R25 Psychiatry Research Residency Track (RRT)

Educating future Academic Psychiatrists

The Research Residency Track (RRT) is directed by Neal Swerdlow, M.D., Ph.D. — Dhaksin Ramanathan, M.D., Ph.D. serves as the RRT Associate Director. The UC San Diego Psychiatry RRT is currently funded by an NIMH R25 Award, through June, 2028. Since 1987, the UCSD Department of Psychiatry has supported a designated Research Residency Track (RRT), with the goal of training future leaders in neuropsychiatric research and Academic Psychiatry.

Nurture Your Academic Career

Build important skills in research, clinical care, teaching and mental health advocacy

World-Class Resources & Faculty

Access to clinical and scientific resources within UC San Diego and its affiliated Neuroscience community

Our Commitment to Diversity

Join a community that is deeply committed to enhancing diversity in Academic Psychiatry and in mental health research

Watch the Research Residency Track "Info-mercial"

Director's Welcome

Our program aspires to educate future Academic Psychiatrists, and to help nurture their early academic careers by building important skills in research, clinical care, teaching and mental health advocacy. We have the unique advantages of being a small and individualized program (1–3 trainees per year), supported by the remarkable clinical and scientific resources within UC San Diego and its affiliated Neuroscience community.

The UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry is home to a world-class faculty — many of whom trained within our Department — that is dedicated to the success of our trainees. Our graduating Research Track trainees often move from our Psychiatry Residency to positions within one of our 16–18 specialized Fellowship training programs.

Our program has a deep commitment to enhancing diversity in Academic Psychiatry and in mental health research. Historically, roughly 40% of our trainees have come from backgrounds that are under-represented in medicine and research; roughly 50% of our graduates and current Residents are women. UC San Diego Psychiatry Research Residents have earned substantial diversity research funding from the NIMH, NIAAA and the APA. Our program also sponsors a Summer Research Fellowship for Under-represented Medical Students.

We welcome applicants with backgrounds in both basic and clinical research, and we encourage applications from trainees who are committed to an academic research career in Adult or Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

The challenges that we face in bringing hope and better life quality to individuals and families with mental illnesses will only be met by educating the future generations of Psychiatric physician-scientists. I am deeply committed to this process. So please read-on and contact me if I can answer any specific questions!

Neal R. Swerdlow, M.D., Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry
Director, Research Residency Track
UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry
nswerdlow@ucsd.edu