Psychiatry · Research · Innovation
Phillip Yang,
MD, MA
Physician-Scientist · Psychiatry Resident
Advancing the science of trauma treatment with a focus on complex trauma, cultural mental health, and innovation in psychiatric treatment.
Psychiatry · Research · Innovation
Physician-Scientist · Psychiatry Resident
Advancing the science of trauma treatment with a focus on complex trauma, cultural mental health, and innovation in psychiatric treatment.
Background
I am a psychiatry resident and physician-scientist focused on advancing treatment for trauma and complex trauma through rigorous, translational, and culturally informed approaches.
My work approaches psychiatric illness with both biological precision and cultural humility. My specific interests span trauma and complex PTSD, Asian and Asian American mental health, and phobic disorders including paruresis. Underlying all of it is a concern with how identity, stigma, and intergenerational trauma shape the way people suffer and what keeps them from care. I am invested in treating and innovating novel interventions for trauma disorders
These interests are rooted in my own background as a second-generation Asian American. Growing up in southwest Houston while spending most summers in China gave me an early sense of how cultural context shapes identity. My years between finishing undergrad and starting medical school refined my perspectives in medicine, including doing basic and translational research, teaching and mentoring, and co-founding and advising early-stage educational and innovation ventures.
Alongside my clinical and research work, I have a sustained focus on education. I have worked as a classroom teacher and curriculum developer, and have designed and taught trauma-informed and social-emotional learning curricula across educational and clinical settings. I continue to engage in medical education through curriculum development and consulting work.
Areas of Focus
My work focuses on advancing treatments for trauma and complex trauma. I integrate trauma psychiatry, cultural identity, and community-engaged research to develop more precise and culturally responsive interventions.
I am actively engaged in medical education, with experience developing and teaching curricula that address trauma-informed care, cultural psychiatry, and gaps in traditional psychiatric training. I also act as a consultant for undergraduate medical education tools, including emerging AI-driven learning platforms.
Investigating the neurobiological and psychosocial underpinnings of trauma and developing innovative treatments for patients with complex, treatment-resistant presentations.
Exploring how culture shapes the expression, experience, and treatment of psychiatric illness, with a particular emphasis on Asian and Asian American communities and the cultural barriers to care.
Treating specific phobic disorders, particularly paruresis (shy bladder syndrome). I study the neurological and psychological basis of paruresis, serve on the board of the International Paruresis Association, and work toward developing evidence-based psychiatric treatments for shy bladder syndrome and related conditions.
Pursuing clinical research aimed at innovating the way we measure treatment success, with a long-term goal of developing novel, culturally informed psychiatric interventions.
Education & Mentorship
My commitment to education and mentorship predates medicine. After getting accepted to medical school, I deferred matriculation to spend three years as an educator, teaching in Chicago Public Schools through Teach For America and in Taipei as a U.S. Student Fulbright fellow. During this time, I also co-founded an education company focused on social-emotional learning and curriculum development.
That foundation continues to shape my work in medical education. Throughout medical school and residency, I have remained actively involved in mentorship and selection, serving as a medical school interviewer, participating in residency selection, and mentoring undergraduate, pre-medical, and medical students in clinical training, research, and career development. I am particularly interested in supporting applicants with nontraditional or unique paths into medicine, and in helping individuals clearly articulate the experiences and perspectives that shape their story.
In addition to mentorship within academic settings, I offer fee-based advising for applicants navigating medical school and residency admissions.
If you are interested in working together, feel free to get in touch.