Residency

Philosophy of the Residency

Psychiatry is in a period that is both exciting and uncertain. Our goal is to educate psychiatrists capable of practice and scholarly work in a sophisticated biopsychosocial model. Such psychiatrists will be leaders in maintaining a meaningful role for psychiatry in the next decade.

Our program is designed to educate psychiatrists in the classic tradition of medicine: a physician who can understand and treat patients’ problems both physiologically and in terms of their life histories and personal relationships. We have a rich and diverse didactic curriculum that emphasizes understanding of brain-behavior correlations, psychodynamics, psychopharmacology, cognitive functions, group, family and social processes, and child development. Clinical experiences are coordinated with the didactic program, and are provided in diverse settings, including university and community hospitals and clinics. Residents can follow patients for two years or more in intensive psychotherapy, as well as brief, focused psychotherapy, group therapy, and family therapy. We also provide clinical experiences in treatment of substance abuse, geriatric psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, sleep disorders, and research methods. Interested residents can carry out brief or extended research projects, or earn an advanced degree during residency.

Our department is one of clinician-educator-scholars, where academic diversity and a collegial, collaborative atmosphere are encouraged. We believe that such a setting provides the best environment for both academic creativity and education of residents. The Residency Program is run as a collaborative enterprise between faculty and residents, who are expected to participate actively in helping to shape the program.