Didactics are held on Tuesday afternoon and Friday afternoon. The majority of the courses are faculty led, however there are opportunities for residents to lead lectures. The first two years of didactics focus on diagnosis, psychopharmacology, subspecialty treatments, and introductory therapeutic concepts. The second two years have a focus on various therapies and advanced patient care topics.
This Tuesday afternoon class combines all PGY levels in a variety of formats for a more interactive learning experience. Some of these experiences include journal club, statistics, psychopharmacology, a writing course, and a Jeopardy-style friendly team competition formatted to target information tested on board exams.
Psychopharmacology courses are spread throughout the four year curriculum. PGY1 residents receive intro to pharmacology lectures, and PGY2 residents have a clinically-based advanced psychopharmacology lecture series. All years participate in a Stahl’s textbook-based and case-based psychopharmacology course focusing on a neurochemical and biochemical approach.
The Intern series consists of orientation courses to prepare new interns to deal with day-to-day clinical care, patient interactions, practical pharmacology, emergencies, and relevant state legal topics. This is followed by a series on DSM-V formulation which is led by both faculty and chief residents. This course is held on Friday afternoons and repeats every six months to account for intern off service rotations. Interns also receive an introduction to therapeutic concepts with a course in motivational interviewing and therapeutic relationships and alliance.
On Friday afternoon, second year residents participate in a subspecialty series that includes consultation-liaison, child/adolescent psychiatry, geriatrics, culture, substance abuse, and forensics. At the end of the year, this course includes an introduction to psychotherapy to prepare the rising PGY 3 residents for clinic, including attachment theory, object relations, and theory of personality. A faculty specializing in their particular area of expertise leads each segment.
The advanced patient care series for PGY 3 and PGY 4 residents occurs on Friday afternoons. It covers documentation, a differential diagnosis course, neuropsychiatry, acupuncture, special populations such as treating active duty personnel, and career planning to name a few. Presenters include both faculty and guest speakers. This series is built as a 2 year course.
This is a class intended for PGY 1 residents and meets on select Tuesday afternoons before TBL. It includes an introduction to psychological and cultural formulation.
Psychoanalysis is a year-long course for PGY-3 residents held at the New Orleans-Birmingham Psychoanalytical Center in uptown New Orleans. The courses are an alternation of discussion of a book chapter, and a presentation of cases by the residents. Faculty includes Denise Dorsey, MD. and Dale Firestone L.C.S.W. Some residents will choose to continue with psychoanalytic training on a more formalized basis including with direct 1:1 mentorship starting in residency and continuing on toward their early career.
In addition to individual and group supervision, our didactics include extended series in specific treatment modalities. PGY 3 and 4 level residents have combined didactics, the first of which is a course led by a neuropsychologist on cognitive behavioral therapy where residents discuss cases they have seen in clinic. PGY 3 residents also have a course in acceptance and commitment therapy. PGY4 residents have courses in dialectical behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, trauma focused therapy, couples therapy and family therapy.
Tulane's division of child and adolescent psychiatry offers a two-year fellowship. A 5-year Triple Board residency training program is also available, preparing residents for board-eligibility in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry and Child Psychiatry. For more information, see the Triple Board Training site.
Tulane's Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry administer this five-year program, which leads to board-eligibility in both specialties. The curriculum blends rotations on inpatient and outpatient psychiatry units with rotations on medicine wards, medicine subspecialty clinics, the emergency room and intensive care unit. Applicants must be approved by both departments. For more information, see the Medicine/Psychiatry website.
