Psychiatry Residency Columbia - Rotations

Rotation experiences overview

Inpatient psychiatry – This training is achieved through rotations at a variety of outstanding local facilities that include Prisma Health Baptist Hospital, Prisma Health Richland Hospital, Columbia Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the SC Department of Mental Health’s G. Werber Bryan Psychiatric Hospital.

Ambulatory psychiatry – In the second year of training residents spend 12 months in the psychiatry ambulatory clinic with the majority of their caseload being combination therapies, where they apply both pharmacology and psychotherapy as treatment strategies. Residents not only learn the principles of several different evidence-based psychotherapies, they also have practical experience utilizing these therapeutic modalities. Residents have required supervision of cases by multi-disciplinary supervisors and have a longitudinal clinic that continues throughout the rest of their training. Residents also have experiences in integrated care clinics and intensive outpatient/partial hospitalization day treatment programs.

Primary care – A close relationship with Prisma Health, UofSC School of Medicine and Veteran’s Administration has evolved to provide several opportunities for primary care. First year residents have a choice of three specialties for ambulatory primary care rotations (pediatrics, family medicine, internal medicine). First-year residents have an inpatient internal medicine rotation at the VA hospital.

Neurology – The two required neurology rotations are completed at Richland Hospital in the inpatient unit, consultation-liaison service and ambulatory clinic. These rotations are typically done in the first and third year of training.

Emergency psychiatry – Emergency psychiatry experience is gained through a rotation within Prisma Health Richland’s Level I trauma Center. Named the Joyce Martin Hill Emergency Mental Health Center, this emergency room treatment area allows residents to work as consultants within a multidisciplinary model under the guidance of an experienced emergency psychiatrist. Residents also obtain exposure through call.

Subspecialty training – The presence of nationally known fellowship training programs in child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry allows for general psychiatry residents to have significant exposure to these subspecialties. Subspecialty exposure is emphasized longitudinally throughout all years of training in both clinical experiences and in didactics. Our program has a large proportion of the general residents elect to pursue further fellowship training. Listed below are some examples of the diverse subspecialty curricula.

• Child and adolescent psychiatry rotations include inpatient, ambulatory and consultation-liaison during the first, second and fourth year of training. Didactics and supervision occur throughout the first and second year.
• Geriatric psychiatry inpatient and consultation-liaison rotations typically occur during the first and third year of training. Ambulatory geriatric psychiatry experiences occur longitudinally throughout the first, second and third years of residency. Didactics and group supervisions occur during the first, second and third year.
• Forensic psychiatry rotations occur during the first and third year of residency. Residents rotate in a maximum security prison within the Department of Corrections, the Department of Mental Health’s failed restoration and court-ordered forensic unit, and they participate in evaluations for the court. Didactics occur during the first, second and third years of training.
• Addiction psychiatry rotations typically occur in the first and third year of training and involve many different substance use and recovery programs throughout the Midlands area. Residents receive training in methadone and buprenorphine as well as psychotherapies for substance use disorders. Didactics occur during the first, second and third year of training.
• Consultation-liaison psychiatry occurs on several rotations and includes child and adolescent, adult, geriatric, substance use and trauma surgery patient populations. Didactics occur during the second and third year of training.