Department of Psychiatry

Psychiatry Focused Tracks

The Psychiatry Training Program is proud to offer optional focused tracks during a resident’s second, third and fourth year. Selection into a focused track will continue if the resident is selected to enter the Wright State Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program. In addition to obtaining an excellent foundation in general psychiatry experiences, residents are encouraged to focus their studies and experiences in one of the following tracks: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Psychiatry Leadership or Psychotherapy. Required community psychiatry rotations normally scheduled for the R3 year will be moved to complete during elective time in the R4 year.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Track

2017 APA Conference poster presentation on telepsychiatry webcam screen display preferences
2017 APA Conference poster presentation on telepsychiatry webcam screen display preferences

By the completion of this track, the resident will be able to:

  • Diagnose and manage a variety of co-morbid mental illnesses in patients with Intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD)
  • Use telepsychiatry to provide services to patients with ID/DD
  • Complete scholarly projects related to patients with ID/DD
  • Engage in the therapeutic milieu of a workshop

Maximum number of residents accepted: Two per year

Specific Coursework

In addition to the general psychiatry curriculum, the resident will participate in the following:

  1. R2: Elective at Access Ohio or Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities
  2. R3: A half day per week at ID/DD at Access Ohio or Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities (in lieu of Community Psychiatry)
  3. R4: Two half days per week at Access Ohio or Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities

More information about the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Track (PDF)

Track Supervisor

Allison E Cowan, MD

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry

Psychiatry Leadership Track

By the completion of this track, the resident will be able to:

  • Discuss the common difficulties faced when integrating health care systems
  • Propose solutions for difficulties encountered when integrating services among health care systems
  • Describe the challenges facing leaders in evolving medical care systems
  • Explain how physicians can serve as agents of change in society
  • Compare strategies for managing patient-staff and staff-staff relationships
  • Estimate the impact of psychiatric illness on medical health in individuals and communities
  • Utilize a variety of quantitative assessment tools in measuring the quality of health care
  • Summarize the challenges of working with multiple funding streams
  • Analyze the benefits and challenges of a variety of health care business models
  • Propose and appraise options for using public resources to improve public health

Maximum number of residents accepted: One per year, with additional residents depending on funding

Specific Coursework

In addition to the general psychiatry curriculum, the resident will participate in the following:

  1. R2: Elective focused on reading articles on medical leadership
  2. R3: Half day per week in classes on Health Resource Management and Policy, Strategic Leadership in Health Care and Financial Management of Health Service Organizations.
  3. R4: Two half days per week attending appropriate medical leadership meetings, advocacy boards, working groups and experiences at various country ADAMHS boards, Premier Health, Summit Behavioral Health, Access Ohio, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton VA Medical Center and CareSource.
  4. Prepare a publishable paper on a topic related to psychiatric leadership
  5. Present a psychiatric leadership topic at a local, regional, state or national meeting

More information about the Psychiatry Leadership Track (PDF)

Track Supervisors

Ryan Christopher Mast, D.O., MBA

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry Child & Adolescent Fellowship Training Director
Address:
2555 University Blvd, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Brian Merrill, M.D.

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry

Psychotherapy Track

By the completion of this track, the resident will be able to:

  • Competently provide a broad array of psychotherapy services
  • Instruct/supervise medical students and junior residents providing psychotherapy
  • Participate in organizations promoting psychotherapy
  • Complete scholarly projects related to patients with psychotherapy

Maximum number of residents accepted: Two per year

Specific Coursework

In addition to the general psychiatry curriculum, the resident will participate in the following:

  1. R2: Psychotherapy elective coinciding with the MS IV Psychotherapy elective
  2. R3: Two half days per week at the Resident Therapy Clinic
  3. R4: Two half days per week at the Resident Therapy Clinic in addition to a one-month elective coinciding with the MS IV Psychotherapy elective

More information about the Psychotherapy Track (PDF)

Track Supervisor

Allison E Cowan, MD

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry

Clinician Educator Track

By the completion of this track the resident will be able to: 

  • Assist in the training and supervision of medical students and residents using effective educational strategies 
  • Contrast the benefits of various educational strategies and methods 
  • Develop innovative educational offerings at local and national levels 
  • Investigate and summarize the impact of continuing medical education on patient care 

Maximum number of residents: Two per year 

Specific Coursework 

In addition to the general psychiatry curriculum, the resident will participate in the following: 

  1. R2 - Elective month: Reading requirements, assisting in introductory medical student course, create workshop proposals, Grand Rounds presentation, QI project 
  2. R3 – ½ day per week: Graduate coursework, medical student didactics and observed interviews, educate other residencies, inpatient / Consult and Liaison as teaching resident to medical students, create workshop proposals, Grand Rounds presentation, QI project 
  3. R4 – Time equivalent of two 1/2 days per week: Medical student education and observed interviews, Psychiatry Interest Group involvement, educate other residencies, teaching interviews and the mental status exam to medical students, graduate coursework, OSCE facilitator, create workshop proposals, Grand Rounds presentation, QI project 

More information about the Clinician Educator Track (PDF)

Track Supervisors

Bethany L. Harper, M.D.

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry Director of Medical Student Education, Psychiatry
Address:
2555 University Blvd, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Brian Merrill, M.D.

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry

College Mental Health Track

By the completion of this track the resident will be able to: 

  • Diagnose and manage a variety of mental illnesses in a university population using a developmental approach. 
  • Initiate quality improvement project and scholarly activities involving university mental health activities 
  • Participate in mental health outreach to a university population 
  • Participate in an interdisciplinary team aimed at the collaboration of medication and therapy in psychiatric treatment 

Maximum number of residents: Two per year 

Specific Coursework 

In addition to the general psychiatry curriculum, the resident will participate in the following: 

  1. R2 - Elective month at University of Dayton Counseling and Wellness Services 
  2. R3 – ½ day per week providing clinical care at a pre-designated college mental health center 
  3. R4 – Time equivalent of two 1/2 days per week at a pre-designated college mental health center; assist with supervising junior residents; provide education to others; prepare publishable paper; develop and implement QI project; present at didactics 

More information about the College Mental Health Track (PDF)

Track Supervisors

Bethany L. Harper, M.D.

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry Director of Medical Student Education, Psychiatry
Address:
2555 University Blvd, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Ryan Christopher Mast, D.O., MBA

Department:
Psychiatry
Title:
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry Child & Adolescent Fellowship Training Director
Address:
2555 University Blvd, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Psychiatric Research Track 

By the completion of this track the resident will be able to: 

  • Conduct a focused literature review related to a research question with a psychiatric focus. 
  • Submit a research proposal to the Wright State University Institutional Review Board (IRB) 
  • Collect data for a research project that the resident helps to design 
  • Collaborate with a biostatistician and/or other departments within the Boonshoft School of Medicine and/or other universities or locations 
  • Present research findings via a poster/presentation or submit a manuscript to a journal for publication 

Maximum number of residents: Two per year 

Specific Coursework 

In addition to the general psychiatry curriculum, the resident will participate in the following: 

  • R2 – elective month: Choose a research topic to investigate, Conduct a literature review, Obtain CITI training, Begin writing and networking with potential collaborators. 
  • R3 – ½ day per week: Create a research proposal and begin data collection. 
  • R4 –Approximately two 1/2 days per week: Continue data collection, Utilize collaborators to analyze data, Create a presentation/article, Present research findings, Serve as a mentor to medical student(s), Complete additional readings as assigned 

More information about the Psychiatric Research Track (PDF)

Track Supervisors

Nita V Bhatt, MD, MPH, FAPA

Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry Associate Clerkship Director, Psychiatry Faculty Career Advisor, Psychiatry

Danielle Gainer, M.D.

Department:
Family Medicine
Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry
Address:
2555 University Blvd, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Suzie K. Nelson, MD

Title:
Associate Professor, Psychiatry & Pediatrics Program Director, Psychiatry
Address:
88th Medical Group, Mental Health Clinic, 4881 Sugar Maple Dr, Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433-5529
Last edited on 09/13/2021.