While there is a set of core experiences and education that all psychiatry trainees are exposed to, we also support individual interests and needs. We encourage a broad range of elective opportunities in the fourth year where the residents design their individual year. Additionally, third years have the opportunity to choose between a Southern Arizona VA Health Care System and Whole Health Clinic community-based track. A child and adolescent specialty track is also available.
- Psychiatry Research
- Child & Adolescent Track
- Medical Education Track
- Integrative Psychiatry Program
- Neurotherapeutics
Psychiatry Research
The Department of Psychiatry offers unique opportunities for active research involvement with close mentoring by our productive research faculty. Research opportunities can begin as early as the PGY1 year and are tailored to individual interests and training needs. The department prides itself in introducing research methods concepts to residents during didactics. This allows residents to become critical thinkers, knowledgeable consumers of peer-reviewed advances in psychiatric medicine. Residents develop this expertise through didactics, clinical supervision, presentation at journal club, working on a quality improvement project and preparation of a grand rounds lecture for the department.
Current departmental research initiatives include work in the areas of: PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, wellness among Native American youth, Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder, collaborative care for depression in primary care and oncology settings, and insomnia and related sleep problems. Residents interested in working with other medical departments across the College of Medicine or departments and schools across the University of Arizona are encouraged.
Child & Adolescent Track
The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Track is an opportunity for residents who are interested in caring for pediatric patients to further develop their clinical skills while receiving support from pediatricians and CAP faculty. This is a great opportunity for residents considering a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship as part of their future training. The track includes one month of inpatient pediatrics during PGY1 year, the opportunity to participate in an outpatient CAP consult clinic during PGY3 year, and specialized CAP mentorship throughout training.
Medical Education Track
Education is a core component of academic medicine and we believe that residents should have the opportunity to develop as educators, as well as clinicians. Interested residents may participate in the Medical Education Track for enhanced training in this area. The track consists of a focused lecture series and unique opportunities for residents to participate in clinical teaching, didactic teaching, and mentorship.
Neurotherapeutics (ECT, rTMS, intranasal esketamine, IV ketamine)
Our Center for Interventional Psychiatry and Neurotherapeutics (CIPN) provides evidence-based, innovative, and patient-centered consultation, diagnostic services, and treatment for difficult-to-treat psychiatric illness. We are one of a few specialized centers in the world focused on treatment-resistant brain conditions. Therapies include repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and intranasal esketamine (SPRAVATO). Opportunities for residents include learning to perform consultations on patients with treatment resistant depression and related conditions, working with faculty physicians in the evidence-based administration of ECT, rTMS, and esketamine, and engaging in scholarship to improve patient care and advance understanding of treatment resistant conditions and the mechanisms by which these interventions work.