For editor in chief John J. Miller, MD, that impact begins with enduring curiosity about “what we call human consciousness or the human mind.” Present since childhood, that curiosity evolved into a career that bridges biochemistry, clinical medicine, and mindfulness. Psychiatry, he explained, “allowed me to remain grounded in my understanding and pursuit of biochemistry and the nature of the physical brain and mind,” while also continuing to explore meditative processes in treatment. His commitment to understanding the mind is not abstract; it is rooted in improving how we alleviate suffering. Even now, he says, “I’m still a young student in this process.”
For Allison S. Baker, MD, the difference is visible every day in the exam room. “I tell my kids every day that I have the best job in the world because I get to sit with and learn from amazing people.” She described psychiatry as “an amazing opportunity for human connection, for service, and for stimulation” and a field that offers a view into family systems and the chance to walk alongside patients in vulnerable, transformative moments.
Douglas Teixeira Leffa, MD, PhD, focuses on ADHD and its potential association with cognitive decline. What drives him is believing his research can make a difference in the lives of individuals with ADHD, even if that impact might take awhile.
Timothy Wilens, MD, captured the clinical ripple effect succinctly. Although he loves answering important research questions, what he loves even more is when someone tells him that something he did or offered changed their life. Whether it is a new treatment approach, a previously overlooked population now receiving care, or a young clinician feeling more confident, he says, “To me, that’s what I absolutely love.”
Jennie Byrnes, MD, PhD, described her love of psychiatry and neuroscience as spanning both the individual and the systemic. “What I love about my career in psychiatry and neuroscience is that I get to see the human brain and behavior, and I also get to work with amazing individuals and to see them grow and thrive because they understand their brain better and they can have better control over their behavior,” she said. “It’s extremely rewarding on an individual basis.” At the same time, her advisory work allows her to think bigger as she helps to design programs that can “impact hundreds, thousands, even millions of other people.” That dual impact, from one patient to entire populations, is why she embraces the variety of work that psychiatry offers.
For Benjamin Hankin, PhD, joy in the field is deeply collaborative. “Honestly, the part that is most fun and exciting is the chance to collaborate with fun, smart people that I really enjoy,” he said. Longstanding partnerships fuel both rigor and creativity. “It’s great coming together and doing team science,” he added, noting that the broader research team behind their projects are wonderful people from whom he continues to learn.
Elysia Davis, PhD, echoed that sentiment while underscoring the translational mission of her work. As someone who has worked in this field for a long time, she is particularly motivated by moving discovery into practice. “We’re trying to take what we know from basic science and use it in ways that can provide support and help to this really important population.” For her, the work is “very meaningful… trying to translate what we’ve learned from years of basic research into something that hopefully has important practical benefits.”
Gary W. Small, MD, reflects on a career shaped by innovation and gratitude. “I really do love my job,” he said, emphasizing the privilege of working “on the cutting edge of new insights into how we can help people to live better lives and to diminish their suffering from mental health problems.” For him, love of the field is inseparable from advancing research that meaningfully reduces suffering—an enduring goal shared across the profession.
Psychiatric Times invites you to share your own reflections. What difference keeps you coming back to the work? Submit a short video to [email protected] and join us in highlighting the impact of psychiatry—one patient and one discovery at a time.
