When was the program established?
The combined Family Medicine – Psychiatry program was founded in 2006. UPMC has a strong commitment to combined training.
Applying
How many residents do you accept each year?
Each of the two UPMC combined programs, WPH-St. Margaret and WPH-McKeesport, accepts one applicant per year.
What is happening with interviews this year?
All interviews will be conducted virtually across the UPMC system.
Do I have to do a combined elective rotation to get into the program?
The combined elective is a great way for applicants to get to know more about our program and for us to get to know you. However, it is not a requirement for application or interview. Unfortunately, this year we will not be offering a combined elective for visiting medical students. However, feel free to reach out to us so that you can learn more about the program.
Training
What is unique about training at UPMC Western Psychiatric and UPMC St Margaret?
Our program provides strong foundational skills in both Family Medicine and Psychiatry and allows residents to develop their own unique interests and skills. The program at UPMC St. Margaret serves diverse and underserved patient populations, improving access to myriad resources to help our surrounding communities. Our FHC’s provide Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders; onsite Hepatitis C treatments; consultation visits with pharmacists for medication management; home visits; social work and psychiatry consultation (often done by FM psych residents!). Family Medicine is the only residency program based at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital, and inpatient medicine training is excellent.
Does your program work with underserved populations?
Our three FHC’s focus on care of underserved populations. See our Health Center page for more information.
What experiences do combined residents gain in integrated behavioral health care?
Our combined residents serve in multiple roles as integrated behavioral health consultants and educators. Appropriate to their year of training, combined residents provide psychiatric consultations to our family physicians via psychiatric evaluations for patients (in person and telemedicine), psychiatric e-consultation (via the electronic health record), and informal “curbside” discussions. The combined residents are essential members of the inter-professional teams at the family health centers. They also participate in integrated behavioral health projects. Additional opportunities for developing teaching skills include facilitating case conferences, providing didactic presentations, and teaching motivational interviewing skills to categorical family medicine residents.
Do you offer Areas of Concentration?
At UPMC St. Margaret, we offer areas of concentration including addiction medicine, geriatrics, global health, HIV, and sports medicine. Combined residents are eligible to pursue these areas of concentration.
Can I choose my FHC?
Yes, both categorical FM and FM-Psych residents submit a rank list of their family health center choices. See our Health Center page for more information.
How much elective time do combined residents get?
The first two years of training consist most of the core rotations. Residents get one or two ½ day longitudinal psychiatry electives as a PGY3; a minimum of two months of FM electives as a PGY4; and three months of family medicine and three months of psychiatry electives as a PGY5. There is flexibility with scheduling.
Life as a Resident
What sort of benefits are offered to residents?
Each resident is provided a generous stipend for continuing medical education. USMLE Step 3 is covered for all residents at UPMC St. Margaret. You also receive a laptop at the start of residency. Free parking is provided at all sites. There are multiple opportunities for in-house moonlighting both at UPMC St Margaret and at UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.
How much vacation do residents get?
PGY 1 residents get 16 days of vacation in addition to 5 CME days.
PGY 2-5 get 19 days of vacation in addition to 5 CME days.
Residents also get an extra “comp” day of vacation for each holiday worked.
Beyond Training
What do combined residents do when they graduate?
Most of our combined residents have gone on to pursue careers in which they practice both family medicine and psychiatry. Careers have included working in an integrated primary care clinic; serving as a behavioral health director at an FM residency; practicing family medicine and psychiatry in a single out-patient clinic; providing psychiatric consultation to family physicians in the hospital and their out-patient clinics; providing both psychiatric and primary care at an FQHC. Some graduates have also provided specialty care in addiction medicine and perinatal psychiatry.