Residency Education Programs

Residency Education Programs Curriculum

Supplementing the education and training gained in the clinical rotations is the following series of classroom courses and seminars.  The PGY-1 residents attend the following seminars, which complement their work as beginning clinicians.  All of the PGY-1 residents have three months of primary care during the first and second half of the year.  While residents are on their primary care rotations, they are expected to attend the lectures and educational experiences afforded to them from their rotations. During each 3 month psychiatry block specific teaching experiences are provided.

Team Based Learning Experiences
These experiences occur twice per month during the first 3 month psychiatry block (July, November - December) with the requirement of reading assignments in preparation for the class.  The following topics are covered:  Agitation/Forensic Issues, Mood disorder, Psychotic Disorders, Substance Abuse, Dementia/ Delirium, and Personality disorders.  All of the team based learning experiences are designed to address these topics with focus on the six core competencies.

Supplemental Psychopharmacology
Upper level residents on the academic track present in an informal way to the group in the area of basics of psychopharmacology needed to treat patients in an EPS and inpatient psychiatry setting.

Interview Course
This course is taught at University Hospital during the second psychiatry block (April-June).  Each resident is expected to interview a patient and then present to the team.  This course is intended to help the PGY-1 residents hone their interview and presentation skills.  It is also a time to verify their ability to perform adequate mental status exams.  Furthermore, the class explores the psychopathology and psychopharmacology of each patient that is interviewed.  There is a large focus on introducing the PGY-1 residents to the biopsychosocial formulation method in the evaluation of patients.

Common Principles of Effective Psychotherapies
This course will introduce residents to fundamental principles shared by several effective psychotherapies: psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy, brief psychotherapy, and combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.  Residents will gain an understanding of the training and role of a psychotherapist today; indications for different forms of psychotherapy, therapeutic contact and alliance; boundaries, neutrality, and empathy; resistance, transference, and countertransference; therapeutic skills in combining psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy; and termination of psychotherapy.

As in the PGY-1 year, the PGY-2 seminars supplement the clinical objectives with a focus on the knowledge and skills needed to work with children and adolescents, and the theory and techniques of fundamental psychotherapies.

Long- Term Psychotherapy
The resident meets weekly with his/her supervisor.  During this period, the emphasis is on acquiring confidence in the early phases of long-term psychotherapy with selected patients.  The resident should acquire two or more long-term therapy patients to follow and discuss with his/her supervisor.

FALL SEMESTER (September-December)

    Psychopathology and Psychopharmacology
    This course focuses on major diagnoses in psychiatry and includes diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, natural history, etiology, prognosis, and treatment.

    Theories and Techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    This one semester course for residents focuses on the theory of CBT (e.g. the cognitive model of psychotherapy, including the concepts of automatic thoughts and basic beliefs incorporated in schemas) as well as on the direct clinical techniques of CBT (e.g. working with core beliefs and automatic thoughts and homework for the patient).  The instructors may utilize role-playing or demonstrations of actual psychotherapy sessions to help residents learn the direct clinical application of specific psychotherapeutic techniques.  Residents complete a pre and post-test utilizing the Cognitive Therapy Awareness Scale (CTAS).  In addition, residents complete a CBT case formulation paper.  These activities serve to demonstrate each resident’s progression toward competence in this type of psychotherapy.

    Theories and Techniques of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
    This one semester course will focus on the theoretical foundations (e.g. classical psychoanalytic theory and ego psychology including defense mechanisms) as well as actual basic techniques (e.g. confrontation, clarification, interpretation, and working through) of psychodynamic psychotherapy.

    Resident Work Hour
    The last hour of each didactic afternoon is reserved for any needed computer/paperwork completion and any meetings with Residency Office personnel

 

SPRING SEMESTER (January- May)

    Human Development and Child Psychopathology
    This seminar considers normal human development through the life cycle, with emphasis on childhood development:  motor milestones, psychosexual and cognitive patterns, language development, and early family relatedness.  Developmental psychopathology is also included.

    Psychopharmacology
    This semester long course focuses on basic pharmacology.  It is based on the model curriculum for psychopharmacology published by the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology.  This semester focuses on underlying principles, drug interactions, and pharmacology across the life cycle.

    History of Psychiatry
    This course covers the history of psychiatry, thus increasing the resident’s historical appreciation for the field.

    Cultural Issues in Psychiatry
    This course serves to enhance the resident’s cultural competence.  Residents are introduced to a number of cultures.  In addition, residents will have an increased understanding of how culture relates to patient care.

    Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
    This course serve to increase residents’ knowledge regarding the importance of quality improvement and patient safety within medicine.  Residents will gain understanding of how to engage in quality improvement and assess their own effectiveness.

    Resident Work Hour
    The last hour of each didactic afternoon is reserved for any needed computer/paperwork completion and any meetings with Residency Office personnel

The seminars in the PGY-3 year are designed to meet the expanding and more varied interests of the residents as they take on more complex duties in the residency program.  During this year, residents spend their clinical time in one or more outpatient clinics, sharpening their skills as a clinical psychiatrist and psychotherapist.  This is also a year when research interests can start to be pursued more fully.

Long-Term Psychotherapy
The resident continues to work with their continuity patients and their long-term supervisor, recognizing that mastering the art of psychotherapy is a continuing process.

Clinical Conference
Case conferences and other educational activities are available on the service sites during each rotation. A dream seminar takes place at the Adult outpatient Clinic at University Hospital and an additional journal club is arranged at the VA.

Resident Work Hour
The last hour of each didactic afternoon is reserved for any needed computer/paperwork completion and any meetings with Residency Office personnel.

FALL SEMESTER (September- December)

    Neurological Disorders Commonly Seen In Psychiatric Practice

    This one semester course meets with the PGY 3 & 4 residents.  This seminar will discuss diagnosis and treatment of neurologic disorders commonly encountered in psychiatric practice such as neoplasm, dementia, headaches, traumatic brain injury, infectious disease, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, seizure disorders, stroke, intractable pain, and other relation disorders. The TBL format has been adopted once a month for the entire afternoon didactic session to present this material.

    Theory, Technique, and Practice of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
    PGY 3 and 4 residents meet as a group to view videotaped psychotherapy sessions and process notes.  This material is used to discuss different techniques and applications in practice of psychodynamic psychotherapy.  This is part of each resident’s demonstration of competence in psychodynamic psychotherapy.

    Research/ Critical Reading of Literature
    This course is designed to discuss the most commonly used research methods in clinical investigation in psychiatry.  The end goal is that residents become sophisticated and critical readers of “the literature.”  Residents in the course will be presented with a manuscript submitted for publication and will read and critique it, applying the principles learned in the course.

    Psychosomatics
    This one semester course covers both the classic psychosomatic disorders such as ulcers, asthma, and colitis as well as commonly encountered but non-classic conditions such as pain, dementia, and masked depression.

    Resident Work Hour
    The last hour of each didactic afternoon is reserved for any needed computer/paperwork completion and any meetings with Residency Office personnel.

SPRING SEMESTER (January- May)

    Group and Family/ Couples Psychotherapy
    In this one semester course, PGY-3 residents will learn the basic concepts and clinical applications related to: family and systems theory, models of family interviews and assessments, developmental issues and their impact on the family system, marital assessment and therapy, impact of divorce, theory and practice of group psychotherapy.

    Theory, Techniques, and Practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
    This one semester course meets with the PGY-3 and 4 residents.  The group vies the videotaped CBT sessions.  The material from the tape is used to discuss and demonstrate different techniques and applications of cognitive behavioral therapy.  Residents complete a pre- and post-test utilizing the Cognitive Therapy Awareness Scale.  In addition, residents complete a second CBT formulation paper.  These activities serve to demonstrate each resident’s competence in this type of psychotherapy.

    Alternating Courses
    There are a series of courses that occur during alternating years for the PGY-3 and 4 residents.  One semester is devoted to forensics led by forensically trained psychiatrists.  The other semester is comprised of courses in group therapy, psychological testing, and genetic advances within the field.

    Resident Work Hour
    The last hour of each didactic afternoon is reserved for any needed computer/paperwork completion and any meetings with Residency Office personnel

The seminars for the PGY-4 residents are designed to round out their intensive education, to prepare them to focus on material that will assist them in their study for ABPN Boards, and to aid in their pursuit of continuing education long after their residency is completed.

Long-Term Psychotherapy
With selected faculty as previously described.

FALL SEMESTER (September- December)

    Neurological Disorders Commonly Seen in Psychiatric Practice
    This one semester course meets with the PGY 3 & 4 residents.  This seminar will discuss diagnosis and treatment of neurologic disorders commonly encountered in psychiatric practice such as neoplasm, dementia, headaches, traumatic brain injury, infectious disease, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, seizure disorders, stroke, intractable pain, and other relation disorders. The TBL format has been adopted once a month for the entire afternoon didactic session to present this material.

    Theory, Techniques, and Practice of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
    In this one semester section, PGY-3 and 4 residents meet as a group to view videotaped psychotherapy sessions.  This material is used to discuss different techniques and applications in the practice of psychodynamic psychotherapy.  This is part of each resident’s demonstration of competence of psychodynamic psychotherapy.

    Business Issues in Psychiatry
    This course is taught as an overview of clinical practice in various practice settings.

    Case Formulation
    This course looks at the evidence-based approach to case formulation.  It reviews research on the importance of using formulation.

    Resident Work Hour
    The last hour of each didactic afternoon is reserved for any needed computer/paperwork completion and any meetings with Residency Office personnel.

SPRING SEMESTER (January- May)

    Ethics in Psychiatry
    This course explores ethical dilemmas facing contemporary psychiatric clinicians.  Among the possible topics are mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse, impaired function by a colleague, and counter transference influencing treatment decisions.

    Advanced Topics: Focus on Termination
    In this seminar the focus is on various aspects influencing termination.  As PGY-4 residents prepare to graduate they will be involved in termination with patients during this semester.

    Theories, Techniques, and Practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
    This one semester course meets with the PGY-3 and 4 residents.  The group views the videotaped CBT sessions.  The material from the tape is used to discuss and demonstrate different techniques and applications of cognitive behavioral therapy.  The sessions will be rated with the CBT competency rating scale and this is part of each resident’s demonstration of competence in this type of psychotherapy.

    Alternating Courses
    There are a series of courses that occur during alternating years for the PGY-3 and 4 residents.  Once semester is devoted to forensics led by forensically trained psychiatrists.  The other semester is comprised of courses in group therapy, psychological testing, and genetic advances within the field.

    Resident Work Hour
    The last hour of each didactic afternoon is reserved for any needed computer/paperwork completion and any meetings with Residency Office personnel.