Meghan Vandewettering

Hello! My name is Meghan (she/her) and I hail fromPortland, Oregon. Performance arts and artistic exploration defined my childhood: it taught me the beauty of camaraderie, the power of creative leadership, and the importance of expression. I made art one of my many hobbies when I decided to study the intricacies of protein dynamics and cell biology at Oregon State University. While joyfully learning and teaching biochemistry, I hosted a radio show, dabbled in science journalism, volunteered with kiddos living with disabilities, and found a powerful calling for medicine. After college, I took a teaching job in the ancient city of Madrid having never studied Spanish. I taught English in a bilingual elementary school, traveled extensively, and successfully applied to medical school where I was, early on, elected as student council President of my cohort. As a student leader, I created and facilitated opportunities for mentorship and community-building through art, food, and friendship. I acted as a liaison between administration and students through the upheavals of the COVID pandemic. As a student advocate, I was passionate about gender-based misconduct prevention and later joined a coalition of students who demonstrated with and supported protesters during the Black Lives Matter movement. I found home in psychiatry because I aligned with the providers’ drive to consider the patient as a complex human being. I loved the variety, multidisciplinary teamwork, rich medicolegal ethics, and ability to create safety for patients in vulnerable moments. Throughout medical school, I developed my glass art practice, fermented oodles of food, and adopted two good cats. I look forward for getting to know this community and embracing the opportunities that abound at Yale!