Sharpest Scalpel Q & A with Dr. Amy Woods, Program Director, CDU Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
How did you make the choice to become a Psychiatrist? What are some of the highlights of your personal journey thus far? My decision to become a psychiatrist stemmed from my experience as a child with my stepfather who developed depression following his diagnosis of HIV. It was the early 90s and HIV / AIDS was very much stigmatized. He was filled with guilt, shame, and secrecy regarding this diagnosis. I saw how mental health impacted his physical health. It made it difficult for him to be consistent with his treatment, he was withdrawn from his family at a time when his family was needed the most.
Six years after his diagnosis, he passed away from AIDS. I often wonder if anything might have changed if his depression had been recognized and properly treated. I know that the virus is what technically took his life, but his depression was the catalyst that allowed his life to end too soon. From that experience, my interest in mental health was ignited and paved the way for me to become a psychiatrist.
My road to becoming a psychiatrist has not been smooth. There have been plenty of obstacles. It was important for me to be in environments that were supportive and collaborative. Having people that believed in me kept me going in those hardest moments. I attended Keck School of Medicine and even when I was struggling academically, I always felt like the leadership was trying to find a way to help me succeed. For that I am grateful.
How is the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program integrated into the Psychiatry Department and the College of Medicine as a whole? The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program was born out of the vision of Dr. Denese Shervington, Psychiatry Department Chair. In her vision of promoting the well-being of a community, she centers the healing needs of children which has guided the growth and efforts of the psychiatry department. This led her to pursue funding to establish a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program at CDU to achieve this mission.
Dr. Shervington selected this team by utilizing her experience of creating meaningful systems change. In fall of 2021, I was appointed as program director and my colleague Dr. Nithya Ravindran was appointment associate program director. Together we have been able to actualize Dr. Shervington’ s vision further, building a program that is child-centered and focused on healing.
Psychiatry has been a strong component of the King / Drew education and training process for many years. What strengths do you draw upon from that history? CDU has continued to exemplify fortitude and resilience as demonstrated by its unwavering dedication to its mission. This foundation has allowed us the opportunity to start a fellowship program that will meet the mental health needs of the residents of South Los Angeles.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 41