Pause for summer sabbatical (and studying!)


It's well into summer here in sunny (and thunderstormy) Florida! And that means time for me to take a pause for a couple of months.

Not just to chill (wouldn't that be nice!) but to study for my Menopause Certification! (See? It's telling me to take a pause right in the name!)

Hardcore studying for something feels weird. I read journals and take courses all the time but I usually do that for "fun" or just to add to my bank of information about mental health.

This is new.

The menopause certification isn't just about mental health, it's about vaginas too! A LOT about vaginas (which seems obvious, but is not actually in the wheelhouse of most psychiatrists).

Anyway, you probably don't care more to hear about the details Reader, but let's just say I have to brush up on how to prescribe statins for high cholesterol, what to write for a woman with osteoporosis, and how to do a work up for abnormal uterine bleeding (so I don't miss cancer!).

It's kind of a lot, and most of this is the kind of medicine I haven't done since intern year (2008!). Exciting and important but feels like I'm starting over again!

But don't worry!

I'm not going to open up shop with a couch that has stirrups or start prescribing expensive injections to build bone. Instead, I'll be a well-informed menopause practitioner who can help guide women to the right provider when they need more than just treatment for depression and night sweats.

And just for fun, here's a YouTube of a podcast on perimenopause I did recently with some colleagues over at the Tampa Counseling Place! It covers all sorts of stuff about the menopause transition.

video preview

May your summer be filled with fun in the sun (with long sleeves and a hat) and much less studying than I'm doing!

If your therapy schedule is looking a little light, try to fill those holes with something fun! I've been working on that too. And it's not as easy as I thought it would be!!

And if you have suggestions for 40-60min blocks of fun I could inject into my hole-y summer clinic Reader, reply here and let me know!

Cheers to healthy brains,

Dr. B
Jessica Beachkofsky, MD
Your friendly, online psychiatrist!

P.S. If you're feeling pressed for time this summer, why not extend your vacation vibes into October and join me for some excellent CEUs? Sun, surf, learning, yoga, and manta rays? Yes, please! And it's probably tax deductible (if you're into that sort of thing like I am)! Find all the fabulous details HERE! See you in Hawaii!

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