The VCU Department of Psychiatry’s mission is to train tomorrow’s mental health professionals. Our comprehensive residency program balances brain science and therapeutic training with the knowledge and support to help our trainees achieve here and beyond.

We are proud to provide a uniquely challenging and supportive residency experience that offers the following:

• A commitment to producing compassionate, adaptable physicians
• A dedication to lifelong learning and teaching in the context of a rapidly changing health care environment
• Strong, involved leaders who are always available to residents
• A diverse patient population, including those with challenging psychiatric conditions and complex comorbidities
• Camaraderie and collegiality, both inside and outside the hospital
• Innovation in research, training and practice

Our clinical education is structured to allow residents the flexibility to meet graduation requirements while also pursuing individual interests, with protected didactics and supervision time. In addition to intensive clinical supervision, a faculty coordinator is responsible for working with residents during each of the program’s four years to maximize the trainees’ learning experiences.

Our three night float positions provide much of the on-call coverage for our VCU Medical Center inpatient and emergency psychiatry services and the VA Medical Center psychiatry service. Residents on night float work approximately 11-hour shifts for two to three four-week blocks.

We offer one research track position for a resident who is interested in prioritizing research during their training and has demonstrated a significant track record in research activities. Most applicants considered for this track are graduating from M.D./Ph.D. programs in medical school. Our internationally recognized research programs span many areas of modern psychiatry, including:

• Basic behavioral science endeavors
• Outcome studies
• Clinical projects with immediate applicability

All residents receive didactic instruction in research methods and design and are welcome to participate in a wide variety of research projects with the support and mentorship of our dedicated faculty.

For more information, contact Dr. Susan Waller at susan.waller@vcuhealth.org.

The VCU Department of Psychiatry participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), and you can apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Application requirements

• Completed ERAS application
• Minimum passing score on USMLE or COMLEX Steps 1 and 2
• Medical student performance evaluation letter (formerly known as dean’s letter)
• Official copy of your medical school transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation, including at least one from a supervising psychiatrist
• Must be within four years of graduation from medical school or direct patient care activity
• Must have documentation of a minimum of three moths of direct patient care activity in the U.S. or Canada in the last four years (clinical rotations during medical school are sufficient for U.S. and Canadian students)
• For international medical graduates, U.S. or Canadian medical school clinical rotations or externships of direct patient care within the U.S. or Canada will suffice (clinical observer experiences and non-clinical graduate work such as research do not meet this requirement)

Interviews

We offer interviews to select applicants from mid-October through January. Interview days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted to schedule a date. The full-day interview process includes a tour, individual interviews and meetings with a variety of faculty and residents. Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, interviews are being conducted virtually.

Contact us:

VCU Psychiatry Residency Administration

PRAVCUHSGME@vcuhealth.org