Southwestern graduates are prepared to go in any direction they choose, having been exposed in depth, with appreciative understanding, to every area within psychiatry. In recent years residents have gone on to basic or clinical research careers, psychoanalytic training, private practice, academic appointments all over the country, and public psychiatry. Overnight Call Southwestern is widely known for pioneering training in Emergency Psychiatry. Our ER is a rotational site, with faculty on site around the clock every day, and one and one-half hours of daily teaching activities. It is staffed by a full treatment team including five psychiatry residents, family practice and emergency medicine residents, three medical students, three full time faculty members, physician's assistants, mental health caseworkers, psych techs, a ward clerk, and psychiatric nurses.
All call is by phone or page.
Residents take advantage of this to read, spend more time with their families, begin psychoanalytic training, maintain hobbies, become involved with scholarly activities, etc. Residents are encouraged to become interested in scholarly activities during training, and research mentors are provided for those considering a research career. Inc. It provides an optimal sequence for learning clinical psychiatry. The diversity brought to the residents' group by those entering from other fields or programs is considered an important asset. In addition to direct clinical responsibilities, there is heavy emphasis on formal teaching throughout training to provide the conceptual frameworks that will facilitate functioning as a clinician.