Michael Asbach, DMSc, PA-C
Champion in collaborative mental health & professional empowerment
When the demand for mental health care began to outpace the supply of psychiatrists, Michael Asbach saw both a crisis and an opportunity. As associate medical director of interventional psychiatry, Michael recognized that the future of mental health care would depend on the ability of physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs) and other advanced practice providers to step up, collaborate and innovate.
“Psychiatry has always been a team sport,” Michael says. “With psychiatrists retiring and the need for care growing, we can’t afford to compete with each other. It’s all hands on deck — collaboration is the only way forward.” As a public-facing leader and medical liaison, he has become a voice for PAs in psychiatry, advocating for their unique contributions and ensuring that PA-specific issues are heard at the national level.
With psychiatrists retiring and the need for care growing, we can’t afford to compete with each other. It’s all hands on deck — collaboration is the only way forward.”Michael's commitment to professional development goes beyond his clinical work. He co-founded the “White Coats of the Round Table” podcast and newsletter, which has reached over 100,000 downloads and empowered clinicians to explore career advancement, non-clinical roles and burnout prevention. “We started the podcast to shine a light on career development opportunities,” Michael explains. “It’s okay not to be a full-time clinician — healthcare is changing, and clinicians need a seat at the table in boardrooms and the C-suite.”
Michael has built a membership group that offers support, education and coaching for clinicians considering nonclinical career transitions. He’s passionate about helping PAs and NPs discover new pathways, including clinical research — a field where the average age of principal investigators is rising, and the need for fresh talent is urgent. “PAs and NPs often don’t realize they can serve as clinical research investigators,” Michael notes. “We need to invest in the next generation and make sure they know about these opportunities.”
PAs and NPs often don’t realize they can serve as clinical research investigators… We need to invest in the next generation and make sure they know about these opportunities.”Michael's vision for mental healthcare is rooted in collaboration and innovation. He advocates for interdisciplinary task forces, quality measures that reflect the diversity of mental health professionals, and new models of care that leverage technology and teamwork. “We’re not going to fix this with one physician and one patient at a time,” he says. “The future is about working together, investing in professional growth and making sure every patient gets the care they deserve.”
For Michael, being a Champion in Care means empowering others to lead, innovate and collaborate — because the future of mental health depends on it.
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