Resident Testimonials – Research Track

PGY4, Research Track

Biography

Dr. Quinten Clarke, currently a resident physician in the Department’s Research Track program, completed his medical degree at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University and completed a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Dr. Clarke has a strong interest in research of substance use disorders and medical education, and has previously published articles in the Journal of American College Health, Canadian Medical Education Journal, BMC Medical Education, Postgraduate Medical Journal, and Canadian Family Physician. He is recipient of several accolades including the BC Psychiatric Association Resident Advocate Award, the Providence Healthcare Resident Recognition Award, the Resident Doctors of BC Award of Merit, and the Ontario Medical Student Association’s Hidden Hero Award.

Why were you interested in pursuing the research track and your Psychiatry residency training at UBC?

The reputation of the psychiatric program and the department were strong factors in selecting UBC. On a personal level, my family and social circle are based in British Columbia and I had a strong desire to return to my home province.

In your opinion, what are the strongest aspects of the UBC Psychiatry research track?

The degree of collegiality among my resident colleagues and research staff in our department allows for many opportunities to learn from one another’s experiences and their own career paths.

How do you see the research track setting you up for success in your future career?

I envision research being a strong component of my career and as such the skills and experience gained through this program will be invaluable for my future.

Can you describe some of the unique learning opportunities the program has offered?

The program has supported me in attending the Canadian Psychiatric Association’s Junior Investigator Research Colloquium which offered a unique opportunity to connect with established psychiatric researchers from across Canada.

What would be the main message you wish to convey to someone who is interested in pursuing the research track as part of their psychiatry residency training at UBC?

The UBC Department of Psychiatry has rich opportunities to collaborate with established researchers with international reputations.

PGY4, Research Track

Biography

Dr. Marianne Hrabok received her medical doctorate from the University of Calgary, class of 2021 and is a Board-Certified Neuropsychologist (ABPP-CN Retired Registry). Prior to medical school, she worked as a clinical neuropsychologist. She completed both a MSc and PhD in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Victoria and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at Alberta Children’s Hospital. Her research currently focuses on es/ketamine, interventional psychiatry, and program development for emerging services. Currently. she is in the 2nd year of the residency research track, and the fourth year of the psychiatry residency program.

Why were you interested in pursuing the research track and your Psychiatry residency training at UBC?

UBC has an excellent program. I was interested in transferring to the research track because of my interest and involvement in research, and my plans to include research as part of my career as a psychiatrist.

In your opinion, what are the strongest aspects of the UBC Psychiatry research track?

There are several strengths of the UBC research track. First, the UBC psychiatric faculty are extremely experienced and in many cases, are local, national, and internationally recognized clinicians and researchers in psychiatry. Second, the research track provides dedicated time to spend on research activities, which is invaluable for optimizing productivity and skill development. Third, the resident body is a friendly and collegial group which is a key asset to the track.

How do you see the research track setting you up for success in your future career?

The research track is valuable because it affords time for research productivity and skill development, as well as offering professional connections, which is important for future career development.

What would be the main message you wish to convey to someone who is interested in pursuing the research track as part of their psychiatry residency training at UBC?

Given the many strengths of the UBC research track program, it is a good fit for a resident who wishes to pursue academic psychiatry.

PGY3, Research Track

Biography

Dr. Austin Lam completed his M.D. at the University of Toronto and a B.Sc. (Honours) in psychology and philosophy from McGill University. His research interests lie broadly at the intersection of mental illness and law. Specific areas of interest include sexual offending, violence stemming from serious mental illness, and correctional mental health. He began working with Dr. Tonia Nicholls at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in 2014, and his work in Nicholls Lab at UBC included a study examining the adverse childhood experiences of forensic psychiatric patients. At U of T, he worked with Dr. Sandy Simpson and Dr. Stephanie Penney on a number of forensic projects, encompassing sexual offending, homicide, and forensic needs assessment. His current projects at UBC include examining substance use patterns and mental health needs among people with and without a sexual offence history with Dr. Nicholls, and applying philosophical phenomenology to understand substance use disorders with Dr. Christian Schütz.

Why were you interested in pursuing the research track and your Psychiatry residency training at UBC?

The UBC Psychiatry Research Track has allowed me to work with Dr. Tonia Nicholls, a national and international leader in forensic mental health research. I first worked with Dr. Nicholls in 2014 during the first summer of my undergraduate years and have learned so much from her mentorship through the years. Returning to BC from Toronto (where I completed medical school) gave me the opportunity to work directly with Dr. Nicholls again, which was the number one reason that I chose the Research Track at UBC.

In your opinion, what are the strongest aspects of the UBC Psychiatry research track?

Time is one of the greatest commodities in research and the protected research time afforded by the UBC Psychiatry Research Track is a strong feature of the program which I greatly appreciate.

How do you see the research track setting you up for success in your future career?

I intend to pursue a clinician-scientist career in forensic psychiatry and the Research Track is well-structured to provide training relevant to establishing a serious scientific enterprise integrated as part of one’s psychiatric practice. I value the opportunities to seek meaningful mentorship and to learn the skills (e.g., grant writing) necessary to a productive scientific life.

Can you describe some of the unique learning opportunities the program has offered?

The Research Track’s unique learning opportunities lie in the people/leaders situated at UBC. I have benefited greatly from being connected with my co-supervisor, Dr. Christian Schütz, through Dr. Nicholls. This connection has allowed me to also pursue and build on my interest in philosophy of psychiatry, which has resulted in collaborations with leading philosophers locally at UBC and internationally. This could not have happened without the independence that the program affords, in balance with providing structure and guidance.

What would be the main message you wish to convey to someone who is interested in pursuing the research track as part of their psychiatry residency training at UBC?

If you are considering incorporating scientific pursuits as part of your psychiatric career and want a program that supports your ambitions for a clinician-scientist pathway, then the UBC Psychiatry Research Track is for you!

PGY5, Research Track

Why were you interested in pursuing the research track and your Psychiatry residency training at UBC?

Having completed a combined MD/PhD program, I wanted to secure protected time to maintain my research productivity during residency. There are currently so many exciting emerging developments in psychiatry and yet there are still so many areas in psychiatry in desperate need of further research.

In your opinion, what are the strongest aspects of the UBC Psychiatry research track?

Flexibility around research pursuits, mentorship around a clinician-scientist career, and having like-minded colleagues interested in research are incredible advantages to have during residency. 

How do you see the research track setting you up for success in your future career?

Dedicated research time and the aforementioned program strengths have allowed me to publish, expand my research skills and develop connections with research leaders. I am hopeful that this will support my future research career. 

Can you describe some of the unique learning opportunities the program has offered?

I have particular interests in neuropsychiatry and UBC has amazing training opportunities in this field, including an inpatient neuropsychiatry ward and a fellowship program. I’ve also had great exposure to rTMS treatments and research. The program has outstanding opportunities for training in addiction psychiatry; over the course of the 5 years of residency, you acquire strong competency in treating concurrent disorders even if you don’t pursue fellowship addiction training. There are also excellent training opportunities in other subspecialities: Child & Adolescent, Geriatric, Forensic, CL, Sleep, Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia, Eating Disorders, Reproductive, Pain and many more; there are awesome mentors in all of these areas that are eager to teach and collaborate in research even if you don’t pursue dedicated sub-specialty training. 

What would be the main message you wish to convey to someone who is interested in pursuing the research track as part of their psychiatry residency training at UBC?

The psychiatry residency program at UBC will prepare you to be an excellent psychiatrist just as all residency programs in Canada will. The program at UBC stands out in its respect for your work-life balance and support for independent learning. There are excellent opportunities for exposure to many niche areas within psychiatry and to get involved in world-class research – the research track provides you additional time to take advantage of this.  

PGY3, Research Track

Biography

Dr. Michael Song is a Psychiatry-Fraser Research Track resident. He completed his B.Sc. from Queen’s University, M.P.H. from UBC, and M.D. from UBC. His research interests include the intersection between addiction and other mental illnesses. Under the supervision of Dr. Christian Schutz, Dr. Song is studying the epigenetic profiles related to childhood trauma among individuals with concurrent disorders. Additionally, he is working with Dr. Michael Krausz to better understand the global healthcare burden of and explore public health strategies amidst the fentanyl crisis.

Why were you interested in pursuing the research track and your Psychiatry residency training at UBC?

While doing my graduate studies at UBC, I had the opportunity to work with numerous mentors including Dr. Michael Krausz and Dr. Christian Schutz. I was able to witness many innovative opportunities such as internet-based tools, heroine assisted treatments, and other emerging pharmacological treatments to support people struggling with substance use disorders and other mental illnesses despite the current significant challenges. While continuing to be inspired by many people in the field, I wanted to continue to be part of that collective effort to tackle ambitious goals in meeting the population’s mental health needs.

In your opinion, what are the strongest aspects of the UBC Psychiatry research track?

The UBC Psychiatry research track provides excellent opportunities to build an academic career despite the busy clinical duties of being a resident. You have one entire protected day per week to immerse yourself in research to explore areas of your interest in research. Within the program, there is also a strong collegiality not only among residents but also with faculty members including our program director, Dr. Panenka. I felt supported in balancing clinical and research duties while also learning from my colleagues.

How do you see the research track setting you up for success in your future career?

The research track has kept me grounded in appreciating the clinical evidence that guides patient care and shapes my own career as a physician. By learning from and working with my colleagues, I see the research track as helping me explore an academic career with research that I am passionate in.

Can you describe some of the unique learning opportunities the program has offered?

Being in the research track means more exposure to learning about other peoples’ research. For the past year, I had the opportunity to collaborate with scientists in neuropsychiatry, epigenetics, and traumatic brain injury given the interdisciplinary nature of field of substance use disorders. I had the chance to meet and learn from a diverse group of global experts, which has been one of the major reasons to engage in research.

What would be the main message you wish to convey to someone who is interested in pursuing the research track as part of their psychiatry residency training at UBC?

Do it! I think gaining skills in innovation and research in psychiatry is an excellent way to start building one’s career as a resident. Undoubtedly, the human mind is complex with endless avenues for research opportunities. There are also ongoing needs for better treatment, prevention strategies, and services. Ultimately, the research track is an excellent way to learn how to advocate for your patients at a population level, all while learning to become a clinician and living in beautiful British Columbia.

PGY4, Research Track

Biography

Dr. Vivian WL Tsang has her M.D. from UBC, M.P.H. from Harvard, ICD.D from U of T Rotman School of Business, and M.G.C. from the Provincial Government of BC. She is also a part-time D.Phil. candidate at Oxford. Dr. Tsang works as a psychiatry resident doing both inpatient and outpatient clinical work. Most of her research work pertains to addiction psychiatry with the umbrella theme of “drugs as a harm and drugs as an aid”. She is part of Dr. Michael Kraus’ Addictions and Concurrent Disorders Research Group at UBC and a lead in the BC Fentanyl Cohort Study. She holds a MITACS Accelerate grant through Vancouver Island University and in this capacity, she works as the Research Lead of Roots to Thrive, a psychedelic assisted therapy clinic in Nanaimo. She is also a founding member and the Scientific Collaborating Director of the new Naut sa mawt Centre for Psychedelic Research on Vancouver Island. She remains on the steering committee of the Canadian Childhood Cannabinoid Clinical Trials (C4T) group, one of the largest cannabis research groups in the country, and is a co-applicant in the $19.9-million CIHR grant to create a national pediatric rare disease clinical network. She is also a mentor on the $2.4-million ENRICH IMPACT platform, helping to build capacity for clinical trials in Canada..

Why were you interested in pursuing the research track and your Psychiatry residency training at UBC?

UBC offers the most flexible research track training program across the country. With one dedicated day a week starting from PGY-2, the ability to advance research while pursuing clinical excellence is unmatched in this program.

In your opinion, what are the strongest aspects of the UBC Psychiatry research track?

The research track offers autonomy and flexibility in programming options that align best with your research career. With a dedicated program director who advocates for their residents and flexibility in designing a research career path that aligns with your interests, there are no other programs that are quite so unique.

How do you see the research track setting you up for success in your future career?

The research track allows for independent work done concurrently with clinical training. The program is structured in a way that allows clinical rotations to influence your research and vice versa. This synergistic model is one that allows me to integrate my research findings into real life scenarios and to build my research plan alongside new things I learn from working with patients.

Can you describe some of the unique learning opportunities the program has offered?

The program offers dedicated 20% protected time as well as support for trainees to attend international and national conferences. The program is well positioned to support trainees with advancing their research through the creation of new events such as mentorship opportunities and guest speakers.

What would be the main message you wish to convey to someone who is interested in pursuing the research track as part of their psychiatry residency training at UBC?

I would say there is no downside to giving the application a shot. You will be joining an incredible team of passionate researchers and be supported in your research work as well as your clinical work. There are few programs like this in the country and the longitudinal research support through all residency years prepares you well for an exciting research career ahead.