As part of PRMS’ ongoing commitment to behavioral health, we invited Doctor Nicholas LaCivita, PGY-I Psychiatry Resident at the Mississippi State Hospital Psychiatry Residency Program, to be featured as a guest blogger this month. Dr. LaCivita reflects on his experience attending the 2022 Spring Meeting co-hosted by the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association and the Mississippi Psychiatric Association, which PRMS sponsored.

As a new PGY-1, attending my first Mississippi Psychiatric Association (MPA) and Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association (LPMA) joint annual conference in New Orleans, LA, February 11-12 was one for the books. As exciting as the Big Easy is, it was equally as exciting to see so many people involved with advancing the field of psychiatry coming from different areas within both states.

Meeting, connecting, and networking with a significant number of colleagues at the meeting was a great first step into the psychiatric work force. It was also very nice to meet and interact with other residents from different training programs throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. We heard a little bit about one another, how each trainee was finding their way through training, and experienced how genuine everyone was. I learned a great deal through the student and resident poster competition, as some of the presentations were not only really interesting, but also allowed for a comparison between the kinds of patients (and treatment modalities) other residents have seen in contrast to our own experiences. 

In particular, we had one of our very own, Dr. Richa Guatami, present her poster on “The Importance of Appropriate Nomenclature and Care Planning in Triple X Syndrome: A Case Report." It was exciting to see a home-grown resident present amongst all the other participants on a very interesting topic. I think having her represent Mississippi State Hospital (MSH), with the support of the entirety of all of the MSH inaugural class, was awesome, and it gained some exposure for us right out of the gate as a first-year program! Meeting new colleagues, listening to a variety of topics, talks, and posters was a meaningful first (but not to be the only) experience for us at an MPA/LPMA conference.

Of special note, I would like to thank PRMS for the very generous travel grant donation that was given to me personally. The funds help in numerous ways, but it definitely helped me attend this conference, and for that I feel very grateful!  

I have learned through my service as Resident Liaison to the MPA Executive Council that the relationship between PRMS and our District Branch in Mississippi is strong and long-term. Each has shown the value that exists when a relationship develops between the provider and the client. We get the benefit of reading a risk management piece shared by PRMS in our Friday e-Update each week. MPA members understand the value of excellent customer service, but most important is knowing that help and resolution to your particular question is just an email or phone call away. 

Photo of the Inaugural Class of Residents from the Mississippi State Hospital at the MPA/LPMA Spring Meeting in New Orleans

From left: Kirolos Adly, DO; Jonathan Sadler, DO; Bilal Quereshi, DO; Andrew Foret, DO; Nicholas LaCivita, DO; and Richa Gautami, MD.

If you have any questions or are interested in receiving a quote, contact PRMS at (800) 245-3333 or TheProgram@prms.com.