The following is a brief overview of the rural residency program by training year:

PGY1: Interns will have their medical and neurology clinical rotations in Point Pleasant. This includes medical emergency room (one month) , family medicine/internal medicine (3 months)  and  neurology (two months). This may include both inpatient and outpatient experiences. Residents will have their “home base” while at Rivers Health at the Marshall Psychiatry Department offices and Outpatient Clinic in Point Pleasant. This newly renovated space has resident offices, educational and classroom space, faculty offices, a kitchen area, and Program Director and Program Administrator offices.  The remaining six months are spent in inpatient psychiatry in Huntington WV. These months are shared between St. Mary’s Medical Center and Mildred Mitchell Bateman State Hospital. St. Mary’s (SMMC) is where residents will treat general adult psychiatric patients, learn ECT and do consults and Psychiatric ER rotations. Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital (MMBH) is one of two state psychiatric hospitals. There, residents will learn to evaluate, treat, and appreciate the complexity of individuals with severe and chronic mental health disorders. MMBH also has specialty units for IDD patients and Geriatric Psychiatry.  Didactics while rotating in Huntington will take place at the “home base”, at the Huntington Marshall Psychiatry Department offices and outpatient clinic. There, residents will interact with residents from all years of training, have access to clinical, educational and research space and facilities, as well as their lounge area.

PGY2: The PGY2 year occurs entirely in Huntington WV. PGY2 residents spend three months on the consult-liaison service, which may occur at one or both Cabell Huntington Hospital (CHH) and St. Mary’s Medical Center (SMMC). The patient mix and psychiatric diagnoses seen are diverse and offer a comprehensive training experience for the resident. PGY2 residents also spend a month doing Addictions training, at the Huntington VAMC, which, in addition to a large outpatient MAT program, also has an inpatient residential addictions program. Residents will learn from a comprehensive substance abuse team at the VAMC. PGY2 residents will also rotate on inpatient services at MMBH hospital for six weeks on the Geriatric Psychiatry service.. Residents will rotate for two months in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry including the consult service at CHH and outpatient evaluations at the Marshall Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic.  Residents will also have experiences in TMS, Pain Center and Electives. Didactics will be at the “home base” Huntington Marshall Departmental Offices.

PGY3: The PGY3 year occurs entirely at the Marshall Outpatient Clinic in Point Pleasant. PGY3 residents receive education and training in outpatient psychiatry. Residents will see general psychiatry patients under the supervision and expertise of the Marshall outpatient faculty. Patients are from very underserved and rural counties and the residents will have an exceptional experience in rural psychiatry!. Focus is on adult and geriatric patients from the surrounding region. Residents will treat patients in person but will also have experience in telepsychiatry, given the very rural nature of WV and the Appalachian region. Patients may not be able to afford the money or time to travel for in person care and telepsychiatry is an important facet of rural care. Didactic experience during this year is substantive, and occurs at both Marshall outpatient clinic sites, some in person and some by teleconference.

PGY4: During the PGY4 year, residents will have a variety of rotations including sub-attending, consults at River’s Health, nursing home care, telepsychiatry, Academic psychiatry and the Mind Wellness Center, a partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient center. Residents will continue the outpatient continuity clinic and elective time is also built into the schedule for further educational opportunities.