Dr Alicia Porter
Registered Psychiatrist
Practice Number: 0468479
My Story
‘Life is a journey, not a destination’
My journey as a psychiatrist began while still a student at the University of Kwazulu-Natal(UKZN). My passion for psychiatry was birthed in my fourth year of study, where we are first exposed to psychiatry. I was fascinated by both the science and the art of the practice of psychiatry.
After graduating from medical school, I worked as an intern at Victoria hospital in Cape Town and a year later I completed my community service at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg in Kwazulu-Natal. My exposure to psychiatry was limited during these two years but was often struck by how marginalised and stigmatised psychiatric patients were in a general hospital setting. I worked in the UK for a year as a registered medical officer, after which time I applied and was accepted to do my specialist training at the Department of Psychiatry at UKZN. I spent 4 years in the registrar training programme and subsequently passed the required exam to graduate as a specialist psychiatrist.
On completion of my specialist training, I worked as a consultant psychiatrist at Fort Napier hospital in Pietermaritzburg. I did forensic observation cases and was responsible for the care of chronic mental health care users and state patients admitted at the facility. My duties as a consultant included lecturing medical students and registrars in the training programme. I was also part of a multi-disciplinary team, which facilitated various academic activities and continued professional development within the hospital. I worked at Fort Napier for a period of 18 months, after which time I ventured into full time private practice in Durban.
My rooms were at St Augustine’s hospital, where I did consultation-liaison and outpatient consultation, and I also admitted inpatients to Life St Joseph’s hospital, which is a psychiatric facility in Durban. After 6 years at St Augustine’s I felt that it was time to relocate, as I want to expand my psychiatric interests and I moved to Johannesburg, as this aim would be best achieved in this city. I have joined The Couch on a part-time basis and look forward to this new adventure.
I am passionate about holistic management and the goal is ‘a journey to wholeness’
I have a special interest in the following areas:
- Mood and anxiety disorders
- Woman’s Mental Health
- Adolescents
- Personality disorders
- Chronic pain
- Neuropsychiatry-particular early onset dementia and autoimmune disorders
My Qualifications
Clinical Psychology
MBCHB – UKZN; FC (PSYCH)SA
My Clinical Experience
Completed MBCHB 2002
1 year of internship and 1 year of community service
4 years of Registrar training-specialist training in various units across Kwazulu-Natal.
King Edward Hospital
(January 2006-December 2006)
- General adult psychiatry.
- Managing involuntary and assisted mental health care users.
- Consultation liaison.
- Outpatient clinics.
Addington Hospital
(January 2007-August 2007)
- General adult psychiatry.
- Dual Diagnosis.
- Consultation liaison.
- Outpatient clinics.
Stanger Hospital
(September 2007-December 2007)
- Community psychiatry.
- Rural outreach to the surrounding communities.
King George V Hospital
(January 2008-December 2008)
- 6 months Child and Adolescent unit-inpatient and outpatient.
- 6 months of general psychiatry in a psychiatric hospital setting.
- Outpatient clinics.
Townhill Hospital
(January 2009-June 2009)
- 3 months psychotherapy unit, which included outpatient groups.
- 3 months general adult psychiatry in a psychiatric hospital setting.
Fort Napier Hospital
(July 2009-December 2009)
- 6 months of forensic psychiatry.
- Forensic observation cases.
- Management of chronic psychiatric patients and state patients.
After my specialist training I worked as a consultant at Fort Napier Hospital for 18 months, doing forensic observation cases and managing chronic and state patients. I also worked with the department of psychiatry at UKZN lecturing medical students and registrars in the training programme.
