Curriculum and Schedules

Schedule | Training | General Psychiatry Didactics | PGY-1 | PGY-2 | PGY-3 | PGY-4

Our residents are immersed in an all-encompassing curriculum across a variety subspecialties and settings.

General Psychiatry Resident Schedule 2025-2026 (proposed)

Special Dates - no seminars
Thu, 10/9/25 PRITE (all day)

• TBD Department Research Forum
• TBD Resident-Faculty Retreat (all day)
• TBD Resident Retreat (all day)

General Psychiatry Residency Training Program Block Schedule 2025-2026 (proposed)

¹ Half the PGY1 class will do medicine/neurology the first six months, the other half will do psychiatry. They will switch in January.
² Up to 1 Month of Neurology may be substituted by Pediatric Neurology.
EPS = Emergency Psychiatric Service
PUCC = (Psychiatric) Urgent Care Center

EPS = Emergency Psychiatric Service
PUCC = (Psychiatric) Urgent Care Center

Endeavor Health Medical Group Sites (all less than 30 min drive from Evanston Hospital)

• Evanston Hospital-based Clinic (EVH): 2650 Ridge Ave, Evanston, IL 60201 [0 min]
• Evanston Downtown Bldg (EVD): 909 Davis St. Evanston, IL 60201 [10 min]
• Swedish Professional Plaza (SWPP): 2740 W. Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 [20 min]
• Deerfield Medical Bldg (DF): 49 S. Waukegan Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015 [25 min]
• Skokie Medical Office (SK): 9669 Kenton Ave, Skokie, IL 60076 [11 min]
• Glenview Medical Office (GV): 2150 Pfingsten Rd, Glenview, IL 60026 [25 min]
• Glenbrook Ambulatory Care Center (GBA): 2180 Pfingsten Rd, Glenview, IL 60026 [25 min]

Vacation

• PGY 1 - Scheduled 2 weeks on medicine, 2 weeks on psychiatry
• PGY 2 - Scheduled 4 weeks, one week per quarter
• PGY 3 - Scheduled 4 weeks, one week per quarter
• PGY 4 - 4 weeks, resident can schedule

General Psychiatry Didactics

PGY-1

Psych 101
Required: PGY1 (on-service)
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry (MD, LCSW)
Full-time, weekly, 3 x 50 min/session, 8 sessions
This seminar is held July and August and provides an introduction to acute psychiatric assessment and treatment planning, inpatient and emergency psychiatry workflows, legal requirements.

Psychopharmacology/Psychopathology I
Required: PGY1 (on-service)
Adam Goldenberg, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Pharmacy (MD, PhD, PharmD)
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 20 sessions
Spans PG1-PG4 years with PG-specific focus on assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions. Provides an introduction to the scope of psychopathology, focusing on DSM5 diagnostic criteria and acute medical treatment.

Emergency Psychiatry
Required: PGY1 (on-service)
Fred Miller, MD, PhD + topic specific speakers
Psychiatry (MD, SW)
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 20 sessions
Covers the Emergency Psychiatric Services (EPS) and Psychiatric Urgent Care Clinic (PUCC) in more detail than was covered in the introductory Psych 101 Course that residents had earlier in the year. Topics discussed will include the assessment, management, disposition and treatment of patients that present to EPS/PUCC. This will include prevention and management of agitation, comprehensive safety assessment and planning for suicidal patients, identification and management of substance intoxication and withdrawal, evaluating capacity, and systems of care issues pertinent to emergency psychiatry.

Interview Skills
Required: PGY1 (on-service)
Rob Marvin, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 6 sessions
Didactic sessions on essentials of psychiatric interviewing and establishing a mental status exam, observed interviews with feedback and group discussion.

Introduction to Quality Improvement, Research, and Biostatistics
Required: PGY1 (on-service)
Rob Marvin, MD and Ramon Solhkhah, MD. MBA
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 6 sessions
This series provides 1) an introduction to the purpose, process and design of quality improvement projects using the IHI framework; 2) an introduction to research design and methodology. Residents are expected to participate in quality improvement projects and scholarly activities.

Motivational Interviewing
Required: PGY1
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 2 sessions
This course will cover the theory and techniques of motivational interviewing (MI). Residents will be able to discuss how they can apply the skills in their patient encounters to enable patient-centered behavior change. An emphasis will be placed on applying MI techniques in working with patients with substance use disorders.

History of Psychiatry
Required: PGY1
Rob Marvin, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, Weekly, 50 min, 4 sessions
History of Psychiatry Required PGY-1 Rob Marvin, MD Psychiatry Full-time, Weekly, 50 min, 4 sessions This course covers the history and profession of psychiatry, models of illness, great figures in history, and early psychiatric treatment in addition to other aspects of history. Art including photos and paintings will also be explored to better understand the remarkable history of psychiatry.

Teaching Skills
Required: PGY1
GME instructor
Psychiatry, IM, GME
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 4 sessions
This course covers information on adult learning, teaching skills in a clinical setting, and providing/receiving feedback.

Journal Club – The Classics
Required: PGY1
Rob Marvin, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 12 sessions
This course covers the critical appraisal of medical literature process (EMB). Residents will trade off presenting landmark (essential reads) in psychiatry.

Social and Cultural Psychiatry
Required: PGY1
Adrienne Adams, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 10 sessions
This course provides an introduction to cultural-based interviewing and social psychiatry topics that impact their patients. Residents are provided with information on cultural information relevant to Chicago, it’s neighborhoods and people.

Departmental Grand Rounds
Required: PGY1 (on-service), PGY2, PGY3, PGY4
Rotating presenters – internal and external to the Department
Broad range of disciplines – Psychiatry, Psychology
Full- and part-time varies by presenter, monthly, 1 hr, 12 sessions
Clinical, research, and educational presentations, based on needs assessment, sponsored by Department divisions. PGY4s are required to present.

Resident Journal Club
Required: PGY1 (on-service), PGY2, PGY3, PGY4
Rotating presenters – PGY 3 and 4 required to present. Resident selects faculty discussant.
Psychiatry
Full-time
Residents present an article(s) relevant to clinical practice, education, or research. The group will critically appraise the literature and discuss relevance to practice and training. Monthly, 1hr, 12 sessions.

M&M Conference
Required: PGY1 (on-service), PGY2, PGY3, PGY4
Rotates among senior faculty
Psychiatry
Full-time, monthly, 1hr, 12 sessions
Faculty members submit cases/incidents to the Department/Program for discussion. Faculty members follow a root-cause analysis template for presentation and discussion. Any action items generated are returned to the respective areas of the Department for review.

Psychiatry Resident Weekly Lunch Meeting
Required: PGY1, PGY2, PGY3, PGY4
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA and Rob Marvin, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 48 sessions
This session will vary in topic each week of the month. Topics will include Director’s Hour, Resident Business Meeting, Wellness Sessions (resident wellness, fatigue, sleep, duty hours, and burnout) and a Resident Only Meeting. These sessions will allow residents from all levels to come together as a group. In the latter, to faculty member will be present so any faculty concerns can be discussed with chief residents.

Psychiatry Residency In-Training Examination (PRITE) Review
Resident led with back up from Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA and Rob Marvin, MD
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 1hr, 48 sessions
This seminar is a resident led review of questions from recent Psychiatry Residency In-Training Examinations (PRITEs). Residents take turns researching answers and are responsible for providing explanations of answers and participate in a group review and discussion.

PGY-2

Psychopharmacology/Psychopathology II
Required: PGY2
Ravi Valluripalli, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Pharmacy (MD, PhD, PharmD)
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 46 sessions
Spans PG1-PG4 years with PG-specific focus on assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions. Covers complex presentations of acute psychopathology, focusing on optimizing medical treatment and introduction to evidence-base psychotherapies.

Normal Development / Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Required: PGY2
Nina Liu, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 23 sessions
Provides an introduction to normal human/psychological development, scope of child and adolescent psychopathology and treatment.

Women’s Mental Health
Required: PGY2
Ankita Sharma, MD + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 23 sessions
Provides an overview of psychiatric conditions in the context of women’s health, including pregnancy, post-partum, perimenopause and trauma. Content on psychopharmacology during pregnancy and lactation is provided.

Consult-liaison Psychiatry
Required: PGY2
Katherin Sudul, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry (MD, APP)
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 12 sessions
Covers consultation liaison psychiatry, focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders and symptoms in complex medically ill patients. Conditions discussed include mood disorders and cardiac disease, post CVA depression, postpartum depression, delirium, substance withdrawal in medical/surgical patients, and mental health issues in oncology. Also covered is the liaison role that hospital based psychiatrists provide to healthcare teams.

Addiction Psychiatry
Required: PGY2
Laura Parise, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 23 sessions
Addresses the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorders. This includes alcohol/sedative, stimulant, opiate, hallucinogen, and others. Intoxication, withdrawal, and dependence are covered. The course also focuses on the assessment, differential diagnosis and management of patients with comorbid mental illness and substance use disorders. There is also review of epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, and course of addiction and outcome. Text used is The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Substance Abuse Treatment, 5th Edition.

Quality Improvement and Practice-based Learning
Required: PGY2
Rob Marvin, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 8 sessions
Extends the content introduced in PG-1 year as to the purpose, process and design of quality improvement projects using the IHI framework (required competition as part of the course). Residents will practice with a personal self-improvement exercise and identify a department level quality project they would like to participate in.

Research Literacy
Required: PGY2
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 6 sessions
Expands upon the introductory level research course provided in the PG-1 year. Residents are expected to understand research design, biostatistics and methodology well at this point. Residents will also be given comprehensive instructions on the process.

Ethics and Psychiatry
Required: PGY2
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA and Rob Marvin, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 4 sessions
Covers both the history and current knowledge base on medical codes of ethics, moral philosophies, and current medical and psychiatric ethical issues. Residents learn to recognize moral dilemmas and ethical issues and identify some strategies to manage their resolution. They also will gain insight into their own moral viewpoints and the ambiguity that exists in many ethical dilemmas and examine some current medical/psychiatric ethical issue(s) from the standpoint of her or his professional conscience.

Introduction to Psychotherapy
Required: PGY2
Rob Marvin, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 30 sessions
This series provides 1) an introduction to the purpose, process and design of quality improvement using the IHI framework; 2) an introduction to research design and methodology. Residents are expected to participate in quality improvement projects and scholarly activities.

Introduction to CBT
Required: PGY2
Brandy Crandell, PhD and Jennifer Nierstheimer, PhD
Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 30 sessions
Provides an introduction to the cognitive behavioral therapy framework – teaching coping strategies, theoretical/psychological basis, assessments, and basic techniques. This is a two-part course. The first part, early in the year focuses on basic skills using the framework that applicable to the inpatient services. The second part, at the end of the academic year, is preparatory for beginning outpatient CBT.

Departmental Grand Rounds – see description under PGY-1

Resident Journal Club – see description under PGY-1

M&M Conference – see description under PGY-1

Psychiatry Resident Weekly Lunch Meeting – see description under PGY-1

Psychiatry Residency In-Training Examination (PRITE) Review – see description under PGY-1

PGY-3

Psychopharmacology/Psychopathology III
Required: PGY3
Josh Straus, MD
Psychiatry, Pharmacy
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 46 sessions
Spans PG1-PG4 years with PG-specific focus on assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions. Extends content from PG-1 and PG-2 year. Provides an introduction to ambulatory presentation of psychopathology, focusing on initial medical treatment and combining medications with evidence-base psychotherapies.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Required: PGY3
Andrea Busby, PhD and Ashley Rolnik, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 24 sessions
Provides instructions in conducting assessments and providing therapy using the CBT model for medical conditions, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, trauma, and insomnia. The teaching format includes lectures, guided reading, and case discussion.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Required: PGY3
Rob Marvin, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 24 sessions
Extends content from PG-2 year. Provides foundational knowledge in psychodynamic psychotherapy (historical context, modern utilization), use of dynamic techniques, and combining therapy with medications. The teaching format includes lectures, case presentation/group supervision.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Required: PGY3
Natalie Schmidt, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 4 sessions
Provides an introduction to the DBT framework with a focus on techniques that can be applied in general clinical practice, including mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Family and Group Psychotherapy
Required: PGY3
Alex Schade, PhD and Laura Pettineo, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychology, Social Work
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 10 sessions
Provides an introduction to family therapy including the concepts of viewing the family as a system and identifying and modifying family dynamics. Basic principles of working with couples are also presented. Provides an introduction in to group therapy principles including structure and dynamics, formation and development, and leadership skills. The teaching format includes lectures, guided readings and video examples.

Forensic Psychiatry
Required: PGY3
Leslie Guidotti-Breting, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 8 sessions
Prepares trainees to be comfortable interacting with the legal system. Covers a broad range of topics including forensic criminal evaluations, family and child welfare law, custody evaluations, child abuse, guardianships, consent, psychiatric malpractice, and use of psychiatric evidence in courts. The course serves as the foundation for more advanced discussion of these issues as well as the experiential portion of forensic psychiatry.

Geriatric Psychiatry
Required: PGY3
Josh Straus, MD and Alona Romati, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 10 sessions
Provides instruction on the principles of diagnosis and treatment of major psychiatric disorders in the elderly, including the biology and psychology of aging, epidemiology of late-life mental disorders, geriatric medicine and psychopharmacology, functional and diagnostic assessment, major psychiatric disorders of late-life, intimacy and sexuality, bereavement, and practical management issues in nursing homes.

Community Psychiatry
Required: PGY3
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 8 sessions
Addresses aspects of community psychiatry, including historical aspects, research methodology, human service organizations and political entities that interface with mental health systems. This course provides the foundation for the supervised rotation experiences in community mental health.

Neuropsychological Assessments
Required: PGY3
Leslie Guidotti-Breting, PhD and Alexandra Kirsh, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 46 sessions
Extends the content from PG-2 and PG-3 year. Provides an introduction to ambulatory presentation of psychopathology, focusing on initial medical treatment and evidence-base psychotherapies.

Clinical Neuropsychiatry
Required: PGY3
Josh Straus, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 46 sessions
Extends content from PG-2 and PG-3 year. Provides an introduction to ambulatory presentation of psychopathology, focusing on initial medical treatment and evidence-base psychotherapies.

Departmental Grand Rounds – see description under PGY-1

Resident Journal Club – see description under PGY-1

M&M Conference – see description under PGY-1

Psychiatry Resident Weekly Lunch Meeting – see description under PGY-1

Psychiatry Residency In-Training Examination (PRITE) Review – see description under PGY-1

PGY-4

Career Guidance and Transition to Practice
Required: PGY4
Fred Miller, MD, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 8 sessions total
Provides a review of career options in psychiatry to assist PGY-4 residents preparing employment after graduation, including academic positions, private practice, inpatient psychiatry, ambulatory psychiatry, telepsychiatry, research and consulting roles. Provides review of the job application process, preparation of curriculum vitae, and other aspects of career planning. Provides instruction on topics around transition to practice such as malpractice, hospital privileges, establishing a private practice, insurance panels, board certification and licensure, among other topics. The teaching format includes lectures, group discussion, and personal feedback.

Administrative Psychiatry and Leadership Skills
Required: PGY4
Ramon Solhkhah, MD, MBA
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 8 sessions
This course is an overview of administrative psychiatry and leadership skills. Topics include leadership of interdisciplinary teams, departmental administration, hospital administration, and economic and governmental considerations in administration. This course also includes a review of the financing and regulation of mental health care. Topics include the history of Medicaid, Medicare reimbursement, graduate medical education funding, and government and regulatory influences on the provision of mental health care.

Psychopharmacology/Psychopathology IV
Required: PGY4
Dan Levy, MD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Pharmacy
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 40 sessions
Spans PG1-PG4 years with PG-specific focus on assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions. Covers complex ambulatory presentation of psychopathology, focusing on optimizing medical treatment and integrating evidence-base psychotherapies. The teaching format includes case presentation and discussion.

Psychotherapy Case Conference
Required: PGY4
Aylyard, Karsen (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Psychiatry, Psychology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 40 sessions
Utilizes an ongoing case presentation format to discuss integrated psychotherapies and combination with medication management.

Neuromodulation
Required: PGY4
Josh Straus, MD and Ravi Valluripalli, MD
Psychiatry
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 10 sessions
Provides an overview of the use of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS, and Deep Brain Stimulation, including historical context, current indications, evaluation, contraindications, risk/benefits, techniques, procedures, and post treatment recovery issues. Additional sessions will cover newer treatment interventions including ketamine and psychedelics.

Clinical Neurology Review
Required: PGY4
Beth Geary, PhD (coordinating) + topic-specific speakers
Neurology
Full-time, weekly, 50 min, 4 sessions
This course emphasizes the aspects of neurology that a psychiatrist is likely to encounter in clinical practices. It provides a detailed review of neurological conditions commonly seen including dementia, stroke, seizure, and delirium. It will focus on a review of differential diagnoses and management options. The text used is Clinical Neurology for Psychiatrists by David Kaufman.

Departmental Grand Rounds – see description under PGY-1

Resident Journal Club – see description under PGY-1

M&M Conference – see description under PGY-1

Psychiatry Resident Weekly Lunch Meeting – see description under PGY-1

Psychiatry Residency In-Training Examination (PRITE) Review – see description under PGY-1