PGY 1 Year

PGY-1 Year – (during Psychiatry months) – all PGY-1s will have a chance to attend each of these courses during the year. In addition, they have a weekly process group via zoom in the evening and can attend weekly all-residency seminars and weekly resident meeting when on their psychiatry rotations.

Becoming the Doctor-on-Call – Dr. Shayna Ratner (3 sessions) – A great end-of the PGY1 year intro to PGY2 call from a recent graduate-turned new attending.

Clinical Experience – (weekly for 6 months)– This new learning experience will bring PGY1s and PGY2s to the clinical services to do observed patient interviews and presentations with PGY4s. There will also be a 4-session introduction to interviewing, presenting and formulation from Drs. Deborah Cabaniss and Pablo Goldberg.

Clinical Forensic Psychiatry – Drs. Elizabeth Ford and Stephanie Rolin (2 sessions) – This course will introduce first year residents to the many ways in which our patients interface with the law. Practical issues, such as involuntary admissions, will be a focus.

Health Equity and Social Justice/Cultural Psychiatry – (5 sessions) Dr. Roberto Lewis-Fernandez – In the first year of our Health Equity/Social Justice series, residents will be introduced to the field of Cultural Psychiatry and will learn how to create and use a Cultural Formulation in clinical practice.

Foundations of Psychotherapy– (9 sessions) Drs. Deborah Cabaniss, Erin Engle and Rachel Luba – In these classes, PGY1s will learn the basics of psychotherapy while gaining fundamental skills in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Supportive Psychotherapy

Integrated Case-Based Teaching Session– (7 sessions) – This monthly learning experience for all residents will bring experts from different fields together to discuss clinical situations.

Introduction to the Clinical Skills Verification – Chief residents (1 session) –Through observed interviews and presentations, the clinical skills verification (CSV) provides an opportunity to ensure that residents master critical skills such as establishing an effective physician-patient relationship, conducting a clinical interview and presenting a case. This course reviews the process and expectations set by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology for CSVs in general psychiatry.

Introduction to the Mental Status Exam– Chief residents (1 session) – this course will introduce residents to the elements of the mental status exam, offereing them a chance to practice their skills in class.

National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative (NNCI) – Drs. Melissa Arbuckle and David Leonardo (3 sessions)– Dr. Arbuckle, one of the creators of the NNCI, will introduce residents to this invaluable resource for neuroscience education.

Psychopharmacology 1 – Chief Residents (8 sessions) – This course offers the first-year resident an introduction to the basics of psychopharmacology, such as how to choose medications, dosing, assessment of side effects, and relevant laboratory tests.

Teaching Medical Students– Dr. Janis Cutler (1 session) – Dr. Cutler, who is the Director of Medical Student Education, will introduce PGY1s to techniques for teaching the medical students with whom they will be working. 

Urgent Psychiatry – Dr. Ryan Lawrence (1 session) – This class provides an introduction to the important skills for managing psychiatric emergencies and crisis situations. It includes an introduction to decision making regarding the pharmacologic management of acutely agitated patients.

Wellness – Dr. Renu Culas (10 sessions) – This experiential course, which all PGY1-4 residents will take together monthly, focuses on ways to maintain wellness as a resident, physician, and human being.