Psychiatric residency programs and research

gionnetto said:

Hello,

I would like to know:
1) which US psychiatric residencies have a research track or a physician-scientist opportunity for training, and
2) which US psychiatric research centers explore neurogenesis in mood disorders and/or ADHD.

Thanks

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None of the above. Consider Columbia, Harvard (MGH-McLean),
Pittsburgh, UCLA, Stanford. Yale and UCSD are also good, but they are not known as the best. Also, they do not provide the same level of clinical training as places lilke Columbia and Harvard.

There are relatively few formal research track pscyhiatry residencies (Yale, Stanford and UCLA do come to mind). However, the utility of the research track is not really clear, as the last year of psychiatry residency at most places is mostly or entirely elective time. Those who are interested in research can spend this time in the lab. Going through a research track won't guarantee that you won't have to do a research fellowship (usually 1-2 years) after residency. At Yale, they say that their (5 year) research track graduates are more likely to go straight into junior faculty programs, but that is only if you have a PhD and your research during residency is very clearly defined from the outset and basically extends your PhD thesis (I was told this by one of the residents). It's not clear that you would have find it any easier to get a junior faculty position anywhere else after this program. So, I would say look for a place with good clinical training where there is science that you really want to do and where you are likely to also match for a research fellowship because you did a residency there.

As far as the role of neurogenesis in mood disroder, the person who you want to work with is Rene Hen at Columbia.

Good luck!

Historical choices of MD/PhD graduates entering psychiatry, 2004-2007 (n = 69)
http://www.dpo.uab.edu/~paik/match.html

NYP Columbia: 9
NYP Cornell: 7
Harvard: 6
Yale: 6
UCSF: 5
Stanford: 4
UCSD: 4
Michigan: 3
U of Washington: 3
UCLA: 3

I'm at UT Southwestern, on the research track. While it's true that having a 4th year of all electives makes it pretty easy to structure a research track without major modifications, there are some extra perks, and every program does it differently. Here we get extra didactics starting in the PGY2 year, a research elective or two in the PGY2 year, 1.5 days a week to start a research project in the PGY3, and of course pretty much all of the PGY4 year for research.

gionnetto said:

thank you guys!

I had already ruled out Columbia because of the location, Harvard because they are too "one track minded" (and I find their research widely cited and yet sloppy!) and Pittsburgh because I don't like their overall approach.

My research interests are pretty defined (ie neuropsychology of cognition in adult ADHD comorbid with bipolar as well as biological psychiatry and neuroscience in general) so I don't even consider places with different approaches. That's why I asked about Yale.

However I hadn't considered UCSF (again because of location) and I understand I have to check better into UCLA and Stanford (which I am told are heavy in neuropsychology).

Also, because of the way I am I prefer an eclectic place to be, and that's why I was oriented toward raking UCSD high.

I still don't know what to think about U of Washington, U of Utah and SouthWestern....

I think overall Yale is my best bet (neuroscience track, adult ADHD) but am unresolved because I don't like the location... on the other hand, I like San Diego and the climate at UCSD but I don't know how much I will be given in term of capability of pursuing my interests.

Maybe UCLA and Stanford could be a good compromise????

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If by neuropscyhology you mean the study of how focal brain damage gives rise to deficits in cognition/behavior, then perhaps you are better of at a place where there is a strong relationship between psychiatry and neurology departments, which will provide you more access to such patients. If you mean cognitive neuroscience (a broader category that includes neuropsychology as well as functional imaging approaches), then you are probably better off at a place that does a lot of really good brain imaging. There are quite a few good programs doing this kind of work. However, another question you are going to want to ask yourself is whether you want to be in a place that does good neurosicence research along with teaching you how to think about the mind in a deep way (i.e. a place that will teach you psychotherapy, which is not only good for your patients but good for any research that involves thinking about the mind). Certain programs, such as WashU and Pittsburgh, are very strong in neuroscience research but tend to de-emphasize psychotherapy training. Other programs, like Harvard and Columbia, are less "one-track minded" in this particular way; they tend to emphasize the balance (or acknowledge the tension) between biological and psychosocial perspectives. A program that strikes such a balance is well-suited to a trainee who is interested in cognitive neuroscience (or neuropsychology) research.

I think southwestern and yale psych research are essentially equivalent. Many of the UTSW psych came from Yale and some of Yale are from UTSW. So in my mind, they are basically an extension of one another.