OVERVIEW
The University of Arizona has joined with UPH Hospital to provide a new jointly sponsored, ACGME-accredited general psychiatry program.  This Program blends academic and community psychiatry experiences to form the best possible preparation for psychiatric practice.  The University of Arizona Psychiatry Department offers formal didactics, research opportunities, and access to faculty with a wide range of clinical and academic expertise.  UPH Hospital is a multi-service community hospital in Tucson and serves as the setting for inpatient psychiatry, consult-liaison, emergency psychiatry, and medical rotations.   Together, the University of Arizona and UPH Hospital provide residents with a rich exposure to community psychiatry and a strong foundation in academic psychiatry.

UPH HOSPITAL
UPH Hospital (formerly Kino Community Hospital) was once operated by Pima County and served a largely underserved population in the county and beyond.  The hospital continues in this mission, and is now operated by University Physicians Healthcare, the medical practice of physicians of the University of Arizona College of Medicine.  UPH Hospital is the largest acute-care psychiatric facility in the state, with 64 psychiatric inpatient beds, a 14-bed geriatric psychiatry unit, the only psychiatric emergency room in the city, and 12 psychiatrists on staff.  UPH Hospital is also expanding. Another 8-bed psychiatric unit will open January, 2009, and an outpatient clinic will open later in July.  In 2011, an entirely new psychiatric hospital and clinic will be built on campus and be ready for use.

NUMBER OF RESIDENTS
The Program is currently undergoing a planned expansion. Starting with six residents in 2008 (three in the PGY-1 class and three in the PGY-2 class), the Program is recruiting four PGY-1 residents and one additional PGY-2 resident for 2009.  Plans are underway to increase the Program still further in subsequent years. The growth reflects the substantial clinical opportunities and large number of supervising faculty available to residents in the program. Residents have access to a wide range of supervisors and mentors from the UA Psychiatry Department with an excellent faculty to resident ratio.

LENGTH OF PROGRAM
The Program follows all ACGME requirements for accreditation for a four-year general adult psychiatry residency.  Residents planning to apply for additional training in Child and Adolescent Fellowship programs may arrange to meet all general psychiatry requirements in three years.  This permits residents to start a Child and Adolescent Fellowship in their fourth post-graduate year.

EXPERIENCE
Clinical: Residents experience a full range of clinical psychiatric settings and experiences with an emphasis on community psychiatry and the treatment of the severely mentally ill.  Residents rotate at various Tucson hospitals and the VA. The year-long Outpatient Psychiatry Rotation contains significant psychotherapy training, group therapy experiences, and training in multiple other therapies (Insight-oriented, CBT, Interpersonal Therapy, Couple and Family therapy, etc.)  The program offers rotations in inpatient and outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Substance Abuse, Psychosomatic Medicine, Emergency Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, ECT, and Forensic Psychiatry as well.  There is a significant variability of patients, clinical settings, and treatment modalities.  Residents receive ample, direct supervision from expert faculty and staff.

Didactics: Seminars, Case Presentations, Grand Rounds, and Journal Clubs are all part of the didactic training in the program.  An extensive seminar series is shared with residents from The University of Arizona Psychiatry Program.  Grand Rounds take place at both UPH Hospital and the Arizona Health Sciences Center (just a few miles from each other).  Additional teaching occurs during individual supervision and review courses.  Residents participate in a yearly in-service exam (PRITE) and Clinical Examination (mock oral boards).  Attendance at seminars and conferences is required and residents are relieved of all clinical duties during these times.

Research: Faculty in The University of Arizona Psychiatry Department are actively involved in many research projects.  Residents participate in academic conferences, regular literature reviews and a Grand Rounds presentation.  Residents have the opportunity to participate in research projects through mentorship in the Psychiatry Department.  Elective time in the fourth post-graduate year may be used to engage in research activities.

PHILOSOPHY AND ATMOSPHERE
The University of Arizona / UPH Hospital Psychiatry Program aims to train capable, well-balanced psychiatrists.  The atmosphere at UPH Hospital and in the Psychiatry Department is relaxed, informal, and personal.  The Program places a strong emphasis on education through clinical experiences, individual supervision, didactics, and research.  Residents treat patients from diverse demographic backgrounds, receive substantial training in psychotherapy, and participate in multi-disciplinary community-based psychiatric care.  The blend of community and academic psychiatry, in an attentive and supportive learning environment, provides an ideal setting for this psychiatric training.

EXTERNSHIPS AND OBSERVERSHIPS
We do not currently offer externships or observerships.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Richard Van Rhoads, MD                     
Program Director
Phone (520) 874-4705
Fax (520) 874-2030
rvanrhoads@uph.org

Maria Kacic
Program Coordinator, Senior
Phone (520) 874-4501
Fax (520) 874-2030
mkacic@uph.org