Stanley Leiken, MD

Where did you complete your training?
Medical School at St Louis University. Internship at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at UCLA NPI

In what setting do you practice & what are the most common diagnoses you encounter?
Private practice with 5 other psychiatrists/psychologists. ADD, OCD, Depression, Anxiety disorders, Adjustment Disorders of childhood and adulthood

Describe your schedule during a typical week.
Mondays 9am-7pm, Tuesdays 8am-7pm with 3 hours off for exercise, Wednesdays 8:30am-7pm with 2 hours for teaching at UCLA, Thursdays 9am-7pm with 4 hours for UCLA teaching/supervision. Fridays I do not work.

Why did you choose your specific career?
Because I really enjoy working with people about their problems. I like the closeness and intimacy and really getting to know people.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?
That I am able to realize just those things that caused me to chose the profesion in the first place. Also I love the companionship of other people in the mental health field. I enjoy the reading, meetings, etc. I also enjoy the fact that it is never boring. Each patient is different and each day is a new experience.

What aspects of being a psychiatrist do you find the most challenging?
Working with families where there are one or two really dysfunctional parents.

How are you compensated for your services?
Patients pay me directly and get reimbursed (or not) by their insurance company.

What advice do you have for medical students considering a career in psychiatry?
It can be a wonderful and very gratifying profession. It is challenging with each day and each patient, bringing unique and often satisfying experiences.

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