Research

We encourage residents to be involved in research and scholarly activity. All residents are required to do a resident peer review in which PGY-2 residents select a patient case for presentation with a faculty discussant. Evidence-based approaches to the clinical problem are presented and discussed with audience participation. Residents also have one half day a week of protected research time during their fourth year and present a research project during the Senior Research Day in June of their last year of residency.

Faculty members in the department are involved in research in addiction, trauma, forensic psychiatry, attachment disorders, as well as other areas of psychiatry. We also have successful research collaborations with the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, psychology, pediatrics, The Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and the Center on Trauma and Children.

In July 2016, we started a clinical scholars track in our adult residency program that is designed for residents with a strong interest in research and a career in academic psychiatry. Interested residents apply for this program in the second half of their PGY-2 and up to two residents a year are selected by a committee. Residents selected for this track get a half day of protected research time during their third year and a full day of protected research time in their fourth year. They also get additional mentorship in the research and publication process.

Psychotherapy Training

Psychotherapy training is an integral part of becoming a psychiatrist. Residents begin doing psychotherapy in their first year of training and become competent in three forms of psychotherapy by the end of training. These include supportive psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy. Residents also have training in couples, family, and group therapy. Our program has developed a step-wise series of expectations in psychotherapy training with goals to be attained each year of residency. Residents are required to write up summaries of their work in therapy for discussion with supervisors. They can optionally discuss video-recorded psychotherapy sessions with supervisors. Many faculty members see psychotherapy patients actively in their practices and have advanced training and/or experience in psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy Supervision

Close relationships with faculty are one of the strengths of our program. All residents are assigned two individual supervisors and meet with them weekly for one hour. Supervision focuses on a variety of topics. These include general case management, psychotherapy, teaching of special topics, and psychopharmacologic management. One of the residents' two supervisors is a psychotherapy supervisor. Detailed process notes, case summaries, and video-recorded psychotherapy sessions are discussed with this supervisor.

Forensic Education

Multiple educational opportunities in civil, criminal, and correctional settings are available. Residents have the opportunity to participate in psychiatric evaluations and psychological testing of civil assessments with Timothy Allen, MD, and John Ranseen, PhD.

Dr. Allen is an associate clinical professor and director of forensic services in the department of psychiatry. After completing his psychiatry residency at UK, Dr. Allen completed a one-year fellowship in forensic psychiatry at Tulane University in June 2003. He is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both general psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. In addition to his duties at UK, he is currently a staff psychiatrist at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center in LaGrange, Ky., where he performs competency and criminal responsibility evaluations for the Commonwealth.

Dr. Ranseen is a voluntary faculty member with extensive experience in neuropsychological and psychological assessment in clinical and forensic settings. He is a nationally recognized expert concerning the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it applies to mental disabilities. He is a consultant to numerous state bar exam committees and other professional licensing boards in regard to students requesting test accommodations for mental disability based on the ADA.