One of the main goals of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV is to create doctors who will stay in Nevada and care for its people.
Among the growing number of successful alumni, Dr. Caitlin Chen serves as a striking example of this initiative.
Currently an assistant professor and associate residency program director in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Chen’s journey began in Tempe, Arizona.
After earning her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Touro University Nevada, Chen joined the school of medicine as a resident in the psychiatry residency program.
Following her residency, she pursued a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University, where she faced a pivotal decision about her future practice location.
Returning to Las Vegas was one of the first options she considered, influenced by her desire to remain close to her parents in Arizona and keep connections she had formed in the city.
Additionally, her positive experiences during her residency program at the school of medicine played a significant role in her decision.
“I liked the residency program because of the exposure to a variety and breadth of different patient types with different pathology,” said Chen.
She appreciated the program’s reasonable demands that allowed her ample opportunities to learn essential skills for being a good psychiatrist.
Moreover, the faculty’s encouragement and commitment to her success deeply impacted her professional development.
“… There were faculty members, as I went through my residency, that left lasting marks on me and really helped me develop and figure out what kind of psychiatrist I wanted to be when I finished,” Chen stated.
Recognizing her specific interest areas, such as forensic psychiatry, the program provided vital support that allowed her to delve deeper into her passion before committing to her fellowship.
This preparation and guidance proved invaluable, with Chen receiving high praise during her fellowship interviews and from her fellowship director.
“My fellowship director would often make comments like, ‘I can tell that you’ve done competency evaluations before as a resident,’” Chen explained.
She recalled being told, “‘You have a lot more forensic exposure than we would expect for a resident,’” further underscoring the quality of training she received at the UNLV program.
With these affirmations in mind, Chen made the decision to return to Las Vegas and the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine.
“I felt like I had such a wonderful training experience here that I wanted to return and try and help ensure that future trainees would have an equally wonderful experience,” she described, highlighting her excitement when hired as faculty.
Currently, Chen’s clinical responsibilities include treating patients at numerous facilities such as Stein Hospital, UNLV Health Mojave Counseling, and University Medical Center (UMC).
Her academic role allows her to train and mentor residents in the psychiatry residency program, similar to how past faculty had guided her through her own training.
“I feel like it’s a good position to be in as someone who is a former trainee because I understand how the program works,” said Chen.
She mentioned her familiarity with effective lectures and popular lecturers that residents enjoyed, allowing her to incorporate these elements into future didactic sessions.
Discussing the importance of Nevada’s investment in graduate medical education (GME) programs, she noted, “Particularly within psychiatry, there is a shortage of psychiatrists in the state of Nevada.”
Chen emphasized the necessity of ongoing state support for residency programs like the one at UNLV to not only attract individuals from outside the state but also retain those trained within its borders.
“I’m not from Nevada originally, but yet here I am,” she concluded, exemplifying how the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine is fulfilling its mission to nurture healthcare providers committed to serving the local community.
image source from：https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/former-resident-returns-train-new-residents
