Grand Rounds-“Suicide Prevention in Medical Students” Speaker: Debra Atkisson, M.D. Wednesday, August 14th @ 7:30 AM LIB 110

The session will be focused upon a discussion of the factors impacting medical students, residents, and physicians which can increase vulnerability for suicide. Understanding and identifying the presence of factors for a student can help the student and medical educator address those factors. Wellness activities and the impact of those activities in self-preservation of the medical professional will be addressed. The prevalence of common psychiatric disorders related to suicide will be reviewed. Identification, intervention, and effective treatments for the medical student and medical professional will be discussed.

Dr. Atkisson has worked in clinical, administrative, consultative, and teaching positions throughout her career. She is honored to serve as a Physician Development Coach for the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine. She works to improve mental health in Texas by her involvement in organized medicine and currently serves as a Texas Representative to the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Atkisson graduated from Texas Tech University School of Medicine and completed both her general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry. She is board certified in both adult and child and adolescent psychiatry. She is certified by the Linehan Behavioral Institute in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).