Tessa Oliver, MD
@tessajoliver.bsky.social
psychiatry pgy1 | she/her | champion of the underdog | interests in addiction, severe mental illness, mood disorders, 🏳️🌈 mental health, meded, harm reduction, and abolition | #medsky
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Hi! I’m Tessa/Dr. Oliver, a first year psychiatry resident. I’m passionate about caring for patients with severe mental illness, substance use disorders, and justice-involvement. Along with psychiatry, I think a lot about mass incarceration, social safety nets, harm reduction, books, and TV.
My Facebook memories showed this 100 truths thing I filled out 15 years ago (I was 14) and apparently I wanted to be a psychiatrist back then??? I literally have no memory of this. 14 year old me was surprisingly prescient.
November 29, 2025 at 8:10 PM
My Facebook memories showed this 100 truths thing I filled out 15 years ago (I was 14) and apparently I wanted to be a psychiatrist back then??? I literally have no memory of this. 14 year old me was surprisingly prescient.
Nothing like getting dinged on a step 3 cscase for not ordering a Pap smear on your patient you transferred to the ICU for DKA 😅 The preventative care section gets me almost every time.
January 10, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Nothing like getting dinged on a step 3 cscase for not ordering a Pap smear on your patient you transferred to the ICU for DKA 😅 The preventative care section gets me almost every time.
Currently on forensics and I’m loving the opportunity to work on insight building with patients. I loved inpatient but often there is less time to work on those skills in such an acute setting. Brings me back to my first interest in wanting to do outpatient first episode work…
January 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Currently on forensics and I’m loving the opportunity to work on insight building with patients. I loved inpatient but often there is less time to work on those skills in such an acute setting. Brings me back to my first interest in wanting to do outpatient first episode work…
Last year I only read 2 books, this year I read 11! Turns out not being in med school anymore was the key because 10/11 of the books I read after graduation. Hopefully next year I can read even more!
January 1, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Last year I only read 2 books, this year I read 11! Turns out not being in med school anymore was the key because 10/11 of the books I read after graduation. Hopefully next year I can read even more!
Went out to dinner with my parents tonight and one of the restaurant staff members asked if I was in college and was shook when I told her I was actually a doctor. She told me she thought I was 22 (I am 28). I guess my retinol is working overtime 😅
December 28, 2024 at 3:59 AM
Went out to dinner with my parents tonight and one of the restaurant staff members asked if I was in college and was shook when I told her I was actually a doctor. She told me she thought I was 22 (I am 28). I guess my retinol is working overtime 😅
Every stint I do on medicine I find a new thing to hyper fixate on. This stint it has been nutrition consults/maximizing nutritional status. So much liquacel, Juven, vitamins, and ensure. Love it!
December 17, 2024 at 8:51 PM
Every stint I do on medicine I find a new thing to hyper fixate on. This stint it has been nutrition consults/maximizing nutritional status. So much liquacel, Juven, vitamins, and ensure. Love it!
Shout out to the APPs on our med psych unit for being my biggest cheerleaders after giving my second didactics presentation for the unit today 🔥
December 12, 2024 at 11:02 PM
Shout out to the APPs on our med psych unit for being my biggest cheerleaders after giving my second didactics presentation for the unit today 🔥
Reposted by Tessa Oliver, MD
WASHINGTON (AP) — Biden commutes roughly 1,500 sentences and grants 39 pardons in biggest single-day act of clemency in modern US history.
December 12, 2024 at 10:06 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) — Biden commutes roughly 1,500 sentences and grants 39 pardons in biggest single-day act of clemency in modern US history.
Today was very good for my ego because one patient told me that they really liked having me as their doctor and another told my attending and I that we were the reason he was still in the hospital and hadn’t self discharged 🥺
December 12, 2024 at 4:02 AM
Today was very good for my ego because one patient told me that they really liked having me as their doctor and another told my attending and I that we were the reason he was still in the hospital and hadn’t self discharged 🥺
Seeing other mental health professionals defend the Daniel Penny verdict has been truly appalling to me. What happened was a tragedy - a life lost that shouldn’t have been. I’ve seen countless agitated patients managed safely by EMS/nurses/and even during MHTs.
December 10, 2024 at 1:44 AM
Seeing other mental health professionals defend the Daniel Penny verdict has been truly appalling to me. What happened was a tragedy - a life lost that shouldn’t have been. I’ve seen countless agitated patients managed safely by EMS/nurses/and even during MHTs.
Got a Christmas tree for our apartment this year and we decorated today. Really getting into the holiday spirit now 😊
December 7, 2024 at 10:22 PM
Got a Christmas tree for our apartment this year and we decorated today. Really getting into the holiday spirit now 😊
I’m so tired of having to advocate to get other health care providers to care about my patients with substance use disorders.
December 6, 2024 at 7:55 PM
I’m so tired of having to advocate to get other health care providers to care about my patients with substance use disorders.
Reposted by Tessa Oliver, MD
We’re so so close to getting it. Private health insurance benefits no one except like 5 billionaires. Universal, free healthcare would make everyone else’s life better. I still do not condone murdering health insurance executives, but there is no reason for private health insurance to exist.
December 6, 2024 at 7:11 PM
We’re so so close to getting it. Private health insurance benefits no one except like 5 billionaires. Universal, free healthcare would make everyone else’s life better. I still do not condone murdering health insurance executives, but there is no reason for private health insurance to exist.
All of my patients on our med psych unit are here with some amount of sequelae of substance use disorder and I am truly in my element 🥰 So grateful this unit exists and for the compassionate care we are able to provide for our most stigmatized and vulnerable patients
December 5, 2024 at 10:39 PM
All of my patients on our med psych unit are here with some amount of sequelae of substance use disorder and I am truly in my element 🥰 So grateful this unit exists and for the compassionate care we are able to provide for our most stigmatized and vulnerable patients
Today I said to my medicine attending: “I’m in my consult era” lmao
December 5, 2024 at 5:34 PM
Today I said to my medicine attending: “I’m in my consult era” lmao
Hey fellow residents - if you’re willing to share, how much money to get each year for an education stipend? If you could tell me the $ amount, your speciality, and your program/geographical area if comfortable. Trying to see if our program matches up. Can also DM me this info!
November 27, 2024 at 4:21 PM
Hey fellow residents - if you’re willing to share, how much money to get each year for an education stipend? If you could tell me the $ amount, your speciality, and your program/geographical area if comfortable. Trying to see if our program matches up. Can also DM me this info!
My inpatient psychiatry attending during feedback today told me I should do inpatient psychiatry as a career 🥺
November 22, 2024 at 5:54 PM
My inpatient psychiatry attending during feedback today told me I should do inpatient psychiatry as a career 🥺
Reposted by Tessa Oliver, MD
Patients, families help sway #FDA advisers, who call for eliminating the risk management program for clozapine, the only approved drug for treatment-resistant #schizophrenia. My story for Medscape.
#mentalhealth #MedSky #psychiatry
#mentalhealth #MedSky #psychiatry
Eliminate Clozapine REMS, FDA Panels Say
Two FDA panels were almost unanimous in their opinion that the agency should eliminate restrictions that psychiatrists and patients say limit access to clozapine.
www.medscape.com
November 21, 2024 at 6:24 PM
Patients, families help sway #FDA advisers, who call for eliminating the risk management program for clozapine, the only approved drug for treatment-resistant #schizophrenia. My story for Medscape.
#mentalhealth #MedSky #psychiatry
#mentalhealth #MedSky #psychiatry
Reposted by Tessa Oliver, MD
despite the world becoming scary i still have a perhaps niave but unwaivering belief that a better world is possible
November 21, 2024 at 6:22 AM
despite the world becoming scary i still have a perhaps niave but unwaivering belief that a better world is possible
My month on inpatient psychiatry is almost over and I’m so sad to have to move on to my next rotation. The days have never felt long, I love the people I have gotten to work with, enjoyed the variety of pathology, and have found meaning each day in my work. I’m so grateful that this is my job.
November 19, 2024 at 8:20 PM
My month on inpatient psychiatry is almost over and I’m so sad to have to move on to my next rotation. The days have never felt long, I love the people I have gotten to work with, enjoyed the variety of pathology, and have found meaning each day in my work. I’m so grateful that this is my job.
Reposted by Tessa Oliver, MD
One of my friends told me she "successfully weaned" herself off Zoloft. But she's still pretty down.
I told her "you will have to pry my Prozac out of my cold dead hands".
She's back on Zoloft now.
#StoptheStigma #MentalHealth #medsky
I told her "you will have to pry my Prozac out of my cold dead hands".
She's back on Zoloft now.
#StoptheStigma #MentalHealth #medsky
November 16, 2024 at 5:10 AM
One of my friends told me she "successfully weaned" herself off Zoloft. But she's still pretty down.
I told her "you will have to pry my Prozac out of my cold dead hands".
She's back on Zoloft now.
#StoptheStigma #MentalHealth #medsky
I told her "you will have to pry my Prozac out of my cold dead hands".
She's back on Zoloft now.
#StoptheStigma #MentalHealth #medsky
Every time I hear about a new Trump cabinet nominee
November 15, 2024 at 9:52 PM
Every time I hear about a new Trump cabinet nominee
Reposted by Tessa Oliver, MD
The majority of firearm-related deaths in the US are by suicide (not mass shootings or other homicide)
The good news is that they are *all* preventable
The good news is that they are *all* preventable
What is common knowledge in your field but shocks outsiders?
Kids don’t have to miss school if they have head lice. Really. It’s ok.
Kids don’t have to miss school if they have head lice. Really. It’s ok.
What is common knowledge in your field but shocks outsiders?
MS is not just a disease of White people. Anyone can get it. Black people in the US actually have a higher incidence/prevalence than White people. Your Step 1 review books are wrong.
MS is not just a disease of White people. Anyone can get it. Black people in the US actually have a higher incidence/prevalence than White people. Your Step 1 review books are wrong.
November 15, 2024 at 3:17 AM
The majority of firearm-related deaths in the US are by suicide (not mass shootings or other homicide)
The good news is that they are *all* preventable
The good news is that they are *all* preventable
I’m going to be spending Christmas Day alone since I made the decision to not take that week off (although my family will be visiting the weekend after). I bought a fake Christmas tree and ornaments and I’m so excited to set it up and get in the holiday spirit. Weirdly excited for my solo holiday!
November 14, 2024 at 9:21 PM
I’m going to be spending Christmas Day alone since I made the decision to not take that week off (although my family will be visiting the weekend after). I bought a fake Christmas tree and ornaments and I’m so excited to set it up and get in the holiday spirit. Weirdly excited for my solo holiday!
Today a patient said I looked “somewhat presentable” today. I’ll take that as a win as an intern.
November 14, 2024 at 4:23 PM
Today a patient said I looked “somewhat presentable” today. I’ll take that as a win as an intern.