Curriculum
Didactic sessions are held weekly on Tuesday mornings for PGY-1s and PGY-2s and on Thursday mornings for PGY-3s. Core foundational topics are taught in the first and second years by a variety of trained faculty from departments such as psychiatry, psychology, bioinformatics, pharmacology, forensics and neurology. A variety of topics are covered, such as DSM 5, psychopharmacology, neuroscience, well-being course, psychiatric interviewing, journal club, quality improvement, patient safety and clinical research.
Community psychiatry topics are covered in the PGY-3 year of training. PGY-4s spend their didactic time devoted to self-directed learning, building on key interest areas and preparing for boards. Fourth year residents obtain didactics while in elective rotations, including neuromodulation, consult-liaison, movement disorders, palliative care, administrative psychiatry, eating disorders, PTSD clinic and Neurology. In addition, PGY-3s and PGY-4s are given didactics dedicated to residents' transition into the job market, including talks on contracts and negotiations, billing, student loans, finances and mistakes to avoid.
Residents have a wellness curriculum that includes both experiential and didactic learning. Special topics are included to cover the hidden curriculum that psychiatry residents need exposure to. Through a program-funded initiative, residents have access to do their own psychotherapy that paves the way for trainees to have a deeper understanding of psychotherapy. Starting in post-graduate year three of training, interested residents can choose to spend additional didactic time in any of the following tracks:
- Health professions education: two-year course offered by the UMKC School of Medicine. Learn more about the program.
- Clinical scientist: offered by the Bioinformatics department at the UMKC School of Medicine. Learn more about the program.
- Psychotherapy: offered by the Psychiatry department through outpatient clinics in collaboration with the Greater Kansas City Psychoanalytic Institute.
Didactic sessions utilizes both small group discussions, large group discussions, flipped classroom models and lectures. All residents attend the weekly case conference and grand rounds meetings once per week.
Resident Wellness
Wellness is promoted throughout the program by all faculty members. The program offers all residents the opportunity to seek their own psychotherapy for wellness and as means for deeper understanding of the self and others. Wellness days are included in the didactic calendar on regular intervals. Residents do extra- curricular educational and recreational activities with faculty. The program offers social events in the fall, winter and spring for all residents and faculty for team building.
Group Process
Residents participate in group process every other week in their PGY-1 and 2 years.
Group process explores issues of authority, tasks and boundaries and how they impact the understanding of one’s professional identity. Process is aimed at promoting cohesiveness amongst the members.
Evaluation
Residents are evaluated based on direct feedback, using milestone 2.0 assessment by the core faculty, 360-degree feedback and periodic clinical skills verification examinations for residents. Residents are provided with direct feedback at the end of the rotation by faculty. Residents have the opportunity to provide feedback on faculty and didactic sessions.
The Core Competency Committee reviews didactic session feedback and makes curricular modifications. Residents have a regular monthly meeting with the program director to assess the quality of the program, didactics and resident performance.