Residency Brochure                                                             

 

Chairman's Greeting

 

Dear Applicant:

I am delighted you have chosen our institution to apply for a residency training position. Let me congratulate you first on your choice of specialty and second on your interest in our training program at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. Loyola University Medical Center is one of the top academic medical centers in the country and a major institution in the Midwest. As a Jesuit University it believes strongly in its mission to “pursue knowledge in the service of humanity.” You will find the culture of dedication to learning to be honest and refreshing. Learning occurs in a caring and friendly environment and the center faculty is committed to the training of future specialists.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences is committed to training excellent psychiatrists who, at the completion of their training, will possess the skills and competencies to practice in the setting of their choice or to pursue academic and research careers. The Department provides a variety of clinical opportunities including a wealth of services and programs at Loyola Medical Center, at the Hines Veterans Administration Medical Center, mental health centers and community based satellite clinics. Thus, the trainee is exposed to a variety of patient populations from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and a broad spectrum of psychopathology. The philosophy of the Department of Psychiatry is guided by the biopsychosocial model of mental illness. This model enables the resident to interact with different disciplines and mental health professionals and become enriched from the diverse expertise of these colleagues.

The Department of Psychiatry enjoys state-of-the-art facilities at Loyola Medical Center and at the Hines VA Medical Center. There are ample opportunities for the trainee to engage in research, biological or psychosocial, and to prepare for an academic career. Adjustments can be made to the training curriculum to accommodate special research interests the resident may have.

Last but certainly not least, the opportunities for extracurricular activities within the University community or the greater Chicago land area are truly magnificent and virtually limitless.

Sincerely,

Angelos Halaris, MD
Professor and Chairman

 

Program Director's Message

 

Dear Colleague:

 

 

I would like to second our Chairman’s congratulation of your decision to enter the field of psychiatry and am also delighted that you are interested in our residency program. If one is to become a skill psychiatrist, we believe that he or she must be trained not only to be an excellent clinician but also a strong independent learner.

An excellent psychiatrist must be a skilled interviewer and diagnostician,  be well-versed in both psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic treatments, and be an effective treatment team leader who can work with other physicians, psychologists, social workers and other mental health workers. You will develop these skills through your inpatient, consult-liaison, and outpatient clinical rotation experiences where you will care for patients with your treatment team.

You will also further develop your communication skills so that you are able to clearly and concisely provide information to your patients, answer questions of your patient's families, and clarify issues with various members of the treatment team.  Being able to communicate effectively in various contexts is another way of describing teaching.  And becoming a good teacher will help you be an effective clinical psychiatrist.

Equally important are the opportunities for residents to work on these “teaching skills” in  different settings with a variety of people. At Loyola you will have the opportunity to work in clinical and research settings, at state hospitals and VA hospitals, with medical students and fellow residents.  You will have learning opportunities by presenting at case conferences, leading Journal Club, giving a Grand Rounds talk, and by completing a small research project in your senior year.  Through these experiences over your four years in Loyola's residency program, your skills will evolve until you are ready to practice independently.

You and your skills will be noticed. From among the over 500 residents at Loyola Medical Center, the senior medical student class has awarded the "Resident of the Year" award to one of the psychiatry resident three times in the past five years.  Our recent graduates have gone on to fellowship programs in Child Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, and Substance Abuse Psychiatry.  And as graduation nears, our senior residents routinely enjoy receiving numerous job offers from which to choose.  

Loyola's Psychiatry Residency Program will help you become a competent and accomplished psychiatrist.  I look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

David Schilling, M.D.
Residency Program Director