Alaska WWAMI’s Sophie Nethercut is preparing to advance to the next phase of her medical career: residency. Her chosen specialty, psychiatry, can be traced back to her fascination with people and their personal stories. While attending Yale University and gathering oral histories of various individuals, it suddenly struck her what she wanted to do.
“I remember hearing this quote by writer and poet Jorges Luis Borges,” she said. “The soul is contained within the human voice.” That quote stopped me in my tracks. I knew then that I wanted to build my life around listening to people.”
She also knew she wanted a fascinating job in rural Alaska that revolved around healing and advocacy. Working in medicine felt like a natural fit for Nethercut.
“When I got to my psychiatry rotation in medical school, it felt like coming home,” she said. “I love that psychiatry pays attention to our full lived experience. It’s also about how our relationships, thoughts, behaviors and sense of identity shape who we are and how we move through the world.”
Two months ago, Nethercut matched into the San Mateo County Psychiatry Residency Training Program in California. Her reaction was unbridled joy.
“I am absolutely thrilled to train in this program for the next four years,” she said. “I was specifically looking for a smaller program with excellent training in public psychiatry and psychotherapy. San Mateo was my top choice.”
One of her top priorities is staying mentally healthy, especially with a demanding career. It’s particularly important considering that May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
“For me, being mentally healthy starts with connection – connection to myself, to the people around me, and connection to nature,” she said.
Nethercut said sources of connection are all around us, but it can be hard to see them when we’re feeling low or just not used to reaching for them.
“It’s also important for people to have a space where they can speak openly about their feelings – whether that’s with friends, a therapist, a primary care doctor or a psychiatrist,” she said. “Try to gather as many people as possible in your corner who you can lean on and ask for help when you need it.”
Nethercut is confident her strong connection to Alaska and Alaska Native communities will remain intact throughout her residency and beyond. She was recently certified in the Indian Health Pathway. She and her partner lived in Sitka before medical school and they plan to return to Alaska when she’s finished.
“I love living in small communities off the road system where I can get to know and care for entire families,” she said. I can’t imagine a more rewarding place to practice.”