Ebony Caldwell, MD

Ebony Caldwell, MD

CLASS OF 2018

Dr. Ebony Caldwell recently returned to campus over homecoming weekend to share experiences and lessons she has learned as chief resident at Howard University Hospital’s psychiatry program. Hosted by the Psychiatry Student Interest Group, and the Office of Communications and External Affairs, Dr. Caldwell spoke to current students about the realities of managing patient treatment, medication and recovery in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Caldwell spoke extensively about her passion for addiction medicine, and told students that she feels that her education at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership truly prepared her for life as a resident.

What made you decide to go into your specialty? During my rotations I found that psychiatry was the rotation that I was most excited about. I enjoyed having time to sit down and talk with patients.

What unique preparation did the Medical Partnership give you for your residency? I think the Partnership prepared me to teach and to learn independently. The small group curriculum provides you with so many tools and opportunities to guide your own learning and process information in a means that allows you to digest it and then be able to share your knowledge with others. The skills I learned have aided me to transition to teacher with medical students, interns, and even patients.

How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as when you started medical school? I had no idea that I would end up where I am now. If you

told me M1 year that I'd be a chief resident in a psychiatry residency program heading to complete a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine I would have laughed it off. I have immensely enjoyed the journey and encourage current medical student to be open to fields and specialties that you never imagined coming into the medical school.

If you could give advice to the undergraduate medical education students at the Medical Partnership, what advice would you give? Do not be afraid to ask for help. So often as medical students, we're used to being great at everything. Getting to a point where you're struggling, whether academically or personally, can feel like defeat. However, there are resources available to you and people who will rally to support you if you speak up.

What is the most rewarding part of your residency? Working with my patients and seeing their recovery. Because of the stigma and misunderstanding of mental health in our society, so many times our patients are written off as "crazy" or "addicts" who are unable to live full, productive lives.