THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY has a strong and unique program in biological psychiatry. Inpatient wards at OHSU and the VA are oriented to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute psychiatric disorders. The diagnosis frequently involves differentiating severe primary psychiatric disorders from mental disorders secondary to medical, neurological or substance abuse. Residents receive training in the proper use of neuroimaging, EEG, LP and laboratory investigations in differential diagnosis. Trainees on the inpatient wards obtain extensive experience with psychopharmacotherapy and ECT, as well as evidence bases psychosocial treatments. Additional experience is obtained throughout the program, but especially on consultation/liaison, community and outpatient rotations.

PGY-1 residents receive weekly seminars in basic psychiatric topics which includes the neurobiological basis of mental illness. The first year didactics include introductory coverage of pharmacotherapy with the entire range of psychopharmacological agents.

PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents receive a weekly series of lectures on biological psychiatry, which is part of the CORE IIA/IIIA seminar. The course is an in-depth treatment of behavioral neuroanatomy, neurotransmitters and receptors, neurobiological basis of mental illness, psychopharmacology, substance abuse, neurobehavioral disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Faculty from the departments of Psychiatry, Anatomy, Neurology, and Behavioral Neuroscience coordiante their efforts to provide a coherent treatment of Neurobiological Psychiatry. In addition, several two-month elective seminars are provided which deal with biological psychiatry topics.

Faculty members actively pursue research on problems relevant to biological psychiatry and neuroscience, including affective disorders, schizophrenia, movement disorders, sleep disorders, autism and substance abuse.

Faculty from the Department of Psychiatry collaborate with their colleagues in the departments of Anatomy, Neurology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Biochemistry and the Vollum Institue for Advanced Biomedical Research. Residents have an opportunity to engage in biologically based research with faculty in these collaborative departments and institutes. In addition, an opportunity for advanced fellowship training in molecular biology is available.

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