Chairman's Welcome

Since its inception in 1969, the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego has developed into one of the most innovative and productive academic departments of psychiatry in the country. The guiding principle in our development has been that the educational, research and clinical programs of a psychiatry department must be at the cutting edge and encompass and integrate the most current innovations in the field with those approaches from the past which have proven to be valid and effective. The department has a strong commitment to the dynamic understanding of the individual's current social context and feelings, and past behaviors and experiences. We believe we have created one of the best available integrations of the biopsychosocial approaches to understanding normal and abnormal human behavior.

By design, a rich diversity of scientific and clinical strategies are represented within the department, but the core organizing ethic or our educational and training programs is a profound commitment to our patients' well being. It is our conviction that clinical psychiatry can only be learned in the context of meaningful interaction and contact with patients. The program is developmental in nature, appropriately challenging the residents at each level as they move from intensively supervised beginners to autonomous, confident, skilled clinicians and colleagues at graduation. The training occurs within the department's ambiance of collegiality, enthusiasm, openness of communication, intellectual and scientific rigor, and spirit of inquiry, which characterize our highly productive and energetic faculty. The UCSD faculty represents a virtual "who's who" of world-class basic and clinical scientists and clinicians, all of whom are available and participate in our residents training and experiences.

The tradition at UCSD, both on the general campus and within the School of Medicine, is that of academic excellence. The department shares in this tradition of excellence and expects it from its faculty, trainees, and students. The goal of the residency program is to develop highly competent child and adolescent psychiatric physicians and leaders who are comprehensively trained in the most up-to-date diagnostic and treatment techniques which have proven effective for the full spectrum of mental disorders in children and adolescents. This brochure will provide you with an overview of how the goal is achieved. In closing, I warmly welcome and encourage your interest in our residency program.