Albany Medical Center Hospital
Albany Medical Center is the only academic health sciences center in the 25 counties of eastern New York and western New England. The Medical Center incorporates the 631-bed Albany Medical Center Hospital, one of upstate New York's largest teaching hospitals; the Albany Medical College, which was founded in 1839 as one of the nation's first private medical schools; the Albany Medical Center Faculty Group Practice, staffed by hundreds of full-time clinical faculty members of the Medical College; and the Albany Medical Center Foundation, Inc., one of the largest fund-raising organizations in the region. Residents rotate through four services at AMCH. Various electives are available as well.
PGY-1 residents spend four months on Internal Medicine. They also rotate through the Inpatient Psychiatry Unit (PGY-2 and PGY-4 residents may as well), where they are exposed to a spectrum of psychopathology, and begin to learn basic skills (interviewing, diagnosis, etc.). The unit has 52 beds, split into two floors.
PGY-2 (and PGY-4) residents rotate through Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, where they develop knowledge and skill regarding the interplay of medical and psychiatric conditions.
PGY-3 residents spend six months at the AMC Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, a teaching clinic with heavy emphasis on training and supervision.
Capital District Psychiatric Center
The Capital District Psychiatric Center (CDPC) is a New York State Office of Mental Health facility adjacent to Albany Medical Center. Among the services offered are: 165 inpatient adult beds (intermediate to longer term); a child and adolescent service with both an outpatient clinic and day treatment program; comprehensive geriatric services offering consultation in the community in addition to an outpatient clinic and inpatient beds; the Crisis Intervention Unit (a 24-hour emergency psychiatry service jointly operated with AMC); and a large community outpatient clinic (Albany County Support Center) serving the seriously and persistently mentally ill. Residents rotate through five services at CDPC. Electives are also available.
Typically, PGY-1 residents spend two months at the Crisis Unit, where they learn how to assess and manage psychiatric emergencies.
PGY-2 residents spend two months on the Child and Adolescent Service, splitting time between the outpatient clinic and the day treatment program. They also spend one month on Geriatric Psychiatry, where they evaluate and treat individual patients, attend family meetings, participate in milieu and group therapy, and attend nursing home and home visits. PGY-2 (or PGY-4) residents may also rotate on one of the adult inpatient units.
PGY-3 residents spend 2 to 4 hours a month throughout the year at the Albany County Support Center, where they function as part of the multidisciplinary team providing a host of services for the chronically mentally ill.
Samuel Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center
The Samuel Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a major teaching hospital, is located adjacent to Albany Medical Center. It has 135 acute care and 35 nursing home beds, along with extensive outpatient services in all areas. Residents rotate through three services at the VA. Electives are also available.
PGY-1 residents spend two months on the Neurology Service, and are exposed to a broad spectrum of neurological conditions.
PGY-2 residents spend one month with the Chemical Dependency Rehabilitation Program (CDRP). There, they participate in a variety of activities, including group therapy, treatment planning, inpatient detoxification evaluations and follow-up, and psychiatric evaluation of chemically dependent patients.
PGY-3 residents rotate for six months through the Mental Health Clinic. The clinic provides varied treatment modalities for veterans and their families, using a multidisciplinary model. Residents see patients in individual treatment, and also participate in one group.
