Dr Fiona Wilkes, Stage 2 Psychiatry Trainee, Dr Angus Finlay, Stage 3 Advanced Trainee, and Professor Jeffrey Looi, Psychiatrist, discuss their experiences in choosing and training in Psychiatry as a career. They discuss the process of choosing psychiatric training, experiences of training, the nature of the work with people suffering from mental illness, and the varied career possibilities within psychiatry. Listeners might also be interested in the related Psych Matters podcast “Challenges for early career psychiatrists”, which discusses early career matters, including work-life balance.
 
Associate Professor Jeffrey Looi, MBBS Syd, MD ANU, DMedSc Melb, FRANZCP, AFRACMA, is a clinical academic neuropsychiatrist, in private and public practice, and Head of the Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine at the Australian National University Medical School. Jeffrey leads the Australian, United States, Scandinavian-Spanish Imaging Exchange (AUSSIE) and the Consortium of Australian-Academic Psychiatrists for Independent Policy and Research Analysis (CAPIPRA). He has received multiple research and leadership awards including: a Fulbright Scholarship and Australian-Davos-Connection Future Summit Leadership Award. He is a co-author on more than 220 peer-reviewed papers, involving UCLA, Karolinska Institute and University of Melbourne.

Dr Fiona Wilkes, BSc (Hons), MChD, PhD (ANU) is a Stage 2 psychiatry trainee in Canberra and researcher and Associate Clinical Lecturer at the ANU Medical School. Her research interests are in neuroscience and how the brain influences behaviour. This began with her psychology undergraduate degree and spans honours in honeybee brains, a PhD in neuroanatomical changes in Huntington disease, and work as a doctor in neurosurgery and then psychiatry. She also has a miniature Australian bulldog, practices Iyengar yoga, and speaks a little German.

Dr Angus Finlay is the Academic Fellow at the Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine within the Australian National University Medical School, and an Advanced Trainee in the Consultation-Liaison Service at Canberra Hospital. He is an enthusiastic promoter of clinical psychiatry, research and clinical teaching, both within mental health services and across the general hospital. His research interests include psychiatric epidemiology, climate change and mental health, and medical education.

SAGE Journals
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• Why it’s worthwhile training as a psychiatrist (Jeffrey CL Looi, Angus JF Finlay)

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Disclaimer:
This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.