Family Medicine & Psychiatry Program

Overview

Welcome to the University of Cincinnati/The Christ Hospital's Family Medicine and Psychiatry program! We began our combined program in 1995 at the request of one the University of Cincinnati medical students, which makes our program the longest-running FMP program in the United States. We are also one of the few that is run by a training director dedicated only to the combined program.  We have two positions available per year and to date we have graduated 28 residents from our program.

This rigorous training program spans five years, the duration of which encompasses experiences in both specialties throughout.  At the completion of the five years, residents are eligible to sit for the board exams of both specialties.  In addition to this, residents also concomitantly gain skills and experience in practicing integrated and collaborative care during residency, which are important and evolving features of our healthcare system and can lead to exciting and innovative career opportunities.  This program aims to train clinicians who are motivated to continue to use the skills obtained in both specialties throughout their careers.

Resident Life

Our residents comprise a close-knit group strengthened by monthly meetings exclusively for the combined residents at a local venue or Dr. Wulsin's home in Clifton, during which we collaborate on exciting projects, have guest speakers, and engage in a unique curriculum tailored to the interests of combined-trained physicians.  We also make a yearly trip as a program to the Association for Medicine and Psychiatry Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Our residents are very supportive of each other and available to lend help in both personal and professional situations. In addition, being involved in both worlds of Family Medicine and Psychiatry throughout the five years allows us to develop relationships with residents in not only both of these programs but also in other departments, including the five-year Triple Board Program in Child and Adult Psychiatry and Pediatrics, a collaboration between the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The Future

The demand for graduates with integrated training in psychiatry and medicine has visibly increased in recent years. We attribute this need to increasing demands for and innovative efforts at health care reform, and the growing knowledge that the psychiatric and physical illnesses are often co-morbid and in need of specialized attention.

We're confident that this career pathway integrating psychiatry and medicine will play a formative role in our new health care system, and we hope you'll join us in shaping these new approaches.

Learn more about the categorical Family Medicine training program on the UC Department of Family and Community Medicine’s website.