in this speciality makes me happy and gives me a purpose. I love coming to work every day as my days are interesting, satisfying and never boring. 

I spend time listening to patients and their families to understand what they are going through. In my mind I keep thinking how I can improve their quality of life with not just pharmacological intervention but a holistic approach which brings a positive change.  

In psychiatry you not only help the patient but the carers and the wider community. I love working with a multidisciplinary team and how we have a collaborative approach in helping our patients.  

I have the perfect work life balance managing work, busy mum life and have time to squeeze in one or two hobbies. I have recently taken up dancing which helps me unwind after a busy week. 

Did you take a break at any stage in your career? Can you tell us about that – including whether you had any doubts about returning, and what influenced you in the end? 

Yes, I did.  

I have had two sets of maternity leave, 8 months of OOPE and experience of working parttime 50%, 60% and 80%. The application process was straightforward, and I was able to decide independently depending on my circumstances and was supported throughout the process. 

After my second maternity leave, I was unsure of returning to training with two little children under 5, but I was supported by the Training Programme Director who encouraged me to apply for Inter deanery transfer, consider parttime and I haven’t looked back since. 

Our speciality advocates and supports trainees who want to have flexible working pattern because of personal, academic or health reasons. I have supervised and still supervise so many trainees who work flexibly.  

Would you recommend the profession to anyone considering a career in psychiatry and why?  

Yes, 100 percent.  

You would rarely come across a psychiatrist who isn’t kind, we really are a warm and friendly bunch. You will not only be working in a speciality that is rewarding you can strike the dream of perfect work life balance.

If being curious and spending time with patients and teamwork is your forte this is the speciality for you.

If you like to take on challenges and are constantly looking for opportunities in addition to clinical eg research/education/teaching/digital/management - don’t look anywhere else, this is the perfect speciality you should choose. 

I wish everyone good luck and hoping to see many budding psychiatrists soon!