QOTD: Why Are You Here?

For a psychiatrist from Egypt, one of the goals of attending APA’s Annual Meeting is to learn more about treating complex patients with comorbid disorders. For residents from Community Memorial Healthcare in Ventura, California, meeting new people and learning about the latest in the field are some of the top priorities.

Attendees who were interviewed by Psychiatric News yesterday expressed hopes of networking and gaining new insights on the latest developments in psychiatry. They mentioned hot topics they’re eager to learn more about, like psychedelics, GLP-1s, and artificial intelligence. And they expressed hope of both meeting new people and catching up with old friends.

“And,” Collins added, “I want to learn. I am always interested in the actual content, increasing my knowledge, and making sure I'm staying on top of what’s happening in the field.”

Reem Elfiky, M.D., a psychiatrist at Ain Shams University in Egypt, took a 20-hour flight to attend APA 2026. She’s particularly interested in understanding the best way to treat complex patients and learning about the latest updates in psychopharmacology. “Our priority in Egypt, and worldwide, is to give great medical service, helping our patients live better quality lives,” she said, adding that she is also hoping to meet other international psychiatrists.

A large group of psychiatry residents from Community Memorial Healthcare spoke about their desire to connect with and meet new people. “A big part of coming here is just to meet new people and see what we can learn from other people,” said Justin Vu, D.O.

“I’m really just excited to learn about what’s new and exciting in psychiatry,” added Justin Szieff, D.O. “We’re surrounded by some of the leading minds in the field.”

“I'm really grateful to be here at the APA,” said fellow Community Memorial resident Rebecca Donham, D.O. “We’re surrounded by likeminded individuals from all over the world, here to try and make ourselves better physicians, better community members, learn from each other, and just make life a little bit better.” ■