Dr MJ Yoo presents at the RANZCP Congress
Recently, Clinical Psychiatry Course (CPC) and Master of Psychiatry coordinator Dr MJ Yoo participated in the 2026 Psychiatry Interest Forum (PIF) program.
This was held as part of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Congress, alongside Associate Professor David Menkes from the University of Auckland.
PIF is an initiative of the College that supports medical students and junior doctors with an interest in psychiatry by providing opportunities for mentorship, professional connection, and engagement with the specialty prior to entering formal psychiatry training. The forum has become an important pathway for fostering early interest in psychiatry and supporting the next generation of future psychiatrists.
Dr Yoo and Associate Professor Menkes delivered an interactive session titled “Responding to Distressing Clinical Situations – Communication Skills, Resilience, and Self-Care”. The session explored practical and reflective approaches to managing emotionally challenging clinical encounters, with discussion focusing on communication, professional identity, wellbeing, and sustainable clinical practice. While highly relevant to psychiatry, the themes resonated broadly across medical disciplines and highlighted skills that are essential for all doctors working in complex healthcare environments.
The session was lively and well attended, with strong participation from students and junior doctors throughout. Attendees engaged thoughtfully with the discussion, sharing reflections and questions arising from their own emerging clinical experiences. The session formed a well-received component of the broader PIF Congress program.
The involvement of Department of Psychiatry staff in initiatives such as PIF reflects the department’s ongoing commitment to medical education, mentorship, and engagement with students and junior doctors at all stages of training. Participation in the Congress also highlights the important role that academic psychiatrists play in supporting the development, wellbeing, and professional growth of the future medical workforce.