Episode 3: Made in Poland, Processed in New York

Dr. Lidia Klepacz

May 13, 2019

When did you know you wanted to become a Physician?
I think I always knew I wanted to be a doctor, probably since I was about four years old. My first patient was my stuffed animal “Bear Bear”; he was always sick and received multiple urgent surgical treatments. My family was always laughing because I kept changing my career path. For a while I decided I would be a Director and would round up all the neighborhood children to be part of my productions. As I grew older, my career plans were always changing, from doctor, to lawyer, to veterinarian, to traveler, to journalist, but in the end I always came back to medicine.

How did you decide on Psychiatry as your specialty?
I was born and raised in Poland, where I also attended medical school. I always had an interest in psychology and in human behavior in general. I tell people that I’ve always been a psychiatrist, ever since I was a little girl. I’ve always loved listening to people, I’m curious about their stories and love to write them. I believe in advocating for people with mental illness, and I’m sensitive to the emotional pain of others. It's important to be an expert in human behaviors, especially violence and aggression, which i have become an expert at handling in the Emergency Room (we almost NEVER use restraints). I’ve always loved helping people and I get so much satisfaction from helping those that are suffering.

During my work at an outpatient Family Medicine practice, I had many patients who came to my office with multiple somatic complaints, but despite diagnostic assessment there was no clinical explanation. Many patients are reluctant to admit to symptoms of depression or anxiety, fearing the stigma of mental illness. This made me very interested in pursuing psychiatry. I found that while I was working in a home-visit program, patients felt safer and more comfortable in their own environment and would feel more comfortable disclosing psychiatric symptoms.

What did you like most about medical school and Residency?
I loved everything about medical school, I loved (and still love) learning. I loved every subject and every rotation that I worked. I don’t think I ever slept to be honest with you, I really fell in love with coffee, probably drinking over 8 cups a day. There were stray dogs near the school that my fellow students were worried about, but not me – I always said that there was so much coffee in my body, if a dog ever bit me it would die of a heart attack.

I also loved working with people from different cultural backgrounds. I did some rotations in Italy, with other students from all over the world with different religious and cultural backgrounds. One day we went together to meet the Pope at the Vatican, who gave us a blessing after we told him we were physicians in training. He said something to me that I’ll never forget – “Medicine is not a profession, it’s a mission and a service and a privilege to help those in need”. This is something that I try to practice every day and I hope that I can pass it on in my teaching.

What made you decide to come to the United States?
There were a bunch of factors, I was always looking for my next adventure, and my husband got a job offer, so away we went!

What was it like coming to live in a new country?
I’m always enthusiastic about challenges, and I think I’m not afraid of changes or transitions. That being said, moving was not easy, and of course I had some difficulties. I had a lot of anxiety and insecurities about treating patients here – I wondered “will I be able to provide the same level of care as I did in Poland while having a language and cultural barrier? Psychiatry is such an intimate specialty, will my patients respect and trust me?” Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised with how well it worked out. I was well-received by my patients and had some excellent colleagues and mentors here.

What was it like going through Residency Training here after already working as a Psychiatrist?
Like I said, I love learning, so while I was a little nervous I was also excited to combine my prior experiences and learning with new knowledge and new approaches. I completed my residency here at Columbia and I absolutely loved it. While in residency, I completed a Clinical Track in Women’s Health, including Trauma, PTSD, and Substance Abuse. I also got trained in Suboxone Therapy and in Electroconvulsive Therapy. I was like a kid in a candy store which definitely made it easier to re-train. Of course, there were some challenges that I faced, as a woman and a foreigner with a language barrier, but I have to say I had an absolutely amazing experience. I used to say I’m like a French sailor – friends in every port I go to! Being enthusiastic about learning, working hard, being polite and generous, etc. helps you feel like part of the production.

It used to take me almost an hour to get from the subway station into the office just because of how many people I stopped to talk to. I really felt like part of the system. I got so much love and support from physicians, peers, security, housekeeping, patients, and all the different services across the system. To be honest, at the end of my training, I was a little sad to be done, but very proud of my accomplishments and excited for my next chapter. I then completed a Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship at NYU while working as a Junior Attending.

How did you come to New York Medical College?
After finishing my Fellowship, I came to Westchester Medical Center to be interviewed for a moonlighting position. I was interviewed by Dr. Gallagher, but he did not offer me the job – instead he asked me to work here as a full-time attending. When I first started working here, I directed Comprehensive Psychiatry Emergency Services (CPEP). Over the course of the past 11 years I’ve been involved in all of the services, including covering the adult inpatient units, serving as Interim Director of the Outpatient Department twice, and more. After the department re-structured I became Section Chief of Emergency Services. I also do Tele-Psychiatry with other hospitals in the WMC Health Network, run a Suboxone Consultation service, and work in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety.

Since I first started at WMC I’ve been involved with medical students during their third- and fourth-year clinical rotations, and I also ran small groups for the first-year course. Four years ago, I also became the Behavioral Sciences Course Director for first year students.

What do you like most about teaching?
I love all of it. I love the students. I think that teaching comes with great responsibility, something that I don’t take lightly. To be part of training the next generation of physicians is such an honor. I believe in teaching by example and showing professionalism and empathy. Advocacy for students and their education is close to my heart.

It’s such a gift for me when students that I taught in their first year come back and do their clinical rotations in their third and fourth year. I love seeing how they apply what they’ve learned and seeing how much they’ve grown in such a short time. In just two short years students can evolve into independent clinicians and bright-thinkers. I love seeing how caring and wonderful they are with the patients.

What I like most, is when students come that don’t want to pursue psychiatry as a career, but they are interested in learning. They get so involved and I can see that they truly have the building blocks they need to become competent physicians.

You serve many roles, both at Westchester Medical Center and here at NYMC. What part of your job do you enjoy the most?
I truly love what I do, and I think what I like most about my job is the variety. Spending some time giving lectures, some time teaching students on their rotations, some time seeing patients in the ED, some time seeing patients on the unit, etc. I love my patients and my students, and I hope I leave a positive impression on them at the end of the day.

What’s something that you wish everyone knew about psychiatry?
I think that everyone should learn a holistic approach to medicine, and work on treating every aspect of the patient, including medical illness and mental illness. I think that psychiatry can be a great example for patient-centered care, for transforming disability into ability. I think that everyone should understand mental illness from a humanistic approach and know that a psychiatric diagnosis does not define you.

What are some artists that you enjoy listening to?
I like Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Pink, Justin Bieber, to name a few.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I would prescribe love to everyone in the world. It’s the only drug that’s non-addictive, non-habit forming, and side effect free. No one ever overdosed on love.

Would you like to give a shout-out to any of your colleagues at NYMC?
I have been blessed with having amazing colleagues and co-workers, both in my fellow course directors and in administration. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Jennifer Koestler, Dr. Pamela Ludmer, and Dr. Matthew Pravetz for being exceptionally wonderful, both to me and to the students we all serve. Additionally, none of what I do would be possible without the support of my amazing Chairman Dr. Stephen Ferrando.

If someone wanted to talk to you, they should lead with____?
Just with a smile... and remember, there’s never too much coffee!