University of South Alabama Department of Psychiatry

The primary goal of the training program is to produce physicians who are capable of providing high quality psychiatric services in a variety of contemporary settings and to identify and mentor those who are capable of becoming adult leaders in the field of psychiatry. First and foremost our philosophy emphasizes that as clinicians we must be dedicated and available to our patients. Our program recognizes that adequate training for the current and future practice of psychiatry requires continued utilization of new research in a field that is rapidly developing in order to go beyond the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes residents need to develop a professional identity. With this concept in mind, the USA Department of Psychiatry has expanded its faculty and has revised didactics with an emphasis on both biologic and psychotherapeutic modes of treatment.

The residency program is managed by a well established mental health entity called AltaPointe Health Systems which offers a wide variety of choices of clinical experiences. Today, AltaPointe is Alabama’s largest regional community behavioral health provider with more than 700 clinical and non-clinical staff members who serve more than 15,000 children, adolescents and adults annually. The USA Psychiatry program is approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education’s Residency Review Committee for four years of training.