Education

CLINICAL CURRICULUM

PGY-1:  During the first year, the resident gains knowledge and experience in a number of areas. These include basic psychopathology, psychopharmacology, differential diagnosis, emergency evaluation and treatment, interviewing and case presentation, and the diagnosis and management of common medical and neurological problems, including those complicated by significant psychiatric co-morbidity.

The typical year features four months of Medicine (Albany Medical Center), two months of Neurology (Stratton VA Medical Center), four months of Inpatient Psychiatry (AMC), and two months of Emergency Psychiatry (Capital District Psychiatric Center Crisis Unit).

PGY-2:  During this year, the resident develops knowledge and experience regarding addicted patients, geriatric patients, children and adolescents, and consultation to other medical services. Skill regarding the management of psychiatric inpatients and psychiatric emergencies is further developed. The resident begins learning and doing psychotherapy with a small continuous outpatient case load. 

The typical year includes two months of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry (AMC), two months of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (CDPC), one month of Geriatric Psychiatry (CDPC), one month of Addiction Psychiatry (VA), and six months of Inpatient Psychiatry (AMC / CDPC).

Please note: Order of rotations is variable.

PGY-3: In the third year, the resident focuses on strengthening and expanding a variety of psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapy skills. The resident works with individuals, couples, families and groups, learns more about particular types of psychotherapy (psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, supportive, brief, long-term, combined psychotherapy and medication), and manages outpatients in a variety of settings (AMC Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, AMC HIV Clinic, VA Mental Health Clinic, Albany County Support Center - CDPC). In addition to rotation-based outpatient experience, the resident continues to develop and expand their long-term case load (PGY-2 through PGY-4).

The typical year involves six months at the AMC Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic and six months at the Stratton VA Mental Health Clinic.

PGY-4:  In the final year, the resident develops further skill in all clinical areas, as well as teaching and supervision, and utilizes elective time to bolster knowledge and expertise in selected areas. In addition, knowledge and experience are gained in the areas of administration and leadership. The resident produces a research project / scholarly work, and becomes familiar with issues pertaining to transition into practice, fellowship, etc.

The typical year features three months of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry (AMC), three months of Inpatient Psychiatry (AMC), and six months of electives.  Eating disorders, substance abuse, movement disorders, forensic issues, and medical student teaching are some of the areas recently chosen for elective time.

 *IIb, IVb - For Residents starting program in the second year.

DIDACTIC CURRICULUM

The didactic curriculum complements clinical training, and provides our residents with the knowledge necessary for their growth and development as psychiatrists. 

The following is a sampling of didactic programs currently offered by the department:

PGY-1

• Addiction Psychiatry Core I
• Antidepressants – 1 hour
• Antipsychotics and Schizophrenia – 4 hours
• Assessing and Managing Aggressive Behaviors – 3 hours
• Basic Clinical Psychiatry Orientation – “A Survival Course” – 12 hours
• Basic Psychopharmacology – 13 hours
• Bipolar Disorders – 2 hours
• Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry – 3 hours
• Emergency Psychiatry – 6 hours
• Emergency Psychiatry Tutorial - Monthly
• Female Reproduction and Psychopharmacology – 1 hour
• Interviewing – 24 hours
• Introduction to Culture – 5 hours
• Management of Lithium-Induced Side Effects – 1 hour
• Medical Record-Keeping and Legal Issues – 1 hour
• Pharmacokinetics of Psychotropic Drugs – 2 hours
  Pharmacotherapy of Violence – 1 hour
• Psychotherapy Techniques – 28 hours
• Sleep Disorders – 1 hour
• Substance Abuse: Intoxication States – 1 hour
• Substance Abuse: Psychopharmacology -1 hour
• Suicide Assessment – 1.5 hours
• Traumatic Brain Injury – 1 hour
• Treatment of the Chronically Ill – 7 hours

PGY-2

The PGY-2s participate in some of the above didactics, plus…

• Addiction Psychiatry Core II
• Autognosis – 15 hours
• Behavior Therapy – 7 hours
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – 12 hours
• Freudian Therapy – 12 hours
• Geriatrics – 12 hours
• Human Development – 8 hours
• Interviewing – 24 hours
• Introduction to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Tutorial – 8 hours
• Mind/Body Interventions for Stress Related Symptoms – 6 hours
• Psychopathology – 24 hours
• Psychotherapy Techniques – 28 hours

PGY-3

• Advanced Psychopharmacology & Practice Guidelines – 40 hours
• Career Planning – 6 hours
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Group Supervision Practicum – 40 hours
• Community Psychiatry – 5 hours
• Cultural Psychiatry – 8 hours
• Family And Marital Therapy – 17 hours
• Group Therapy – 11 hours
• History of Psychiatry – 6 hours
• Neuropsychiatry – 17 hours
• Post-Freudian Psychiatry – 25 hours
• Principles of Psychoanalytic Technique – 25 hours
• Psychological Testing & Research Methods – 17 hours
• Research and Epidemiology -
• Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy – 14 hours

PGY-4

The PGY-4s participate in some of the above PGY-3 didactics, plus…

• Psychiatry, Ethics and Law – 11 sessions
• Psychobiology and Hypnosis – 12 sessions

plus (along with the PGY3s) every other year classes in…

• Cultural Psychiatry – 8 sessions
• Research Methodology & Design – 7 sessions
• History of Psychiatry – 5 sessions
• Neuropsychiatry – 8 sessions
• Child and Adolescent Psychopathology – 6 sessions
• Gender Issues – 8 sessions

Other educational programs for all PGYs (1 through 4) include…

Journal Club / Case Conference – one hour weekly
Case Conference – one hour weekly
Departmental Grand Rounds – one hour twice a month, for 9 months
Board Review – one hour weekly
Neurology Lecture Series – one hour twice a month
Selected Topics in Psychopharmacology – one hour monthly
 
Residency Education Committee

The Residency Education Committee meets twice a month or more often if necessary. Its membership consists of the Program Director (Committee Chair), Associate Program Director, Residency Coordinator (responsible for minutes), a representative from the affiliated institutions (CDPC and the VA), various other members from key rotations and services. Resident members include the Chief Resident(s) and rotating representatives from the PGY-3. The REC has two main functions: 1) to assist the PD in the development, evaluation, review and monitoring of the educational components of the Residency Program. This will include rotations, seminars, teachers, continuous outpatient cases, the on-call experience, scholarly work, electives and other educational activities. 2) To assist the PD in the selection, evaluation and promotion of residents. The REC will assist the PD in developing and implementing strategies for providing additional support, instruction and monitoring for residents experiencing academic or other difficulties.