Tulsie Patel ’07 always knew she wanted to be a doctor.
After graduating from Pine Crest School, Tulsie attended a seven-year program at Drexel University where she studied biology. She eventually returned home for her medical training and attended the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine alongside her brother and fellow Pine Crest alumnus, Vivek Patel ’04.
“I was always drawn to the field,” said Tulsie. “My father is a psychiatrist, and I was gifted with a unique perspective of the field through his experiences. There has been no better time to be in this field; people are talking about mental health and breaking down the stigma around it.”
Today, Tulsie is in her fourth year of residency and is the Chief Resident of the Psychiatry Residency Program at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Program.
As Chief Resident, “I maintain my clinical duties but also work with all of the residents and administration,” said Tulsie. “I have a lot of elective time this year, and I am working with outpatient clinics specializing in addiction and also spending a lot of time learning psychotherapy. As Chief, I enjoy administrative tasks like scheduling and problem-solving with other residents. I hope my legacy will center around working to open dialogue among residents and bridge the gap between residents and administration through scheduled town halls. The hope is that any and all issues can be brought forward and addressed.”
One of the draws of the psychiatry program at UTSW was the opportunity to apply for a month-long rotation with ABC News as part of their medical unit.
“I have wanted to be involved in medical journalism for as long as I can remember,“ said Tulsie. “In Upper School, I had the chance to meet with our local news team at NBC 6 and also worked with the South Florida Sun Sentinel. When I applied to the program at the University of Texas, I immediately expressed my desire to pursue a career in journalism. That is when I learned about the program with ABC.”
After an application and interview process, Tulsie was offered a month-long position in New York City where she is excited to be on the pulse of the news cycle.
“I have spent most of my time researching and writing for the ABC website and on-air segments,” said Tulsie. “Some of my articles have been published on the ABC News website, and I even had an opportunity to do an on-air segment for ABC’s The Briefing Room (16:30 mark).”
As for what is next, Tulsie will be applying for positions on the West Coast.
“I hope to pursue general adult psychiatry,” said Tulsie. “I also hope to continue my interest in medical journalism through writing and on-air segments. I look forward to joining a new community and helping the patients I see daily and those whose lives I impact on a broader scale through medical journalism.”