Sarah Bush Lincoln is pleased to announce the addition of Psychiatrist John Yost, MD, to its medical staff.
With high demand for more mental health services in the area, Dr. Yost is excited to provide a much needed service and help as many people as he can. He chose psychiatry because, “I’m fascinated by the power that words and chemicals have on our consciousness,” he said.
However psychiatry wasn’t always his career path. With a strong interest in science, Dr. Yost earned a bachelor’s degree in medical technology, completing two years at Lake Land College, one year at Eastern Illinois University and the final year at Good Samaritan Hospital School of Medical Technology in Vincennes, Ind. He then earned a master’s in biological science at Eastern Illinois University while working at Sarah Bush Lincoln. With a talent for drawing, he also drew illustrations for books written by a psychologist to help pay his way through school.
A few years later, Dr. Yost decided to pursue medicine to have a greater impact on people’s lives. He entered Southern Illinois University School of Medicine where he earned his medical degree in 2008. Because of his background in medical technology, he first chose to pursue pathology, completing two-years of residency training at the University of Iowa before switching to psychiatry.
Desiring more interaction with people, “I realized it’s the genuine human connection that makes life meaningful. I needed that exposure to people and to life,” he said. He returned to Springfield and completed a four-year residency program in psychiatry at Southern Illinois University.
While residency was an extremely challenging time in his life, Dr. Yost gained vast experience caring for people with a wide array of mental health concerns from anxiety and depression to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. “I encourage people to focus on things they can change to improve their circumstances and help them choose the reality that’s most functional,” he said. Passionate about improving people’s lives, he acknowledges, “the patients really heal themselves. I’m just the mirror.”
Growing up in nearby Watson, Dr. Yost worked as a medical technologist at Sarah Bush Lincoln for nearly nine years working throughout graduate and medical school. “The people at Sarah Bush Lincoln are like family,” he said, touched when his former co-workers in the laboratory lined up to give him a hug on his first day as a doctor.
For more information, or to make an appointment with Dr. Yost call (217) 258-4042. His office is located in Prairie Pavilion 1, Suite 102, 1005 Health Center Dr., Mattoon. Health Alliance, Personal Care, Blue Cross Blue Shield and most other insurance plans accepted.