Residency Training in Adult Psychiatry
Welcome to the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and thank you for your interest in our residency training program. The Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has a long tradition of innovation and academic excellence. We are not content to merely practice the best possible psychiatric care available today, but are committed to pioneering tomorrow's state-of-the-art treatments. We are proud the opportunities we can offer our residents. We encourage residents to explore their academic interests, both in and outside the field of psychiatry. We help residents develop their strengths and work with them in every step of their training to help foster their future careers. Since every residency has its own "personality," ours could be best described as flexible, relaxed with an underlying congenial and quiet intensity. Residents who take an active role in developing and pursuing their own personal objectives will do so with the support and guidance of the faculty. Residents with such inner drive are the residents who profit most from their experience at Stanford. We are located in a part of the country blessed with great weather, excellent restaurants and abundant natural beauty. Stanford is an academic power-house that also has great athletics. At the medical center, our department has one of, if not the largest research program. And, with some 250 clinical faculty in addition to our full-time academic faculty residents have access to the broadest range of interests and orientations. With so many strengths we are a top choice program for many, but not everyone. We understand that deciding on where to go for residency is no small feat. This web-site should give a good overview of our program, at least those things easily put into words. Hopefully it will help with this difficult and very personal decision. If you still have questions please feel free to email us ( //
faehouck@stanford.edu) and good luck!
Organization of the Training
Program Size (Adult Residency ONLY)
- 12 Interns
- 12 PGY II's
- 12 PGY III's
- 11 PGY IV's
47 Total
Stanford offers a Categorical Track and a Categorical Research Track through the NRMP match. The research track is for applicants interested in pursuing research during residency training. The goal of the program is to prepare residents in this track for academic careers. Although preference is given to competitive MD-PhD candidates, applicants who have an MD degree and substantial experience in basic science or translational research are also encouraged to apply. The track permits residents to spend about 25% research time in the third year and 75% time in the fourth year with funding guaranteed. Note that many Stanford residents not in the research track undertake research activities during residency training and all residents are eligible to apply for the department's NIMH T32 training grant which provides funding for two years, starting in the PGY IV or V year. If you have any questions about the research track, please contact the Residency Training Director.
Goals and Objectives of the Residency Program
The chief objective of every program is to develop within their residents a high degree of clinical competence for the 21st century practice of psychiatry. However, with so many pronouncements about how our lives and the practice of medicine will change in the 21st century; it is easy to forget that profound change is already here. Advances in neurobiology have led to an explosion of knowledge and a humbling appreciation of how much is left to learn. Competing interests of HMO's, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, hospital and clinicians have mustered an economic tempest and in so doing have made more drastic change inevitable. With regard to the future of psychiatry, we can be certain of uncertainty, but little else. While some may view such dynamism with trepidation, we recognize this is a marvelously exciting time. We have the rare opportunity to shape and better the practice of psychiatry for the next century. In order to do so effectively, you must integrate rapid scientific advancement, clinical artistry and an appreciation of the commonweal. It is our mission to make sure that this possibility becomes reality for our residents.Clearly, strong academic leadership within the department is imperative to achieving this goal.
The caliber of both full-time academic and clinical faculties is unsurpassed, collaboration between them and residents is unusually active and synergistic. Through a never-failing commitment to education, patient care and research our faculty has earned considerable recognition for being at the forefront of modern psychiatry. We provide varied clinical settings, a faculty representing many points of view, and close contact among faculty and residents; all have been essential ingredients to our training program's successes. Faculty-resident interaction is enhanced by events such as annual weekend retreats, dinners and recreational activities in addition to regularly scheduled research case conferences, journal clubs and weekly seminars.
Residents at Stanford are educated to be proficient in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all major psychiatric disorders and common medical and neurological disorders that relate to the practice of psychiatry. In the course of their education, they attain the necessary substantive knowledge, skills and professional attitudes to be fully prepared clinicians. It is our hope that Stanford graduates will contribute to the knowledge base of psychiatry, to improvements in patient care and to the development of succeeding generations of psychiatrists.
The exact details of what is taught through these many venues is not nearly as important as how it is taught. Algorithms are good things to know and on average serve the clinician well. However, we emphasize learning HOW to approach new clinical problems because this is what separates the average from the superior clinician. Our residents have risen to this challenge and succeeded. As a result, our reputation for both research and cutting-edge clinical care is based in no small measure on work done by residents.
Advanced Residency Training at Stanford (ARTS)
Today's competitive environment demands rigorous scientific training for young academicians. The Advanced Residency Training at Stanford (ARTS) Program offers this high level of knowledge and intense training to physician-scientists. The ARTS Program offers the opportunity to combine clinical training with advanced research training to complete a PhD graduate degree. The program is designed for physicians committed to careers combining basic science research with subspecialty medicine. The goal of the program is to foster development of future physicians with comprehensive scientific training.
Residents/fellows admitted to the program complete clinical training toward board certification in internal medicine, its subspecialties (cardiovascular medicine, hematology, immunology and rheumatology, infectious diseases, nephrology, oncology, pulmonary and critical care medicine), surgical disciplines (neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, urology), or non-surgical disciplines (neurology, pediatrics, psychiatry, radiation oncology, radiology).
The ARTS Program begins with approximately 12 – 48 months clinical training, followed by research training in a graduate program in the School of Medicine, Engineering or Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University.
Stipends commensurate with clinical training (PGY) and full tuition costs are provided throughout the graduate research years, which is typically 4 – 5 years.
See http://med.stanford.edu/arts/ for more details.
C. Barr Taylor, M.D.,
Residency Training Program Director
Sallie G. DeGolia, MD, MPH,
Associate Residency Training Program Director
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Stanford University School of Medicine
Academic Affairs Office, Room 2206
401 Quarry Road Stanford,
CA 94305-5723
650-725-5591 or 725-2769
FAX 650-725-3762
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