Committee Chair Spotlight

Meet Erica

AADPRT Subspecialty Caucus Chair Erica Garcia-Pittman, MD, is the geriatric psychiatry fellowship training director at University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School.  We recently caught up with her to find out more about the Subspecialty Caucus' work and her personal side.

Initiatives/projects your committee is currently working on?

• Working with AADPRT leadership regarding subspecialty concerns and educational challenges.
• Working with AADPRT Recruitment Committee to discuss strategies for increasing subspecialty recruitment.
• Providing updates on the subspecialty application process and other subspecialty training issues, which we include in presentations at the AADPRT Annual Meeting and periodic webinars.

What is the time commitment to be on this committee?
No minimum time commitment - can be involved as desired. Anticipate one meeting during the AADPRT Annual Meeting in addition to occasional virtual meetings -- one hour/month for meetings, additional time as part of projects.

What/Who inspired you to be on this committee and why?
As the inaugural program director for a new geriatric psychiatry fellowship program, I joined the subspecialty caucus in 2021 to gather peer support from my subspecialty colleagues because I was a first-time training director. The subspecialty caucus provides subspecialty program directors space and support to advocate for their needs and wants -- especially as we are challenged by pipeline issues that will impact our future educators and training directors. Having a cross-specialty community allows us to critically examine these concerns and consider all possible solutions.

How has this committee helped your own professional development?
Joining the Subspecialty Caucus as allowed me to connect with a variety of colleagues and understand challenges unique to each of our subspecialties. It has also allowed me to learn more about AADPRT and the professional opportunities within the organization.

What has the committee accomplished that you are most proud of?
The subspecialty caucus has many accomplishments and has partnered with many of the AADPRT committees to assist with recruitment information for program directors as well as other cross-specialty programming. I am proud that the subspecialty caucus advocated for Annual Meeting abstracts to include prompts to specify how proposed sessions will be applicable to fellowship training directors and I hope this continues in the future. I hope this will encourage more fellowship directors to become members of AADPRT and participate in the Annual Meeting.

If you weren't a psychiatrist, what career would you choose and why?
Romantically, I think I'd enjoy working as an event/party planner -- but probably more as a hobby instead of a career. :)

What is a fun fact about you that may surprise people?
I had a "pet" cow named Beans on our family ranch in South Texas. My younger sister won the grand prize at a county raffle (a calf named Elsie) and so my parents purchased calves for me and my youngest sister. I later won the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Metropolitan Scholarship which (thankfully) didn't require participation in the livestock show! Beans produced calves every year that were sold and eventually funded my designer wedding gown. :)

What is the next place on your travel bucket list?
Too many places to list -- my husband and I are itching to return to Europe but would also love to visit Japan in the near future.

What activity do you engage in for your own well-being?
Scheduled dates with my husband which includes Pilates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

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