Chief Residents' Spotlight
Kyunti James-Thorpe, MD
PGY-IV, Chief Resident
Hello, my name is Dr. Kyunti James-Thorpe, and I am the Clinical Chief Resident for the General Psychiatry Residency Program for the 2025-2026 academic year. I am excited to make an impact in our program during my last year here.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY then later migrated to Gainesville, GA. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biology from Brenau University then later my medical degree at Morehouse School of Medicine. In my free time, I enjoy cooking cultural dishes, traveling to beach destinations, writing free verse poetry, and spending time with loved ones.
My passion for psychiatry began in medical school after completing a 3rd year psychiatry clerkship. I loved the ability to focus on mental health while serving disadvantaged and underserved populations in the Atlanta area.
I continued my training at Morehouse because of their commitment to reducing health disparities which is a value that aligns with me.
After residency, I plan to pursue a career in adult inpatient psychiatry. I enjoy working in acute care facilities and managing a variety of psychiatric pathologies including serious mental illnesses.
As one of the chiefs this academic year, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of our program.
Myka Taylor MD
PGY-IV, Chief Resident
Introduction: Hi, my name is Dr. Myka Taylor, and I am the Educational Chief Resident for MSM’s General Psychiatry Residency Program during the 2025-2026 academic year. I look forward to serving in this role to contribute to our program’s growth and success.
About me: I was born and raised in the outskirts of New Orleans, Louisiana. I obtained my bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana, with a major in psychology and minors in biology/chemistry. Subsequently, I moved to Nashville, TN to obtain my medical degree from Meharry Medical College.
What I love about psychiatry: Psychology piqued my interest in high school, but my love for psychiatry blossomed in college and medical school. I am a curious person by nature, with a love of understanding how things work. Exploring the biopsychosocial factors that make individuals who they are is a complex, yet essential, part of psychiatry. This curiosity, in combination with my desire to serve others through healthcare, solidified my pursuit of a career in psychiatry. This field allows me to interact with and treat the whole person, rather than just signs/symptoms, by way of empathy, compassion, and understanding as a foundation for patient-centered care and shared decision-making.
Why MSM?: With full transparency, my interview with MSM was the last that I had completed, toward the very end of interview season. During the months prior, I had a completely different program in mind to rank #1, but my interview with MSM changed everything. Despite the process being virtual, I could appreciate the sense of collegiality between the residents and faculty. I was impressed by the sense of pride the program had for their residents and alumni. It was clear how much the program cared about the residents’ personal career goals and well-being, showing that a solid support system was in place. I knew that residency would have its challenges, so I sought a program that would be supportive and foster growth, while also allowing me to work with underserved populations, address health disparities, and explore my personal interests in community psychiatry and women’s mental health. These were all important components of what I considered to be a residency program that was a good fit for me, so MSM became my #1.
Looking ahead: After graduation, I plan to pursue a position as an outpatient psychiatrist, as my preference is to be able to work with patients on a long-term basis, ideally, with a focus on community and/or perinatal/reproductive psychiatry.