How We Learn

Department didactics take place every Wednesday, 8am-noon. You’ll then have lunch with your cohort from 12-1pm. The weekly didactics present individualized curriculum for each year of residency and cover core topic areas. During lunch, you’ll participate in your resident class and program committee meetings. It’s also a time for special-topic didactics. You’ll also get to attend grand rounds every Friday, 1-2 pm, from August through May. These feature UNM behavioral health faculty as well as national speakers. Throughout the year, we also hold special elective lecture series and events covering topics such as Integrative Medicine or Law and Psychiatry Day.

Didactic Curriculum

PGY-1 - During this year, the focus is on preparing you for clinical duties in an emergency, inpatient, and consult liaison psychiatry. You will be introduced to core topics such as inpatient psychopharmacology, ethics, and the law, and common pathologies are seen on inpatient wards such as addiction, mood, thought, stress, and personality disorders. You’ll also get to develop your skills through lecture, discussion, and experiential practice in the psychiatric interview and motivational interviewing.

PGY-2 - This year’s curriculum supports the advancing level of clinical skills required in inpatient and subspecialty psychiatry. Your didactics will expand on core topics and introduce geriatric, child and adolescent, rural, cross-cultural, refugee mental health, women’s mental health, neuropsychiatry, and community psychiatry. In your second year, you will also study supportive psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as well as attend journal clubs and wellness activities.

PGY-3 - As you move into your third year, the curriculum addresses issues in outpatient psychiatry and is designed to support clinical topics such as ethics/professionalism, outpatient psychopharmacology, child development and psychopharmacology, neuroscience, and landmark journal clubs as well as forensic and cultural psychiatry. You will have your own therapy patients and participate in diverse patient panels. You will continue to deepen your knowledge of psychotherapy and CBT and will have a substantive introduction to psychoanalytic theory and family/couples therapy.

PGY-4 - In your final residency year, we assist you as you investigate subspecialties and transition to a professional career. The curriculum includes topics such as board review, billing/documentation, telepsychiatry, and financial planning.

PGY-1 - Introduction to the psychiatric interview, psychiatrist/patient relationship, and challenging communication issues, Motivational Interviewing training

PGY-2 - Introduction to supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy and CBT, assignment of first psychodynamic supervisor and pick up the first case of supportive psychotherapy

PGY-3 - Psychodynamic psychotherapy didactics (Jeff Katzman, MD), CBT didactics (CBT basics + 3rd wave therapies i.e. ACT, DBT, MB- CBT, IPT, etc.), carry first 2 CBT and 2 psychodynamic patients with 1 supervision for each, optional group, couples, family therapy electives

PGY-4 - Continue CBT/Psychodynamic patients & supervision, similar elective options as PGY-3

"I was looking for a program strong in psychotherapy, and as soon as I met Dr. Katzman, I knew UNM was the right place for me. We learn Psychodynamic modalities (eg. ISTDP, Mentalization, Bowen Family Systems, Good Psychiatric Management for Borderline Personality, Couples Therapy), CBT (including 3rd wave approaches), and Motivational Interviewing--to name just a few.

Dr. Katzman's teaching style is experiential through improvisation, song lyrics, film characters, taped interviews, and in-depth discussion of the classic literature--this is a class I never wanted to miss!"
Lisa Hake, MD, PGY-4

At the University of New Mexico, PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents have a large selection of electives:

Addiction and Substance Abuse (ASAP) Clinic

This clinic focuses on alcohol and drug detoxification, replacement therapy (such as methadone or buprenorphine), and counselling.

Truman Street Clinic

The Truman Street Clinic is focused on treating both the medical and behavioral health of patients with HIV/AIDS. Psychiatric consultation and mediation management, neuropsychological assessment, diagnostic assessments, counseling and psychotherapy, and substance use treatment and referral services are offered to the patients.

Refugee Clinic

Residents are able to provide psychiatric care and psychotherapy to refugees at the UNM Southeast Heights Clinic.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Residents work closely with attending physicians, to become ECT certified. During this rotation, residents will learn how to complete ECT consultations and will have hands-on training.

Crisis Intervention Team with Albuquerque Police Department

"A typical half day consists of meeting with the team prior to going out in the field to review the cases. A Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) field team consists of two detectives with specialized training in crisis intervention/ de-escalation and one Masters level social worker. Psychiatry residents are assigned to one of the two field teams and after reviewing the cases for that morning, we leave in an unmarked police cruiser to make home visits.

During a "standard" home visit the team makes contact with the client in order to perform a field assessment for psychiatric acuity, risk assessment and make an effort to establish connections to mental health and social services for each individual. During a visit, psychiatry residents can provide information about prescribed medications, answer any pertinent questions, and make recommendations that can be discussed with the client’s primary behavioral health provider. Residents can also provide brief psychotherapeutic interventions.

In addition to the field experience there is an opportunity to participate in weekly educational sessions and case discussions as part of the APD CIU ECHO program. Psychiatry residents are encouraged to present and lead didactic sessions so that they can build their skills as community educators and further their expertise in multiple areas of psychiatric care.

I have been able to serve as a resident leader for others who want to work with the APD CIU and help highlight the importance of the service these teams provide in reducing the burden of mental illness among individuals and the community at large."

Martin Gonzales, MD (Current PGY-4 Resident)

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

Join physician attendings in traveling to patients’ homes to provide psychiatric medication management and brief psychotherapy.

Seniors Clinic

Residents will have an outpatient panel of geriatric patients (usually 75 years or older) and see these patients on a weekly basis. Patients will have a wide variety of diagnoses, including primary psychotic disorders, primary depressive disorders, primary anxiety disorders, and neurocognitive disorders.

Treatment Resistant Affective Disorders Clinic

In the Treatment Resistant Affective Disorders (TRAD) elective residents are provided ample opportunity to work with patients who continue to struggle with depression despite multiple past treatment interventions.

Sleep Medicine Clinic

UNM has an academic sleep center that evaluates and treats sleep disorders. The sleep medicine elective is available to third- and fourth-year psychiatry residents. Rotating residents typically practice in the clinic with the sleep fellows and sleep fellowship program director. There are also opportunities to participate in sleep medicine didactics and research projects.

Integrative Psychiatry

The Department has recently expanded its elective in Integrative Psychiatry. Residents choosing this year-long elective in their 3rd or 4th year will have 4 hours per week dedicated to the Integrative Medicine in Psychiatry curriculum from the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. There will also be a weekly lecture or experiential component.

The elective starts off with instruction in Mindfulness Based Stress reduction (MBSR) which residents are encouraged to use as a tool for their own self-care as well as offering to their patients. A Weil foundation grant will provide funding for two wellness retreats (Fall and Spring) and for residents to take classes in the community, such as yoga or Tai Chi.

Clinical supervision for integrative psychiatry patients will be provided by Judith Pentz, MD and Denise Lin, MD, faculty members with extensive experience in aspects of integrative psychiatric care.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)/Transcranial Direct Current Simulation (TCDS)

Residents learn how to preform TMS and TCDS as well as how to consult patients regarding these treatments.

Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Teleconsultation

Using interactive video technology, behavioral health experts at UNM are able to provide didactics, facilitate case-based learning, and have real-time collaborative sessions with providers from around the state.

Esketamine Clinic

Residents will learn how to complete evaluations and esketamine consultations for patients with treatment-resistant depression and monitor patients while receiving esketamine treatments.

Student Health and Counseling (SHAC)

SHAC provides quality health and counseling services to all UNM students to foster student success. Residents will provide therapy, medication recommendations, and evaluations.

The following are electives to the Veteran Affairs Medical Center (VAMC):

ECT and Ketamine

Work one-on-one with an attending to evaluate patients and perform these treatments in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Integrated Mental Health

Work with the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) team to provide psychiatric expertise in the primary care setting.

Group Psychotherapy

Work with VA psychologists to learn models of group psychotherapy for veterans with PTSD and depression.

Shot Clinic

Assess and monitor patients on long-acting antipsychotic medications.

Psych Primary Care Clinic

Gain additional experience working with attending psychiatrists and internists to treat SMI patients’ psychiatric and medical conditions.

Consultation-Liaison

Function as an upper-level resident on the VA Consultation-Liaison team.

Mental health intensive case management program (MHICM)

VA Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team providing wraparound services for SMI patients in the community.

Neuropsychology

The VA Neuropsychology Clinic provides outpatient and inpatient neuropsychological and psychological evaluations for veterans with medical, neurological and psychiatric disorders. The core training experiences include individual neuropsychological assessments and weekly seminar. Resident/Fellows will experience the detailed cognitive testing, will participate in clinical interviews, and if desired, will be trained on administration of brief mental status exams. Residents/Fellows will develop an appreciation for the strengths and limitations of neuropsychological and psychological testing, and will leave the rotation with a clear understanding of when to refer a patient for neuropsychological testing.

Our faculty have research expertise in several areas, including Addictions, Bipolar Disorder and Psychosis, Health Services, and Neuromodulation. If you are on the research track, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in ongoing research as well as pursue your own interests to lay the foundation for a successful independent research career. Our clinician-research faculty will be there to mentor and encourage you.

“My participation in the research track has been pivotal in my career development as a psychiatry resident. From the protected time to the quarterly research meetings and mentorship from experienced researchers, I have felt supported since the very beginning. The skills I have gained from the research track helped to instill confidence in me to pursue funding opportunities. Now I am really excited to have been awarded the Rosenbaum Award to pursue my own project!”
Megan Shedd, MD, MPH, PGY-2

We provide psychiatric training and services in rural and underserved communities throughout New Mexico. If this is a particular interest of yours, you’ll have the opportunity to create a special rural experience that lasts throughout your residency, with increasing time allocated to rural/systems work as your make progress through your training.

For example, as a PGY-2 resident, you can spend up to one month at a rural rotation site, immersed in the experience. In your PGY-3 year, you can spend up to two days per month at your primary rotation site. During your PGY-4 year, you can select a three-to-twelve-month elective to concentrate your training in one of New Mexico’s rural sites. These can include Community mental health centers, primary care sites, Indian Health Service, Veterans Affairs, private hospitals, or state-run programs. There is also the opportunity to learn how to be an effective provider of telehealth services. This provides cross-cultural experience with potential sites serving our state’s Native American as well as Hispanic communities.

The rural psychiatry program has given our residents a unique opportunity to create important connections in communities across the state. These rotations are highly rated by residents who enjoy working with a diverse patient population in settings that emphasize community consultation and participation on a treatment team while providing high-quality patient care.

"I would highly recommend participating in the rural program at UNM. There are a wide variety of rural/underserved sites to choose from, which allows you to select a site that best fits your area of interest. I chose to rotate at an FQHC in Las Cruces, NM during my PGY-2 & 3 years. Clinically, we treated patients that were predominately Spanish-speaking and had limited access to care. Because I was able to complete a longitudinal experience at one site, I was able to witness barriers common to rural and underserved sites such as high provider turnover, professional isolation, and sparse resources. For me, the best part of my rotation was learning about the clinic’s innovative solutions to solving these problems for their community."
Erin Rush-Ortegon, MD, 2nd year Child and Adolescent Fellow

We recently expanded the elective in Integrative Psychiatry. If you select this year-long elective in your 3rd or 4th year, you will have 4 hours per week dedicated to the Integrative Medicine in Psychiatry curriculum from the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. There will also be a weekly lecture or experiential component.

The elective starts off with instruction in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which you are encouraged to use as a tool for your own self-care as well as offering it to your patients. A Weil Foundation grant will provide funding for two wellness retreats (Fall and Spring) and for you to take classes in the community, such as yoga or Tai Chi.

Judith Pentz, MD, and Denise Lin, MD will be your clinical supervisors for integrative psychiatry patients. Both of these faculty members have extensive experience in aspects of integrative psychiatric care.

“I was drawn to a residency at UNM because of the Integrative Psychiatry Track, and the opportunities and quality of teaching have far exceeded my expectations. I love our PGY-3 weekly integrative seminars and that we will have the opportunity to apply integrative interventions under supervision this year. Last year as a PGY-2 I got to do a selective month rotation in integrative psychiatry, enroll in the University of Arizona Integrative Medicine in Residency curriculum, and even learn from local traditional healers by taking a class on curanderismo through the UNM Department of Anthropology. Our program is highly supportive and is an awesome place to learn integrative psychiatry.”
Sarah Kalen Flynn, MD, PGY-3