Combined Medicine and Psychiatry training provides a broad foundation in both Internal Medicine and Psychiatry in order to meet the needs of patients in a holistic way that includes the body, the brain and the mind.
MedPsych training prepares physicians for comprehensive and integrated care of all patients, particularly those who are in complex social, medical, and psychiatric situations. MedPsych training also provides an opportunity to learn about the care of individuals with overlapping medical and psychiatric problems. Some providers may focus on the medical care of patients with psychiatric illness – who experience lower rates of preventative care and higher mortality rates. There are many possible career paths for a dually-trained internist-psychiatrist, including specialization in addressing disparities, medical complexity, functional or psychosomatic disorders, palliative care, geriatric care, collaborative care, and many other opportunities to apply MedPsych training. MedPsych physicians know that optimal care delivery requires innovation, and they are often leaders in creating new models of care.
Why choose Duke MedPsych?
- The program is well-established and stable, with strong support and respect from both the Department of Medicine and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
- Both Departments have top categorical residency programs and are national leaders in clinical care and research.
- The MedPsych program is sizable, with enough residents for collegiality, group identity and learning from each other.
- Duke has a number of dually trained faculty, many who graduated from this program, providing a supportive group of like-minded mentors.
- Opportunities exist for integrated clinical experience such as the MedPsych Service, integrated MedPsych medical home, Collaborative Care in the primary care setting, Pain-Psychiatry and Palliative Care-Psychiatry.
- Under normal circumstances, which this year are mitigated by public health considerations in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are opportunities for Global Health electives.
What have our graduates done?
- Fellowships in: Infectious Disease, Pulmonary Critical Care, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Religion and Health
- Hospital Medicine, Hospital Psychiatry, Hospital MedPsych
- Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (inpatient and outpatient): Pain-Psychiatry, Psycho-oncology, Transplant Psychiatry, Palliative Care-Psychiatry, Collaborative Care
- Addiction Psychiatry
- Electroconvulsive therapy
- Primary care for the mentally ill or in a correctional setting
- Leadership in Medical Education (medical schools, post-graduate training)
- Hospital administration
- Research in overlap areas: cardiovascular disease and depression, sleep, HIV, substance use disorders, medical morbidity of psychiatric patients, educational research