UPMC Medical Education Program

The UPMC Medical Education Program (University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry) offers a Combined Family Medicine Psychiatry residency that equips residents with comprehensive skills in both fields, taking a multidisciplinary approach to training where integration of physical and behavioral health is emphasized. This five-year program balances rotations between family medicine and psychiatry, with residents participating in longitudinal outpatient experiences throughout their training. This structure ensures that graduates can provide holistic care that merges physical and psychiatric needs.

Curriculum Highlights:

• Longitudinal Outpatient Experiences: Across all five years, blending family medicine primary care, psychiatric specialty care, and integrated experiences.
• Clinical Rotations: Family medicine rotations are typically in four-week blocks, totaling 13 blocks per year. Psychiatry rotations vary from four to ten weeks and are intertwined with primary care experiences.
• Formal Teaching: Separately provided in each discipline, with family medicine didactics focusing on evidence-based primary care and psychiatry education at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital and other venues, covering fundamental to advanced psychiatric knowledge.

Training Sites:

• Family Medicine: Conducted within UPMC McKeesport and UPMC St. Margaret hospitals, both recognized for their high-quality care and services.
• Psychiatry: Primarily takes place at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, renowned for its comprehensive psychiatric services.

Application Requirements:

• Open to seniors in approved medical schools, MD or DO degree holders, and applicants with other specialty training. Encourages underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
• Application through ERAS, including a complete application form, personal statement, medical school transcript, and three letters of reference.
• No absolute USMLE score requirement, though scores are typically in the upper 80s percentile. US clinical experience is not required but beneficial.
• ECFMG certification for IMG applicants, with no specific cutoff for the year of graduation, but the time since practicing medicine is considered.

The program's vision extends beyond typical biological and sociological categorizations, aiming for a holistic approach that spans clinical and research realms. The synergy of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital and the family medicine hospitals provides a rich environment for developing a broad set of competencies in treating and understanding a wide range of conditions. Engaging with this program means becoming part of a leading effort to integrate psychiatric and family medicine, addressing the contemporary needs of a diverse patient population.