Nathan Bell
Chief Medical Officer
What I do at Frontier Psychiatry
Director of Clinical Services
Who am I?
I did not originally set out to become a doctor - in fact, for many years I specifically had ruled it out, thinking I was not cut out for all the stomach-churning things I would have to do and see. I pursued a major in Economics in college because it seemed prudent in the absence of a strong sense that I knew what I would feel passionate about for many years to come. It was a happy accident because I actually loved learning economics, and that knowledge still informs my personal and professional life in many ways. Many of my friends in economics went on to become entrepreneurs and work in start-ups - a lifestyle and experience that I secretly coveted, but at the time was too risk-averse to pursue.
When I had the revelation that I did in fact want to work in health care, I did not immediately decide to go to medical school. I obtained my EMT certification, shadowed paramedics and physical therapists, and looked into advanced practitioner training as well. Ultimately, I decided medical school was the right choice for me, and I attended the University of Washington School of Medicine. Like many in our specialty, I had discounted psychiatry until my required 3rd year rotation, when I immediately fell in love with it. I discovered that it was important to me that in psychiatry, the focus of care is on the actual patient: their feelings, experience, and values drove treatment, rather than algorithms and diagnostic tests.
I remained at the University of Washington for residency as well, where I had the opportunity to experience care in a wide spectrum of care settings including correctional and nursing homes, populations we also serve at Frontier.
My first job out of residency was attending inpatient psychiatrist on the PSU at Providence Alaska Medical Center, in Anchorage, AK, where I got to live out my fantasy of an Alaskan adventure. I treasure my 2 years there, and would have happily stayed if not for having a baby during that time - during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. That first year of my daughter's life made it clear that being near family was a priority, and so my wife, 1-year old, and I moved back to Seattle, WA, where we are both from, and where both of our extended families live.
Preparing for the move back to Washington, I learned through word-of-mouth about a small telebehavioral health start-up based out of Montana. When I discovered that it was founded in part by a former co-resident at the University of Washington, one who I recalled very favorably from our time working together, I had to make the call. While I was a little bit skeptical that fully remote telepsychiatry was a good match for me, I was excited by the opportunity to be a part of an early stage technology start-up with a mission to improve the quality and scale of psychiatric care to an underserved population, and I jumped in.
Here I am 3 years later and Frontier Psychiatry is more than ever my passion and my 10 year plan. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with the amazing team we have developed, where every day we are laying the groundwork to prepare for a new era of value-based care, where as psychiatrists, we will be rewarded for the impact our care has on a patients overall health and outcomes, rather than the current regressive fee-for-service.
I am glad that you are interested in working with Frontier and I look forward to meeting you and leraning more about you.
When I had the revelation that I did in fact want to work in health care, I did not immediately decide to go to medical school. I obtained my EMT certification, shadowed paramedics and physical therapists, and looked into advanced practitioner training as well. Ultimately, I decided medical school was the right choice for me, and I attended the University of Washington School of Medicine. Like many in our specialty, I had discounted psychiatry until my required 3rd year rotation, when I immediately fell in love with it. I discovered that it was important to me that in psychiatry, the focus of care is on the actual patient: their feelings, experience, and values drove treatment, rather than algorithms and diagnostic tests.
I remained at the University of Washington for residency as well, where I had the opportunity to experience care in a wide spectrum of care settings including correctional and nursing homes, populations we also serve at Frontier.
My first job out of residency was attending inpatient psychiatrist on the PSU at Providence Alaska Medical Center, in Anchorage, AK, where I got to live out my fantasy of an Alaskan adventure. I treasure my 2 years there, and would have happily stayed if not for having a baby during that time - during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. That first year of my daughter's life made it clear that being near family was a priority, and so my wife, 1-year old, and I moved back to Seattle, WA, where we are both from, and where both of our extended families live.
Preparing for the move back to Washington, I learned through word-of-mouth about a small telebehavioral health start-up based out of Montana. When I discovered that it was founded in part by a former co-resident at the University of Washington, one who I recalled very favorably from our time working together, I had to make the call. While I was a little bit skeptical that fully remote telepsychiatry was a good match for me, I was excited by the opportunity to be a part of an early stage technology start-up with a mission to improve the quality and scale of psychiatric care to an underserved population, and I jumped in.
Here I am 3 years later and Frontier Psychiatry is more than ever my passion and my 10 year plan. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with the amazing team we have developed, where every day we are laying the groundwork to prepare for a new era of value-based care, where as psychiatrists, we will be rewarded for the impact our care has on a patients overall health and outcomes, rather than the current regressive fee-for-service.
I am glad that you are interested in working with Frontier and I look forward to meeting you and leraning more about you.
Advice for prospective candidates
My advice for a person who would like to be considered for a clinical appointment with Frontier Psychiatry is to listen to your intuition about what kind of work is right for you. Frontier Psychiatry is a vibrant organization that is both mission-driven and focused on growth, and our culture and experience reflect that.