Leah Jesse, MD, is a new faculty member at UNMC.
- Name: Leah Jesse, MD
- Title and department at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Psychiatry; psychiatrist, Nebraska Medicine
- Hometown: Omaha
Education:
- Medical degree, UNMC
- Residency in psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Medical interests:
- Adolescents and young adult mental health
- College mental health
- Reproductive psychiatry
- ADHD, OCD and mood disorders
How I fell in love with medicine and my specialty:
During my first two years of medical school, going into psychiatry wasn’t even on my radar. My first clinical rotation happened to be psychiatry, and after about a week working with psychiatric patients, I was completely fascinated by learning about the lived experiences of patients and the neuroscientific understanding of mental health disorders. I remember having an “aha moment” when I was working on an inpatient unit during a morning meeting; all of the patients and staff members sat around in a circle and shared their goals for the day. It was such an authentic, humanizing moment and made me feel like I belonged in this space. Earning the trust of a patient to support them in their goals, no matter how big or small they are, is such a privilege and pushes me to be the best version of myself.
Professional memberships:
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
- American Medical Association
- Gold Humanism Honor Society
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
Things people might not know about me:
- I grew up playing the cello.
- I played at the Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Division III National Championships.
- I am directionally impaired, so if you see me wandering around the hospital, there is a good chance I’m lost.
Clinical location: Psychiatry Clinic at Poynter Hall
For appointments and referrals: 402-552-6007