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PGY-2 Spotlight

Lu Wu
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Career Goals
I am particularly interested in community psychiatry and working with populations that are of most need. I am also interested in the topic of race and mental health and caring for minority populations.

I am very passionate about curriculum development and working with medical students.  I envision that my future career will include a mix of clinical duties, as well as working for a medical school, mentoring students and helping to shape the program. In particular, I plan to advocate for greater inclusion of diversity related topics into medical education training. 


PGY2 Clinical Rotations 

  • Inpatient Psychiatry at the VA (4 months)

  • Inpatient Geropsychiatry (1 month)

  • Alcohol and Drug Treatment (1 month)

  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1 month)

  • Eating disorders (1 month)

  • Psychiatry Emergency Clinic (2 weeks + 2 weeks) Night float (2 weeks + 2 weeks)

  • Consult/Liaison psychiatry (2 months)

    Average weekly hours 

  • PGY2 on-service: 45-55 hrs/week

     Night and weekend call duty 

  • 4 total weeks of night float at the VA (82 hr/wk)"

  • ~14 weekend shifts total in a year, 2-3 holidays worked

 




Get to know Sahana:

Background & Education:
I grew up in Steubenville, OH, which is a small rural town that is on the border of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. I was very happy to finally leave this area to explore the relatively more diverse city of Ann Arbor upon starting my undergraduate career at the University of Michigan.  I studied political science and psychology during college. I had a deep interest in human rights that was especially cultivated during my junior year when I did a program called semester at sea, through which I was able to travel to 13 different countries.  After college, I spent a year in China teaching English in a city called Zhouzhou. I then decided to switch career paths into medicine because I felt I was better suited to advocate for human rights through health care.  I did a post-baccalaureate at Bryn Mawr College to complete all of my pre-med recs, followed by a research year working with ALS patients at UCSD. I spent the next four years in the great city of Philadelphia, traveling across the river to Camden, NJ, where I attended Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.  


Typical week:

SUNDAY
AM: I am lazy for a bit, laying in bed and watching Netflix. I then typically get up and go for a workout at the Convention Center, running the million sets of stairs there.  After that, nothing says Sunday like brunching. Queenstown has the best sausage and biscuits you'll ever taste. 
PM: I may bake a recipe I learned from the Great British Baking Show or cook some of my mom's delicious home-made Indian food recipes.  

MONDAY
Morning: I typically wake up around 7AM. I head to the VA from Little Italy (20-25 minutes). Once I get to the hospital, I pre-chart, prep notes, see my patients and then round with the team, which includes nurses, social work, pharmacy, and the attending.  
Afternoon: After finishing my notes, I will take a little break if I have time and head to the Price Center to get some Starbucks or some fresh pho with my co-residents. I then prepare for any new admissions I may receive.  
Evening: I typically attend our diversity committee meetings on these evenings from 6:30-7:30pm. After this, I relax and watch a good movie to put me to sleep.  


TUESDAY
Morning: I wake up a little later on these days since we do not have formal rounds and instead "card flip" (talk about are patient informally with just the attending). However, I still do the same preparation process as I did on Monday.  
Afternoon: Same as Monday! 
Evening: I attend an Afro-Latin Dance class at dance studio in Kearny Mesa called Studio K. After this, I typically hang with my partner, as we attempt to cook a delicious meal together.  

WEDNESDAY
Morning: Same as Monday! 
Afternoon: The chief resident orders us amazing food from grubhub, typically Mediterranean, Indian or Thai food. Yummm. From 12-1pm, we usually eat this food while listening to a journal club talk. 
Evening: Happy Hour in Little Italy with some of my fellow co-residents who live nearby! Brigantine is a must with some picturesque views.  

THURSDAY
Morning: Didactics every Thursday from 8-12pm, currently via zoom. These are my favorite mornings because I get to sleep in a bit. Before lecture starts, I typically run down to my favorite coffee shop, Lofty Coffee, and get a warm chai latte with a pistachio rose flavored donut.  8-9:30 is resident rounds which is led by either a 3rd year resident or a guest speaker. This week we had an great talk on incorporating advocacy into our professional careers as psychiatrists. 9:30-12pm, we have lectures specific to our PGY-2 class. We are currently having a set of lectures dedicated to learning CBT.  
Afternoon: Arrive to the hospital by 1pm. See all of your patients, write notes and "card flip" or informal rounds with attending.  
Evening: If I get out early enough, I may try to go snorkeling at La Jolla Shores or test out the waves with my surfboard.  

FRIDAY
Morning: same as Monday + lecture with Dr. Meyer on psychopharmacology.  
Afternoon: After finishing up my work at the hospital, I head to my outpatient VA clinic in Mission Valley. During the first 2 hours of clinic, I do a therapy case.  The second 2 hours, I may see scheduled or walk-in patient.  My clinic is a primary care mental health integration clinic, which means that often times, I see patients who initially come to see their PCP, but are found to have coinciding mental health issues. Think of it like an outpatient psych consulting service that is available to respond and see patients promptly.  
Evening: Fridays I typically either hang with my coworkers and grab a bite to eat, or I hang with my partner and our mutual friends at a bowling alley or waterfront park.  

SATURDAY
AM: Sleep in! Then typically try to go for a hike, go surfing, or play beach volleyball. If I am lucky, rent a boat with some friends and take it out on mission bay. Something outdoors!  
PM: I try to do something fun like go listen to some live music or go to a "paint and pour" class.  


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