Dr. Avijit Mitra’s path to success started long before he became a respected psychiatrist. He came to the United States for college with determination, limited resources, and a strong interest in understanding the human mind. He worked his way through school, earning scholarships and holding jobs while completing a master’s degree in neuroscience at Rutgers University. That experience taught him discipline, patience, and how to stay focused on long-term goals.
From there, he moved to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center for medical training, then completed his residency in adult psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic. His time at Mayo shaped his practical approach to mental health, balancing science with real-world problem-solving. He later trained at Yale University’s Child Study Center, where he specialized in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Over the next two decades, Dr. Mitra built a career known for competence, clarity, and collaboration. He served as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale and continues as an Attending Psychiatrist with the Department of Mental Health, while also running a private practice. His work blends evidence-based medicine with strong communication and teamwork, which has earned him respect among patients, families, and peers.
He also received an Appreciation Award from the Connecticut State Psychiatric Society for his role on the Sandy Hook crisis team, a defining moment that strengthened his commitment to service and leadership.
Outside of work, he finds balance through tennis, hiking, and time outdoors, habits that help him stay grounded while managing a demanding career.
Q&A With Dr. Avijit Mitra on the Meaning of Success
Q: What does “success” mean to you today, compared to when you first came to the United States for college?
When I first arrived in the U.S., success meant survival. I was a young student with limited resources, trying to earn scholarships and work enough hours to cover tuition and rent. Back then, success meant getting through another semester without falling behind. Over time, as I moved from Rutgers to Columbia and then into residency at the Mayo Clinic, my view shifted. Now, success means living with integrity, doing meaningful work, and having balance in my life. It’s less about titles and more about staying grounded in what matters.
Q: You put yourself through medical and graduate school. How did that shape your approach to success?
It made me resourceful. I learned how to solve problems one step at a time. Scholarships didn’t fall from the sky, I had to apply for dozens, sometimes hundreds. I worked in labs, took on odd jobs, and lived very simply. That period taught me that hard work doesn’t always feel glamorous, but it builds a foundation that you carry forever. I still rely on habits I learned then: planning ahead, managing my energy, and not expecting shortcuts.
Q: What habits have contributed most to your success as a psychiatrist?
One habit is writing everything down. During residency at the Mayo Clinic, my supervisor carried a small notebook and recorded observations constantly. I adopted the habit and continue it today. It helps me see patterns in patient care, track progress, and stay organized. Another habit is movement. Tennis and hiking aren’t hobbies for me, they keep me mentally sharp. When my mind is stuck, walking or hitting a few tennis balls resets me.
Q: How did your training at Yale’s Child Study Center shape your understanding of success in your field?
Yale taught me the importance of the environment. In child and adolescent psychiatry, a young person’s success is rarely about one factor. It’s family, school, community, and biology, interacting constantly. I learned to approach treatment as a team effort. That mindset has shaped my entire career. Success in psychiatry isn’t about the doctor being the expert in the room. It’s about connecting the dots between people who care about the patient.
Q: Many people think success means doing everything quickly. You’ve said you would tell your younger self to “slow down.” Why?
When I was studying neuroscience at Rutgers, I felt pressure to understand everything immediately. I rushed through learning, thinking speed meant intelligence. Later, I learned that slow thinking, deep thinking, is where real insight happens. In psychiatry, you can’t rush understanding. People aren’t puzzles to solve quickly. My younger self needed to hear that success favors patience.
Q: What is one uncommon belief you have about success?
I believe long walks offer clarity that structured problem-solving sometimes cannot. In my private practice, there are times when I’ve walked outside with a patient rather than sitting across from them. The shift in the environment changes how people speak and think. I think success in many fields, medicine, business, even parenting, comes from seeing people in different contexts, not just formal ones.
Q: Can you share a moment that changed how you think about success?
Working on the Sandy Hook crisis team changed me deeply. The emotional weight was overwhelming at times. But it taught me that success in psychiatry isn’t measured by immediate solutions. Sometimes success means being present in unimaginable pain. It means offering steadiness when others are falling apart. That experience reminded me how important humanity is in this profession.
Q: What is a failure that shaped your approach to success?
Early in my private practice, I booked my schedule too tightly. It was inefficient and emotionally draining. I ended many days feeling like I had given everyone less than they deserved. I restructured everything: more space between patients, time to review notes, time to think. The failure taught me that busyness isn’t success. Effectiveness is.
Q: What role does continuous learning play in success?
I still study regularly. Psychiatry changes quickly, new research, new therapies, new understandings of the brain. But beyond formal learning, I learn from my patients every day. They reveal new patterns, new emotional landscapes, new perspectives. Curiosity is a form of humility, and I think humility is essential to long-term success.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give someone trying to define success for themselves?
Pay attention to what gives you energy. Not what you think should give you energy, but what actually does. When I’m on a hike or playing tennis, I feel alive. When I’m collaborating with a pediatrician or sitting with a family trying to understand their child, I feel purposeful. Success grows naturally from the things that energize you, not the things you chase out of pressure or comparison.