Recruiting more psychiatrists to consider practicing in rural areas of the state is the goal of a new collaboration between Munson Healthcare, Pine Rest, Michigan State University, and the state’s MiDOCS program.
“The rural residency program is about bringing more psychiatric resources to underserved and rural parts of Michigan,” said Scott Monteith, M.D., DLFAPA, Associate Program Director for the rural track residency at Munson Healthcare and a psychiatrist at Northern Lakes Community Mental Health. “Overall, it’s a new program with great promise, training and retaining psychiatrists in Traverse City and other underserved areas.”
The initial program launch includes two residents in their third year of psychiatric residency at Pine Rest. In the third year, residents work primarily in the outpatient setting and in the fourth year there is the opportunity to work on inpatient floors. Both residents already have experienced the inpatient setting.
“They are seeing patients every day and they are splitting their time between Munson (Medical Center), Pine Rest, and Northern Lakes Community Mental Health,” Dr. Monteith said. “They have a half a day each week dedicated to didactics which is supported by the main Pine Rest campus in Grand Rapids. Telemedicine is a tool that helps to make all of this possible.”
Working in a Rural Setting
Cory Manoogian, D.O., a third-year resident and graduate of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, sees himself working in a rural setting following graduation. He enjoys being a pioneer in the program.
“I’ve been looking forward to forging my own path within the program as well as helping to develop the program into something the residents after me will love,” he said. “I’ve been able to gain experience in this track that are unique to this program. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the opportunities such as working with the Assertive Community Treatment team, testifying in court, and utilizing the collaborative care model.”
Dr. Manoogian said he first became interested in psychiatry as a psychiatric hospital volunteer as an undergraduate at Michigan State University.
“It was something I always felt a calling toward,” he said. “The idea of becoming a psychiatrist was truly cemented during my psychiatry clerkship in medical school which was based in a rural setting. The people I’ve encountered who work in the rural setting embrace the challenge of working in areas with less resources.”
About the New Program
As part of the program, psychiatric residents will team up with Munson Healthcare family practice residents to offer care to the homeless in the area.
“Family practice does so much for the patients in the community and I’m just grateful to be a small part of making a difference,” Dr. Manoogian said. “Primary care is responsible for the majority of mental health treatment in this country, so if I can make their jobs a little easier, I think everyone wins.”
Dr. Monteith says two new residents will be added next year as Dr. Manoogian, and this year’s other resident, Stephen Murata, MD, move into the last year of the program. Graduate school loan repayment is also part of the program with residents obligated to serve in rural underserved areas of the state.
Dr. Manoogian said he hopes to work in an inpatient hospital setting once he graduates.
“Anywhere in Michigan would be nice,” he said. “I like it up here a lot.”