As we enter the 2008-2009 academic year, the enthusiasm and excitement that we have here at the Medical College of Georgia regarding our Department and our residency program continues to grow.

MCG is one of the oldest medical schools in the country, with a  tradition of excellence in education that dates back to 1828. Our first chairman was Dr. Hervey Cleckley, perhaps best known for his work with another Augusta psychiatrist Doctor Corbett Thigpen when they wrote about their experiences in “The Three Faces of Eve”. Over the ensuing 69 years since Dr. Cleckley first assumed the chairmanship our Department has expanded dramatically, developing nationally and internationally recognized excellence in teaching and research. Our residency training program is staffed by over 30 full-time faculty dedicated to the fulfillment of our educational mission.

Under the leadership of our current Chairman, Dr. Peter F. Buckley, we have made great strides in the recruitment of new faculty dedicated to our educational mission, in the acquisition of new resources and infrastructure to support the efforts of the Department, and in our Department’s impact on our institution, our state, and our profession on a national level.  Our institution is enthusiastic about the Department and the increasingly vital role that it plays at MCG. Our success has been recognized by the hospital  and medical school leadership as demonstrated by our newly renovated Departmental facilities in the historic Stoney Building at MCG.

The quality and number of the applicants to our program continues to grow. We conducted approximately 1/3 more interviews this past season than the year before, and our total number of applicants has grown substantially. There are a number of reasons that account for this growth.

Why do residents choose MCG over other programs?

Because of the Residency

	Size of residency program
	Strong CBT and psychotherapy training
	ABPN Board Success
	Close proximity of training sites
	Team approach of residency
	Strong social network of residents
	Enhanced emphasis on scholarship, faculty mentorship of trainees and evidence-based learning
	Competitive salaries/benefits in a city with a markedly low cost of living
	Moonlighting opportunities
	Front-loaded first call system

Because of Augusta

	Cost of Living (one of the lowest costs for housing of metropolitan areas in the U.S.)
	Proximity to Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston, Hilton Head, mountains
	Family friendly
	Southern lifestyle
	Lack of urban hassles

Because of the Department

	A national leader in the principles of Recovery and Patient-Centered Care
	Active and collegial interface with Psychology and Psychiatry
	Visibility and approachability of Chairman and faculty
	Attractive and strong Child/Adolescent Residency Program
	Departmental Values (Integrity, Respect, Pride, Collegiality)
	Research opportunities
	Department is stable financially and in a growth phase

Our program is large enough to provide a diverse, multidisciplinary faculty that can truly embrace and teach a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach to psychiatry, and yet is small enough that close and rewarding learning relationships are readily established with even the most senior faculty. We provide a program that will enable our graduates to be fully capable in understanding and utilizing the fund of neuroscientific knowledge available to our field. At the same time the psychosocial aspects of care and psychotherapy skills are also emphasized.

If you are seeking a program with a dedicated faculty sincerely interested in the welfare and progress of its trainees, if you are seeking a program that combines academic excellence with a supportive and collegial environment, if you are seeking a program that is increasingly recognized for its academic accomplishments, educational interventions, and clinical service delivery, then I would urge you to come and check us out. I am confident that you will not be disappointed.

Stewart A. Shevitz, MD, MSHA
Professor of Psychiatry
Director of Psychiatric Education and Residency Training