Residency Interview Tips for Medical Students Interested in Community Psychiatry

Questions to Ask About Community Psychiatry Training During Residency Interviews

Sample Questions:

• What kinds of community psychiatry rotations do residents complete? At what stage of training? Are they mandatory or elective? Longitudinal or block structure?

  • State hospitals

  • VA or public-sector services

  • Jails or prisons

  • Outpatient clinics serving people with serious mental illness (SMI)

  • Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams

  • Mobile crisis or homeless outreach programs

  • Integrated or collaborative care models with primary care

  • Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)

  • Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs)

  • Substance use treatment programs

  • Asylum clinic 

• How integrated are psychiatry residents with social workers, peer specialists, and case managers during rotations?

• Is there a formal community psychiatry track or fellowship?

• Are there formal didactics on community psychiatry-related topics?

  • Social Justice and Health Equity

  • Systems of Care/ Systems-Based Practice

  • Recovery-Oriented Care

  • Trauma-Informed Care

  • Social Determinants of Health

  • Management and Leadership 

  • Advocacy

• Is there dedicated mentorship for residents interested in community psychiatry?

• Are residents required or encouraged to complete scholarly projects related to community or public psychiatry? Can you share some examples of prior projects?

  • Is there protected time and funding to support the projects?

• What percentage of residents pursue a career in the public sector (i.e; a position outside of research, private practice or an academic setting) after graduating? 

• What percentage of residents pursue a fellowship in public psychiatry?