The CU-Pathways-RRT is a unique track within the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado. This track incorporates research experiences and training throughout the PG-2 through PG-4/5 years (depending on whether residents pursue fellowship training in child & adolescent psychiatry). Applicants to the residency program with a strong track record of successful research may apply to the track via a separate MATCH number and may be invited for additional specific interviews for the CU-Pathways RRT. Those admitted into the CU-Pathways RRT must complete a research plan in collaboration with their identified primary research mentor by March of their intern year. This track maximizes research time and training concurrently with acquiring clinical competence in psychiatry; its goal is to recruit a diverse group of promising physician scientists and to provide the needed time and support for them to successfully transition to faculty positions and develop prominent future roles in academic psychiatry.

For those who choose the general residency, the research time allotted by PG year is outlined below. This track can lead to one or two more years of funded, full-time research (see the Developmental Psychobiology Research Group T32 Training Program).  During the PG-3 and 4 years, Pathways-RRT residents can apply for a small grant for up to $10,000/year to support their research. Through their mentors, residents in the track also have access to the Psychiatry Research Innovations (PRI) program, which is a departmental resource for biostatistics, research operations, clinical research support and research education and training.  In the PG2 year, all residents attend the PReMS course (run by Dr. Mikulich) where they learn about study design through review of faculty publications.  In the PG3-4 years, CU-Pathways residents attend the PReIAP course (run by Dr. Mikulich, biostatistician) which utilizes CU-Pathways resident projects and areas of interest to teach biostatistical principles and study design (e.g., randomization procedures, mediators/moderators in models, useful software packages, displaying study results, etc.) while aiding the residents in improving proposals, presentations, manuscripts and grant applications. Residents attend a monthly research seminar (run by Dr. Sakai) where they have an opportunity to present research results or planned projects to receive peer and faculty feedback. Faculty and guest speakers (suggested by the residents) also present at the research seminar on topics of interest (e.g., presentations by a journal editor discussing an editor’s perspective on manuscript review and the experience of being an editor, and by junior faculty about their course to career development award funding and balancing a research career with family demands). Residents are required to submit a progress report annually – the CU-Pathways RRT Resident Recruitment, Selection and Evaluation Committee reviews individualized research plans and progress reports in the spring of each academic year and provides written feedback to each resident and primary mentor. Each resident-mentor team meets with the program leadership every fall to review progress, barriers and future plans. The time commitment in the PG3 and 4 years is intended to allow application to the NIH Loan Repayment Program.

Structure for residents in the general program:

For those who choose to pursue fellowship training in child/adolescent psychiatry, the Pathways-RRT integrates training in psychiatry, child & adolescent psychiatry, and research throughout the PG2 through PG5 years. This track can lead to a 6^th year of funded, full-time research (see the Developmental Psychobiology Research Group T32 Training Program). During the CR1 and CR2 years, CU-Pathways RRT residents can submit a small grant to the track for up to $5,000-10,000/year in funds to support their research. Through their mentors, residents in the track also have access to the Psychiatry Research Innovations (PRI) program, which is a departmental resource for biostatistics, research operations, clinical research support and research education and training.  In the PG2 year, all residents attend the PReMS course (run by Dr. Mikulich) where they learn about study design through review of faculty publications. In the PG3 (when available) and CR1-2 years, CU-Pathways residents attend the PReIAP course (run by Dr. Mikulich, biostatistician, see above) and a monthly research seminar (run by Dr. Sakai, see above). CU-Pathways residents are required to submit a progress report annually – the CU-Pathways RRT Resident Recruitment, Selection and Evaluation Committee reviews individualized research plans and progress reports in the spring of each academic year and provides written feedback to each resident and primary mentor. Each resident-mentor team meets with the program leadership each fall to review progress, barriers and future plans.

Structure for residents in the child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship:

The Women’s Reproductive Psychiatry (RP) Track is designed to provide residents with an in-depth exposure to RP during residency training and to support career development within this sub-specialty field.   Residents in good standing through the December of their PGY 1 year may apply.  As the track begins in PGY 2 year and continues through PGY 4 year, the resident must plan to complete four years of residency training.  This track consists of the following components:

Clinical:  In the PGY 2 year, residents rotate at a variety of clinical training sites over a one-month period.  Potential sites are selected to provide exposure to treatment of women across the reproductive lifespan, and may include the Women’s Behavioral Health outpatient practice, the Women’s Integrated Services for Health (WISH) primary care practice, Women’s Mental Health at the VA, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), inpatient obstetrics units, the Young Mother’s Clinic, and the Healthy Expectations mother-infant group therapy program. In PGY 3 and 4 training years, residents will rotate in a diverse array of half-day electives. 

Educational: In PGY -2 year, residents in the RP track will attend dedicated weekly didactics specific to RP.  PGY 3 residents will complete a variety of didactic mini-series in conjunction with clinical electives.  For the PGY 4 year, dedicated didactics will center on the neurobiological basis of sex differences as pertaining to mental health.

Scholarship:  Residents completing the Women’s RP Track will pair with a designated faculty member for the planning, initiation, and execution of a scholarly project within RP. Additionally, all residents will be paired with an individual core mentor for additional mentorship, career development, and curricular advisement.

The Community/Public Psychiatry Track is designed to provide interested residents with in-depth exposure to—and training in—the nuances of community psychiatry from years 2 through 4. This track will appeal to those who plan on working in a community or nonprofit/low-profit setting after graduation, treating those individuals who are economically, socially, or otherwise disadvantaged. This track may also appeal to those who would like to do much of their outpatient psychiatry work in an integrated behavioral health clinic (primary care).

Objectives: To provide early exposure to many different types of community psychiatry in multiple locations and to foster career development in these same settings. Foci will include: the treatment of severe mental illness and mental illness in the underinsured; addictions; the interplay of mental health treatment and the legal system; and legislative understanding and action.

Possible sites for rotations:

• Denver Health inpatient psychiatry
• Department of Corrections
• Fort Logan state hospital and Pueblo state hospital
• Denver Health inpatient and outpatient addictions psychiatry
• Denver Health integrated behavioral health clinics (psychiatrists integrated into primary care)
• Stout Street and the Coalition for the Homeless
• Emergency Psychiatry, including mobile crisis unit
• WellPower (formerly the Mental Health Center of Denver; outpatient community treatment of patients who often have Medicaid and live in Denver County)
• Visits to (with some possibility to complete a rotation at) community mental health facilities, intensive outpatient programs, acute treatment units, animal assisted therapies, refugee mental health clinics; asylum seeker psychiatric evaluations; rural locations

Specialized didactics are provided for the residents in the CommPPT. A scholarly project is required, due upon graduation. Time for development of this project is provided in the PGY2 year.

Medical students interested in CommPPT may apply to it specifically, and/or to the University of Colorado School of Medicine general psychiatry residency program. Two positions (of 15) are reserved for these incoming PGY1 residents. The track  lasts for 4 years with most content provided PGY2-4 and thus is not compatible with fast-tracking into a child fellowship after year 3.

The Combined Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Track allows residents to do both General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry with ease and continuity while training at the University of Colorado. The aim of the track is to train residents matching into psychiatry who have a clear desire to specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP). Graduates of this 5-year track will be prepared to be excellent clinicians, leaders in the field, and ready to serve the diverse child, adolescent, and adult patients in our communities. Compared to the usual fast-track option that is still available to all residents, this program will provide earlier and enhanced clinical experiences and mentorship to achieve the goals of training excellent child psychiatrists.

The co-directors for this training track are Dr. Anne Penner, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program Director, and Dr. Robert Davies, General Psychiatry Program Director and Vice Chair for Education.

The general structure of the Combined Child Track will be to incorporate more child experiences, both clinical and career-focused, throughout all five years of training.

PGY-1

• Child Neurology – Combined Child Track residents will do half of their Neurology time at Children’s Hospital Colorado (4 weeks).
• Pediatrics Child Track residents will spend two months at Children’s Hospital Colorado doing inpatient Pediatrics.
• Meet with CAP Training Director to plan individualized plan for mentorship and scholarship

PGY-2

• Child and Adolescent Inpatient and Consult-Liaison on the child and adolescent Inpatient Unit (IPU) and medical services at CHCO, for a total of 4 months at Children’s Hospital Colorado
• Start meeting with CAP mentor if you haven’t already in PGY-1 year.

PGY-3

• Child Outpatient is ½ day per week throughout the year.
• Child Electives and psychotherapy with transition-aged individuals are encouraged.
• Start doing clinical supervision with CAP faculty and continue to meet with mentor.

PGY-4  (first year of fellowship)

• See Fellowship Website for educational experiences
• Continue longitudinal mentorship and research projects

PGY-5  (second year of fellowship)

• See Fellowship Website
• Complete scholarship project and career development

The Career Program is jointly sponsored by the psychiatry residency and its public mental health partners. The objective of the career program is to provide residents with an in-depth exposure to public psychiatry while still in training and to foster career development in community and state mental health systems. Residents enroll in the program at the beginning of the PGY-2 year and are given a leave of absence after the PGY-3 year in order to perform a year of staff service at a public sector mental health facility. Participating residents are paid the standard salary set by the sponsoring institution for the service year; this salary is partly distributed during the training years as a supplement to the regular residency stipend.

Currently, WellPower (formerly Mental Health Center of Denver) is participating in this program.

The WellPower career program was instituted in 1994. During their service year, residents in the Career Program work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team within a full continuum of recovery-oriented services.  WellPower serves the City and County of Denver and provides treatment to individuals and families with a wide variety of behavioral health problems: crisis intervention, children and families at risk, persons with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety.  WellPower employs over 400 professionals to provide a range of services at 32 sites for more than 7000 people each year.  Services include evidence-based and innovative practices such as Assertive Community Treatment, integrated physical health care, and supported employment and housing.