Curriculum

Please note that the order of rotations is variable

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 (3 at Albany Medical Center and 1 at CDPC), 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 four 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 4 months of Inpatient Psychiatry (AMC/CDPC).  During the inpatient psychiatry rotation, residents will also spend time on a forensics rotation.

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, VA Mental Health Clinic). In addition to rotation-based outpatient experience, the resident continues to develop and expand their long-term caseload (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), four months of Inpatient Psychiatry (AMC), two months of Community Psychiatry (VA), one month of Neuropsychiatry (AMC), and two months of electives. Eating disorders, substance abuse, movement disorders, and forensic issues are some of the areas recently chosen for elective time.

DIDACTIC CURRICULUM

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
Assessing & Managing Aggressive Behaviors
Boundary Issues
Medical Ethics
Treatment of the Chronically Ill
Suicide Assessment
Emergency Psychiatry
Introduction to Cultural Psychiatry
Residents as Teachers
Traumatic Brain Injury
Sleep Disorders
Female Reproduction & Psychopharmacology
Interviewing Skills & Videos
Interviewing & Psychotherapy Techniques

PGY-2
Initiating Psychotherapy
Behavior Therapy
Psychopathology
Research Design & Methods
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Freudian Theory
Autognosis
Supportive Psychotherapy
Geriatrics
Personality Disorders & Defense Mechanisms
Theory & Treatment of PTSD
Advanced Psychopharmacology
Human Development

PGY-3
Psychological Testing
Ethical Dilemmas & Boundary Violations
Termination 
Family & Marital Therapy
Post Freudian Psychiatry
Interpersonal & Cultural Psychiatry
Group Therapy
Neuropsychiatry
Short-Term Psychotherapy & Techniques

PGY-4
Psychiatry, Ethics & Law
Psychobiology & Hypnosis
Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy
Advanced Interviewing Workshop
Teaching & Supervising
Practice Guidelines
Dream Theory

Other educational programs for all PGYs (1 through 4) include:
Journal Club/Case Conference
Case Conference
Departmental Grand Rounds