INTERVIEW WITH DONALD H. MAYES, MD

What guided you into medicine and specifically your chosen field?

I had always had an interest in medicine and science in general. When I took a college level course in high school called Anatomy and Physiology, my eyes opened up to the fascination that is learning about the human body and its physiological processes. In college I majored in Biology with a minor in Psychology. This gave me good exposure to a broad range of topics in the life sciences. I was also fascinated about human behavior, particularly abnormal Psychology. After completing college with my Bachelor of Science in Biology degree from Idaho State University, I enrolled in a Chiropractic school in Texas. Over the course of the semester in Chiropractic school, I found that my heart was truly set on medical school and I wasn’t a good fit for Chiropractic study.

After some brief time off I enrolled at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. I spent my first 2 years of medical school on a Caribbean island called St. Maarten. This exposed me to unique cultures and friends from all over the world that I cherish to this day. Over the course of 4 years, I kept an open mind to all specialties and what might be a good fit for me. Eventually, I discovered an interest in Pathology. This fulfilled many interests in mine, particularly the study of disease processes and the investigative nature of the work appealed to me. However, I soon found the minimal interaction with patients unfulfilling despite how fascinating the work was. This led me to Psychiatry. I found a very good home in Psychiatry as I find the diversity of the human experience interesting. Being able to spend more time with patients and listen to their most profound experiences was more appealing to me than other fields of study. Mental illness can be more debilitating than many illnesses out there. Not only does mental illness affect the patient, it can affect the family, friends, and society in general. My most fulfilling moments are when I am thanked by not only a patient, but also the family for making a positive difference as a healer in their lives.

“For a successful mental health treatment, I find it’s very important that a patient feels they’ve been heard and their concerns taken seriously. It’s my responsibility to provide options for appropriate treatment planning and education on the illness, prognosis, and to fully educate in regards to medication management if that is the proper treatment.”

Have you ever been a patient and if so, what did it teach you?

I have never been a mental health patient, but I think most of us have been in a situation where we’ve been ill in the past.  Thinking back to being at one of my sickest moments, there is fear, sadness, and frustrating lack of control and even helplessness at times.  A doctor can be a healer by providing reassurance, education, and the proper treatment to help patients when they are in their most vulnerable states.  

What are the most important qualities for a doctor to have? 

The most important qualities for a doctor include conscientiousness, empathy, good decision making skills, articulate, humility, and a “thick” skin.

What can a patient expect when they have you as their doctor?

A calm, welcoming experience that lowers the stress of a visit and doesn’t add to it.

What is the most important factor in the doctor-patient relationship and why?

When I establish a doctor-patient relationship, I find it very important to listen intently and take enough time to establish a good rapport and formulate a differential diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan. I find it’s important to establish a strong history of present illness, previous treatment successes or failures and to include my patient’s as an active participant in their treatment program. We need to be on the same page to have successful treatment and to educate and answer any questions in regards to medications or other treatments. For a successful mental health treatment, I find it’s very important that a patient feels they’ve been heard and their concerns taken seriously. It’s my responsibility to provide options for appropriate treatment planning and education on the illness, prognosis, and to fully educate in regards to medication management if that is the proper treatment.

What is your favorite activity outside of work?

My favorite activities outside of work are typically spending time with my young daughter. We enjoy going to the park, camping, fishing, hockey games, and playing in the swimming pool. Other interests include traveling, exploring other countries, and learning about different cultures and languages.

What about Doctorpedia resonates with your personal and professional mission? What problems do physicians and patients face that Doctorpedia can resolve?

Often I have had patients ask about some medical information they learned on the internet. I often find this information is partially wrong or completely incorrect. This can be frustrating trying to correct misinformation and often can lead to negative outcomes when a patient follows advice that is incorrect. Thus, my patients suffer the most when it comes to bad medical information. I love the idea of being part of a mission to change the way healthcare information is delivered from a reputable and reliable source. I also like the vision of how new and reliable medical information will be delivered with high production videos, articles, and other means of education. No matter the speciality, doctors always are limited in the amount of time they have with patients, particularly when it comes to educating and advising about proper treatment and follow up. Doctorpedia allows doctors to deliver personal messages about various illnesses, prognosis, treatment, and recommendations to their patients by referring them to content made or approved by them on Doctorpedia.

What do you think about the health and wellness information and resources available online?

There is some good information out there but it can be difficult to find. Further, a patient may find it very difficult to discern what is legitimate information and source versus unreliable information or from a non-reliable source. Unfortunately, almost always, the validity of the medical information comes down to the patient deciphering it which can be very difficult without any medical training. Having a reliable, trustworthy, legitimate, easily accessible source of medical information that is easy to understand is where Doctorpedia fulfills an essential niche in the role of medical education online.

If you could spend a day with any person in the world (dead or alive) who would it be?

My father passed away when I was 12. I feel we have a lot to catch up on!

“I love the idea of being part of a mission to change the way healthcare information is delivered from a reputable and reliable source. I also like the vision of how new and reliable medical information will be delivered with high production videos, articles, and other means of education.”

What would you do for a living if you weren’t a doctor?

I can’t imagine doing anything else!

What were your previous roles in healthcare and what did you learn from them?

I worked as an elderly caregiver before medical school. My responsibility was to help take care of an elderly couple with dementia. I learned we all deserve care, dignity, companionship, empathy, and even comedy in our final years in this life. Often my patients would give as much of this as I would try to give them.

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