Margaret Wohlleber
Why UW Child and Adolescent Psychiatry?
"When I was applying for fellowship, I was looking for a program that offered a wide variety of clinical experiences, particularly in acute care settings as this is where my professional interest lies. UW fit the bill given not only the diversity of clinical sites, but also the wide catchment area we serve here. I loved my interview at UW, and could sense that Dr. Hsiao is very supportive of fellow wellbeing and professional development. In fact, I have found that to be the case with all faculty here thus far! It helped that Seattle is an incredibly appealing place to live, particularly for someone who loves both cities and the outdoors. ”
Education
Undergrad: New York University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Psychiatry Residency: Emory University
Follow Me For A Week
| Morning: | I wake up at 6:30AM most days and try to have a slow morning + walk with Hendrix. I'm on consults for the first quarter of F1, which entails that I get to the hospital at around 8:15AM. If I'm running the list, I may show up a little earlier to prepare for huddle. My co-fellow and I will then meet with our attending, divvy up the list, and discuss the agenda for the day. | |
| Afternoon: | We spend a lot of time with kids so typically I'm working on 1-2 new cases, +/- 1-2 follow-ups. The day typically ends at 4:00PM, just in time to beat Seattle traffic! |
| All Day: | I'm on consults again! We see a lot of high acuity cases, particularly suicide attempts or kids with medical complexity who are developing psychiatric symptoms. If there's not much going on for our general consult team, I may join the eating disorder team for new evaluations. | ||
| Evening: | I love to take Hendrix on a run so she can burn some energy. If I'm feeling up for a longer run and time permits, I'll try to join one of the myriad running groups in Seattle. Green Lake Running Group is a favorite of mine! |
| Morning: | On Wednesdays, F1s are at the new outpatient clinic at Magnuson. By the way, I am so impressed by this facility! We'll grab some free coffee in the kitchen and then start "F1 Intensive Training" from 8:00AM to 10:00AM, which will consist of foundational topics to help our transition to child psychiatry. | ||
| Afternoon: | I see patients in the Continuity Clinic at Magnuson for medication management. I haven't been in the program for very long but already have seen a wide variety of cases including depression/anxiety, ADHD, autism, and eating disorders. I'll meet with my supervisor as well to discuss cases or any other topics that are helpful to approaching my outpatient panel. | ||
| Evening: | I may try to meet up with friends for dinner or a drink in Seattle! I love to go to Ballard, where there are tons of breweries with good food. Cloudburst is a great spot, where I can sit outside with Hendrix and munch on something from the food truck. |
| All Day: | Back to consults! Our attending may be different depending on the day of the week, which I find quite valuable as a learning experience. They are all lovely to work with and learn from! | ||
| Evening: | Hendrix gets another run! We love to run by Kerry Park and the water in Queen Anne, with views of downtown Seattle, Mount Rainier, and the cascades. |
| Morning: | The F1s are either back at Magnuson or at home for didactics. In the beginning of the year, we get a lot of lectures on psychopharm in the pediatric population which has really made the transition from adult to child psychiatry easier. The program also hosts both journal club and case conferences, so there's ample opportunity to both teach and learn from one another. | |
| Afternoon: | Back to consults at the hospital! |
| Morning: | Hendrix and I are going on a hike, typically with some of my co-fellows! There are lots of trails close to Seattle with wonderful views at the top. There are also a lot of great spots for paddle boarding and kayaking if it's a nice day and I want to stay more local. | |
| Afternoon: | I'm back by early afternoon to pick up some lunch in the neighborhood and rest. | |
| Evening: | If I'm feeling up for it, I may meet up with friends to go out for the night. Or I'm catching a movie at SIFF Cinema. |
| Morning: | If my dog, Hendrix, allows me, I'm sleeping in! I live in the Queen Anne area, so I'll usually take a stroll down to the local bakery for a pastry and some coffee. | ||
| Afternoon: | Errand time! I love going to the farmer's market in Ballard to pick up some fresh produce, and then I'll stop at a local grocery store for any pantry items I need. | ||
| Evening: | I love to cook at home and relax with a book on Sunday nights. |
Clinical Rotations
F1 is split into 4 quarters. I am starting on consults at the Children's Hospital, followed by the Child Study & Treatment Center (CSTC, or state hospital), the PBMU (inpatient unit) and last outpatient (a mix of different clinics including the autism clinic and eating disorders clinic).
Career Goals
"I have a passion for working with the sickest of the sick, which is why I see myself working in acute care settings at least part time (i.e. ED, inpatient). I particularly enjoy first episode psychosis and felt that a child fellowship would be invaluable in my approach to these patients, who are often in late adolescence/early adulthood. Since I still have some time to explore and hone in my interests, I hope to get more experience with trauma and addiction psychiatry while in fellowship. "
Average Weekly Hours
- Approximately 40 hours per week
Night and Weekend Duty
I chose to follow a "scattered" call schedule, which has been a nice change from residency! This means that I may have a call shift during the week from 5PM to 8AM (taking calls from home), with post-call protection the next day. Or, I may have a weekend call, which requires that I go into the hospital to round on patients boarding in the ED and address any consult needs from 8AM to 2PM. I then go home for the day and take calls until 8AM the next day, with post-call protection.
If my dog allows me to sleep in on a post-call day, I typically feel well-rested enough to have an entire day to run errands or do something fun! Per month, I typically have anywhere from 1 to 4 call shifts.