Department of Psychiatry

Faculty of Medicine

Program Details

Highlights

  • The enthusiastic and collegial resident body.
  • The moderate size of the program. 
  • Protected time for academic teaching, via a weekly academic day. 
  • Dedication to supporting wellness and personal balance.
  • The opportunity for residents to apply to the Clinician Investigator Program.
  • A vibrant psychotherapy program, designed to attend to the resident's cognitive and emotional development as a psychotherapist.  
  • Research funding available exclusively for residents, supporting up to $2500 per resident.
  • A maximum travel allotment for conference attendance of $2000 per year for 4 out of 5 years of residency.
  • A provincial locum tenens program, allowing senior residents to locum on weekends in underserviced communities.

Competency by Design – the clinical experience

Transition to Discipline

PGY-1 (13 blocks)

  • 2 blocks (Psychiatry Mentorship months)

Foundations of Discipline

PGY-1 cont.

  • 1 block neurology consultation
  • 2 blocks MTU
  • 1 block emergency medicine
  • 1 block family medicine
  • 1 block addictions (withdrawal management unit)
  • 2 blocks community psychiatry
  • 1 block SSU/1 block PES
  • 1 block selectives (palliative, geriatrics, endocrinology)

PGY-2 (12 months)

  • 6 months adult inpatient psychiatry
  • 6 months adult outpatient psychiatry

Core of Discipline

PGY-3 (12 months)

  • 6 months child & adolescent psychiatry
  • 6 months geriatric psychiatry/ neurostimulation/neuropsychiatry

PGY-4 (12 months)

  • 5 months of Recovery and Integration
  • 2 months of elective-self-directed learning plan
  • 2 months of Consultation/Liaison service
  • 3 months of outpatient psychiatry/ addictions/intellectual disabilities

Transition to Practice

PGY-5

  • Minimum 2 months in inpatient setting
  • Minimum 1 month PES/EMHAS (i.e. emergency mental health)
  • Up to 9 months electives

 

Research

Our research curriculum includes teaching of evidence-based practice and critical review of literature. Residents are encouraged to read the literature and apply critical evaluation in assessing the validity and relevance to their own clinical practice. Each resident is expected to complete a research project and present at a minimum of two critical appraisal journal clubs during their training. Time for research is available in the form of elective time or a longitudinal protected half-day per week.

Explore Research taking place in the Department of Psychiatry.

Learn more about the CIP Program at Dalhousie.