After a long hiatus, with much time to think, I have decided not just to return to blogging, but to add onto my media presence by also tweeting. As with this blog, tweeting now represents to me an experiment in mass (35 followers) communication. I would like to use it to point to interesting news articles which relate to my point of view about the changing nature of psychiatry, in particular, and medicine, in general. In my next post, I will specifically comment on the Ebola virus and how I see it as a prime example of how the practice of medicine is changing, and in this particular instance, leading to some scary times. I have long avoided twitter as I had thought that it was redundant to this blog, but now I hope to expand my voice by using it to supplement, and not repeat my ideas. Out of media darkness comes a flurry of media activities, perhaps in a bipolar way, but hopefully with thought and concern for public information, while at the same time, maintaining the foundation of my work, privacy. Do I hope to get more followers? Sure. Do I know that to get more followers I would need a supplementary media angle such as a book, a speaker series or a new health care application? Yes, I know that. Despite this knowledge, I charge on. Putting my narcissism, my ego, on the line, fodder for commentary, judgment and affirmation. I assume civility in social media, perhaps naïvely. Wish me luck.
Shirah Vollmer MD 