UIC, Dept. of Psychiatry

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Residency Education and Training Program
Introduction

This is a particularly exciting time in our department and in the field of psychiatry as a whole. With the advances in neuroscience, the field is evolving rapidly. Our department is well positioned on the forefront of this change given the nationally recognized clinical research program. We are ranked 17th in the nation and 1st in Illinois for NIMH funding. Combined with outstanding clinical services and diverse patient populations, our residents have a front-row seat in this defining period. At UIC we aim to provide a solid foundation onto which continued acquisition of knowledge can be built. Today learning does not stop at the end of residency but continues throughout the careers of our trainees.
	Robert Marvin, MD, has been the Director of Residency Training since October 2004. He completed his residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1999.

Our basic approach to understanding human behavior and psychopathology relies on a core theoretical base derived from our understanding of biological, psychological and sociological forces interacting in a dynamic fashion to shape individual behavior. In our efforts to address the clinical implications of these forces, we rely on biological, psychoanalytical, cognitive-behavioral, socio-anthropological, and systems theory principles. These principles are the building blocks for constructing diagnostic formulations, developing treatment strategies, and making disposition plans for our diverse clinical population. Our eclecticism is a strength and is made possible by an internationally known faculty numbering over 200 members with diverse clinical and research interests. All our faculty members are dedicated to the mission of teaching residents and medical students of the UIC Medical Center.

It is our philosophy that any psychiatry curriculum needs to be designed around a set of core psychiatric principles, philosophies, basic skills, and attitudes to provide a solid basis in evidence-based psychiatry. The curriculum of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois meets this standard and is divided over four years.

Brief Curriculum Overview

For complete curriculum information, please see the Curriculum section on the left.

During the first year of training (PGY-1), emphasis is on attaining competency in evaluative, diagnostic, and treatment skills. The year is divided into two six-month blocks. One block consists of medicine and neurology rotations. The other block is composed of inpatient and emergency psychiatry rotations.

The second year (PGY-2), emphasizes psychiatric phenomenology, diagnosis, treatment and disposition of patients. This is primarily an inpatient year with rotations on the adult inpatient unit, child/adolescent services, and the consultation-liaison service at diverse sites in the Chicago area.

The third and fourth years (PGY-3 and PGY-4) of training are primarily ambulatory care experiences. We've chosen to emphasize public sector psychiatry, research psychiatry, and multi-specialty psychiatry as our three educational tracks. These are not subspecialties, but rather represent differing educational experiences that reflect the growing emphasis on service delivery systems in contemporary psychiatric practice. It is also expected that during the PGY-3 and PGY-4 years of training, all trainees will further refine basic clinical skills, increase leadership and teaching skills, and participate in research. We look forward to hearing from you and ultimately meeting you.

Robert W. Marvin, MD
Director, Residency Education and Training Program