University of Iowa Psychiatry Department's External Review: Perspectives and Insights from our Department Head

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa Medical School conducts periodic evaluations of its leadership, performance, and interprofessional dynamics. These evaluations involve reviewers from other departments within the University of Iowa (including their senior leadership) and the Chairs of the Department of Psychiatry from two external universities. Dr. Sophia Vinogradov, MD, contributed as a reviewer to this process back in August. Such evaluations are conducted every 5-7 years, aligning with standard practices observed in numerous medical schools.

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
Sophia reported that our psychiatry colleagues at Iowa describe challenges that we are all familiar with: “poor reimbursement rates for clinical services, heightened patient acuity, and provider fatigue.” Like us, they are struggling to come up with thoughtful approaches to managing these challenges. And like us, their deep commitment to taking care of their patients is palpable.  The passion and dedication of their residents reminded Sophia of the same dedication that she experiences with our own trainees, and underscored “how critical the experience of learners is to make a department successful and a fun place to work."

Unlike our own department, Iowa is currently in the early stages of developing a robust commitment to inclusive excellence. Another difference between the 2 departments is that we have a more comprehensive mentoring program here at UMN, especially for faculty who do not do research. We also are further along in developing highly sophisticated interprofessional clinical teams, something our colleagues at Iowa “were eager to learn more about,” said Vinogradov. Our department’s reliance on highly active Councils– for Education, Research, Clinical work, and Inclusive Excellence and Well-Being– is another distinct feature and  “something that we are doing that I realized is kind of unique,” Sophia remarked.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Sophia expressed appreciation for her time meeting with department members in  Iowa. Talking to colleagues who are confronting many of the same challenges as our institution made it clear that we are not alone. Vinogradov added, “I also realized how important it is for the Chair to have good communication with everyone in the department during these demanding times. It was eye-opening to see what a healthy partnership between a medical school and its academic health system can look like, even under financial constraints where everyone's needs can't be met.”