Meet Heather Bruschwein, PsyD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at UVA School of Medicine.
This post is part of a series of interviews with new and junior faculty. Stay tuned for more interviews with your colleagues. You can also read past interviews on our blog: https://news.med.virginia.edu/fac-dev-blog/category/interviews/junior-faculty-interviews/
Q: How long have you been at UVA and where were you before you came to UVA?
I started at UVA in the fall of 2017. Prior to that, I completed a two-year fellowship in organ transplant psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Q: Is there something that you’ve worked on or accomplished in your career that you’re particularly proud of or glad you were able to experience?
My transplant psychology fellowship was a very formative experience. It allowed me the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of organ transplant and to work with patients longitudinally over the course of their transplant journey. This shaped my career interests and research, and ultimately led to my current position at UVA.
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a jockey and own a horse farm. I had to give up on that dream when I was already 5 feet tall by 5th grade. I also wanted to be a marine biologist and spent my allowance on adopting whales and manatees. I never considered the idea of becoming a psychologist until I took a psychology class while studying abroad in Austria during college.
Q: A favorite spot to grab lunch during the day?
On a busy day, you’ll probably find me grabbing chicken strips in the Wahoo West Café. When there’s time, I like going to Bodo’s and other places on the Corner. During the summer, I love the Thursday food trucks on Hospital Drive.
Q: Do you have any children or fur babies at home that you would like to tell us about?
I have a three-legged Cocker Spaniel mix named Copper. He is really cute, and I admit that I give him more treats than I should. He’s fairly popular in my apartment complex – more people know him than me.
Q: Do you have a favorite local restaurant or hangout spot?
I like taking Copper to Beer Run’s patio room (it’s heated in the winter!). Lone Light Coffee near the Downtown Mall has great vanilla lattes. It’s hard to choose a favorite restaurant. Charlottesville has so many great ones.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
The UVA Junior Faculty Development Program has been a great learning experience. Troy Buer, Sue Pollart, and Ashley Ayers have put together a wonderful program. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to meet other junior faculty colleagues and to learn from accomplished UVA faculty.
Filed Under: Interviews, Junior Faculty Interviews
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