I’ve always found inspiration from the work of others- seeing the possibilities of what can be achieved is a great way to kick our lazy assets into gear.  In addition to tips and tactics to help you with your side hustle I’ll also bring you interviews with other doctors doing cool things. Thanks for taking the time to check out my first mini interview. – Andrew

DR KIM LE

Dr Kim Le is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has a deep interest in the effect that technology and the internet has on families. He’s my hometown Asian brother-from-another-mother and we met during his first year of medical school- probably while under the influence during an orientation event. Kim’s also been a TEDx speaker and his most recent foray is into the world of standup comedy. Read on to discover how he draws rewards at two speeds- the fast response laughter of standup and gradual change of psychiatry.

What is your medical background?

I studied my MBBS at the University of Adelaide (Class of 2006). I think it was Prof. Ted Cleary on our first day of medical school who said, “what you know today in medicine, in 10-years time, will be totally different”.

I did my internship at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital before heading to Sydney for my resident year, which was more like a gap year at Manly District Hospital. It was in that year, that I realised I wanted to join the psychiatry training program. I diagnosed a patient who was addicted to the online multiplayer game “World of Warcraft” with Internet Addiction. My consultant had no idea what internet addiction was, so I kind of stumbled across this diagnosis which a novel idea at the time.

That was in 2008. 10 years later, we now have “Gaming Disorder” in the ICD-11.

Ted Cleary was right.

I am now a full-time consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist with the Women’s and Children’s Health Network and I am receiving up to 1-2 referrals per week from Adelaide paediatricians and GPs for gaming disorder.

What is your side gig?

I thought my side gig (ultra-subspecialty) was gaming disorder. It looks like it is going to be stand-up comedy. I have been doing the Adelaide stand-up comedy circuit for the past 6-months and I am hooked! I even did a stand-up gig in Prague-Czech Republic this year and had so much fun. I was speaking at a global psychiatry conference during the day (making doctors laugh) and at night I was doing stand-up comedy (making drunk tourists laugh).

Where did the idea come from and what gave you the confidence to start?

Like Freud said “dreams are the royal road to the unconscious mind”. I was always a rat bag as a kid, being silly and trying my best to be the centre of attention. However, in order to succeed academically, I had to suppress that humourous side of me. I think that is why so many other comedians (many with serious mental health conditions) step up on stage, many find stand-up cathartic, therapeutic and even healing. Stand up comedy has done wonders for my own mental health in a high pressure and stressful consultant position.

I became involved in public speaking in 2015, because I was invited to do a TEDx Talk. I had no idea what I was doing, but I felt compelled to increase community awareness on the effect of screen technology on children. Even though I essentially had a panic attack prior to my TEDx Talk, this didn’t stop me. I realised the power of public speaking and dedicated myself to this craft (yes, public speaking is a skill that can be improved). This year, I won a state public speaking competition. To prepare for the national competition, I decided to try stand-up comedy to give myself more confidence. I didn’t win, but I discovered stand-up comedy, which was a real blessing.

What have been your biggest wins?

I was recently chosen to perform with the Rhino Room “Next Generation” at Adelaide Fringe 2019 (tix on sale now). This small ensemble is hand-picked from the Adelaide open mic circuit. To be selected after only 4 months in the game, is a real honour. The Adelaide comedy scene is very small and to be chosen from such a talented community is a sign of big things to come. If that wasn’t enough, I opened up my own monthly Saturday night comedy room the “Comedy Clinic” in Broadcast Bar on Grote Street. It’s a free stand up open mic night and survives on tips from the audience. The other night we made $36 after 4 hours of Adelaide Fringe quality comedy to an audience of 30.

To me, passion isn’t about the money, it’s the opportunity to work on your craft. There is a real need in Adelaide for more comedy rooms, so to give back gives me a real sense of pride. If any doctors feel particularly nostalgic, Comedy Clinic gets its name because all the furniture is from the old Royal Adelaide Hospital (oRAH)! Lastly, I recently put on my own Vietnamese-themed stand-up comedy show. My aim was to draw in a predominantly Asian audience. Asians tend not to pay for the arts as a form of entertainment, so to put on a show and sell-out 2 shows was amazing.   

What have been your biggest challenges?

Whether to give up my day job and dedicate myself to comedy (and turn my day job into a side gig!). This is still a challenge. So if anyone knows of a website dedicated to this, please let me know!

What inspires you to keep pushing through?

Jerry Seinfeld has a number of interviews on what he has learned from stand-up comedy. He talks about the concept of energy and the energy to work on your passion/craft. My energy doesn’t necessarily come from inspiration, but more curiosity. The need to analyse, formulate and achieve the best outcome. I know it sounds cliché, but my patients are a source of inspiration.

Every day, psychiatrists work with often depressed patients and it can sometimes take months to get a reaction or change in affect. This is possibly why stand-up comedy is a nice counterbalance, because I can get a visceral reaction immediately. If I can increase community awareness through my work, this is the icing on the cake (a cake I have dedicated my entire lifetime working on school/medicine/psychiatry). Stand up comedy right now is another layer on that cake, but an important one because it gives me energy to push on.

What do you wish you knew before you started?

It’s all going to be OK. Wear a seat-belt cos it is gonna be a wild ride!

What’s Your favourite quote?

“To will is not enough, you must do.

Knowledge is not enough, you must apply”

-Goethe/Bruce Lee

This quote plays to my inner Asian-parent superego that I am never enough.

Thanks for having me!

Found Kim’s story interesting? Please leave a comment below.

Find out more about Dr Kim Le here:

Web: www.cgiclinic.com

Insta: @kimlecomedy

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kimlecomedy

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/huu-kim-le-23b589107/