The four-year Psychiatry Residency Program at Cooper University Health Care prepares physicians for excellence in the practice of clinical psychiatry. Additionally, trainees interested in pursuing fellowship training are given a strong foundation in subspecialty areas including child and adolescent, consultation and liaison, forensic, geriatric, and addiction psychiatry.
The focus of the first two years of training is hospital-based psychiatry practice with rotations in inpatient, consultation and liaison, and emergency psychiatry, as well as internal medicine and neurology. Residents are provided with close supervision but are also encouraged to think creatively and independently. The third and fourth years of training emphasize outpatient practice and a wide variety of rotations are offered, including adult, child and adolescent, substance use, day programs, geriatrics, and forensics. More concentrated and specific electives are available in PGY-4. Research opportunities are available starting from PGY-2.
We have weekly Grand Rounds, case conferences, journal clubs, and board reviews addressing topics in psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, neurobiology, psychodynamics, cognitive-behavioral theory, cultural studies, anthropology, and research methodology. The program has an increased emphasis on clinical scholarship and provides a research track opportunity for those highly motivated to do clinical research.
As the clinical center of Cooper University Health Care, and the clinical campus of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU), our faculty is committed to excellence in medical education. Residents are encouraged to develop as teachers and have frequent contact with medical students from CMSRU. Supervisors are chosen for their excellence in teaching and for their clinical expertise. Didactic and seminar teachers are chosen for their ability to present content in small groups and for their expertise.
Our philosophy is that learning is best accomplished in an atmosphere of camaraderie, intellectual curiosity, and mutual respect, and we strive at all times to create this environment.