The Psychiatry Residency Program at Metropolitan Hospital is deeply committed to delivering the highest quality psychiatric education and clinical training. Across all years of residency and multiple disciplines, the program fosters a supportive and enriching learning environment designed to meet the diverse educational needs of its residents. The curriculum combines comprehensive clinical experiences with dedicated mentorship to promote excellence, professionalism, and leadership in psychiatry.
PGY-1 Psychiatry Residents
The primary focus of the PGY-1 year is to establish the foundational skills necessary to become a competent physician and psychiatrist in training. Residents gain broad clinical exposure through a combination of medical and psychiatric rotations designed to strengthen diagnostic, therapeutic, and interdisciplinary care skills.
Clinical Rotations
- Internal Medicine: 3 months
- Medical Emergency Department: 1 month
- Inpatient Psychiatry: 5 – 6 months (including 1 month of Geriatric Psychiatry)
- Night Float – Inpatient Psychiatry: 6 – 8 weeks (completed in 2-week blocks)
- Psychiatry Emergency Department: 4 weeks
Didactic Experience
PGY 1 and PGY 2 residents participate in structured didactic sessions held on Monday and Friday afternoons. Residents also attend the New York Medical College Grand Rounds series virtually on Thursday afternoons, as well as Wednesday morning Case Conferences and Journal Club sessions attended by residents from all PGY levels. These educational activities are designed to enhance clinical knowledge, critical thinking, and evidence-based psychiatric practice.
Sample of Lecture topics: Interviewing
Call Responsibility
When residents are assigned to Internal Medicine (IM) and Emergency Medicine (EM) rotations, on-call responsibilities are determined by those respective services. Weekend overnight coverage is provided by the Night Float (NF) team, which consists of one PGY-1 and one PGY-2 resident.
PGY-2 Psychiatry Residents
The PGY-2 year is a critical period in which residents further develop and integrate their professional identity as psychiatrists. A major focus of this year is building confidence and competency in the evaluation and treatment of acutely ill psychiatric patients. Residents are exposed to a broad range of psychopathology across multiple clinical settings that emphasize focused assessment, crisis intervention, and acute psychiatric care.
Clinical Rotations
- Neurology: 2 months (completed in four 2-week blocks)
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic: 2 months (completed in four 2-week blocks)
- Consultation Liaison Psychiatry: 1 – 2 months
- Substance Abuse/CATCH Team: 1 month (completed in two 2-week blocks)
- Inpatient Psychiatry: 2 – 4 months
- Emergency Psychiatry: 4 weeks (completed in 2-week blocks)
- Night Float: 8 weeks (completed in 2-week blocks)
Didactic Experience
PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents participate in scheduled didactic lectures on Monday and Friday afternoons. Residents also attend the New York Medical College (NYMC) Grand Rounds series virtually on Thursday afternoons, as well as Wednesday morning Case Conferences and Journal Club sessions attended by residents across all PGY levels.
Lecture topics include a broad range of psychiatric and psychotherapy-related subjects designed to strengthen both clinical knowledge and therapeutic skills.
Call Responsibility
Weekend call coverage consists of 12-hour shifts on Saturdays and Sundays, staffed by two residents. Senior residents are responsible for coverage of the Psychiatry Emergency Service, while junior residents provide coverage for the inpatient psychiatry units.
PGY-3 Psychiatry Residents
The PGY-3 year focuses primarily on outpatient psychiatric care and the continued development of psychotherapy, diagnostic, and longitudinal treatment skills. Residents work with patients across a variety of outpatient settings while gaining greater autonomy in clinical decision-making and treatment planning.
Clinical Rotations
- Outpatient Psychiatry: 12 months
- Outpatient Clinic
- Walk-In Evaluation Unit
Didactic Experience
PGY-3 residents attend lectures on Monday and Thursday mornings. Residents also participate in the New York Medical College (NYMC) Grand Rounds series virtually, as well as Wednesday morning Case Conferences and Journal Club sessions attended by all PGY levels.
Lecture topics include psychotherapy and a wide range of advanced psychiatric topics designed to strengthen clinical knowledge and therapeutic techniques.
Call Responsibility
PGY-3 residents participate in weekend and holiday call coverage responsibilities.
PGY-4 Psychiatry Residents
The PGY-4 year is designed to promote consolidation of clinical skills, professional mastery, leadership development, and career exploration as residents prepare for independent practice or fellowship training.
Clinical Rotations
- Outpatient Clinic: 4-6 blocks
- Electives: 2 months
- Completion of any remaining residency requirements not fulfilled during the previous three years: 4-6 months
Didactic Experience
- NYMC Grand Rounds
- Journal Club and Case Conference lectures
- Teaching and supervision of medical students
- Board preparation sessions
Lecture topics during the PGY-4 year cover a broad range of advanced and specialized psychiatric subjects tailored to resident interests and career goals.
Services Overview
Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Service
The Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Service is located within the Behavioral Health Pavilion and consists of four specialized inpatient units, each with 25 beds dedicated to the treatment of adult psychiatric patients. Patients may be admitted through the Psychiatric Emergency Department or referred following psychiatric consultation from other hospital services, including Medicine, Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Obstetrics/Gynecology.
The inpatient program provides comprehensive, patient-centered psychiatric care for individuals experiencing acute mental health conditions. Treatment is delivered by a multidisciplinary team led by attending psychiatrists and supported by residents, psychologists, social workers, counselors, nursing staff, and other allied health professionals. Nursing care is available 24 hours a day to ensure patient safety, stabilization, and continuity of care.
The inpatient team works collaboratively to perform thorough psychiatric evaluations, identify each patient’s individual clinical needs, and develop personalized treatment plans. Care may include psychiatric assessment, medication management, crisis stabilization, psychotherapy, group therapy, discharge planning, and coordination with community resources. The overall goal is to promote stabilization, recovery, and a successful transition back into the community with appropriate outpatient follow-up and support services.
Adult Mental Health Outpatient Services
The Adult Mental Health Clinic provides a broad range of outpatient psychiatric services designed to support individuals with varying mental health needs. Services include psychiatric evaluations, medication management, individual psychotherapy, group therapy, crisis intervention, and case management.
For individuals requiring urgent psychiatric assessment, the Walk-In Evaluation Unit is available weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During evenings, weekends, and holidays, psychiatric emergency services are available through the Psychiatric Emergency Department, located in Room 1A19 of the Main Hospital Building.
The department also offers an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for patients who benefit from more structured and frequent therapeutic support while remaining in the community. The IOP includes daily therapeutic sessions led by mental health professionals and addresses a variety of clinical concerns, including:
- Substance use disorders
- Anger management
- Mood disorders
- Women’s mental health issues
These programs are designed to improve coping skills, symptom management, emotional regulation, and overall functioning while helping patients maintain stability in their daily lives.
Child/Adolescent Mental Health Outpatient Services
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinic provides specialized psychiatric care for children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17. The clinic offers comprehensive mental health evaluations and individualized treatment plans tailored to the developmental and emotional needs of each patient.
Services include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family counseling
- Play therapy
- Crisis intervention
- Case management
- Medication management and treatment
The clinic’s multidisciplinary team works closely with families, schools, and community providers to support the emotional well-being, behavioral health, and developmental progress of children and adolescents. The program emphasizes early intervention, family involvement, and evidence-based treatment approaches to help young patients achieve long-term emotional and psychological wellness.
Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
The clinic provides comprehensive treatment services for adults ages 18 and older who are experiencing opioid dependence and related substance use disorders. The program utilizes evidence-based medication-assisted treatment (MAT), including Methadone and Suboxone (buprenorphine), to help patients achieve stabilization, reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and support long-term recovery.
Treatment is delivered through a multidisciplinary approach that addresses the medical, psychological, and social aspects of addiction. Upon admission, patients undergo comprehensive evaluations that may include physical health examinations, psychiatric assessments, biopsychosocial evaluations, toxicology screenings, and risk assessments to determine individualized treatment needs.
The program offers a wide range of supportive services, including:
- Medication-assisted treatment with Methadone or Suboxone
- Routine medical and psychiatric care
- Individual counseling and psychotherapy
- Group therapy and recovery-focused counseling
- Toxicology testing and monitoring
- Crisis intervention and risk assessment
- Case management and community referrals
- Discharge planning and continuity-of-care coordination
- Wellness education and life skills development
Care is provided by a multidisciplinary treatment team that may include psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors, case managers, and other behavioral health professionals. The team works collaboratively to support each patient’s recovery goals, improve overall functioning, and promote long-term physical and emotional wellness.
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
The Metropolitan Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program has been serving patients since 1995 and was the first ACT program established in New York City. The program received official licensure from the New York State Office of Mental Health in 2008.
The ACT Program consists of two multidisciplinary teams dedicated to providing intensive, community-based psychiatric treatment and support for individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). The program is specifically designed for patients who have difficulty engaging in traditional outpatient clinic settings, including individuals with frequent hospitalizations, poor treatment adherence, homelessness, or significant psychosocial challenges.
ACT services are delivered directly within the patient’s home or community environment, allowing the treatment team to provide highly individualized and accessible care. Team members actively engage with clients through regular visits, medication monitoring, crisis intervention, counseling, case management, and assistance with daily living needs.
The multidisciplinary ACT team may include psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, counselors, case managers, and peer support staff who work collaboratively to improve psychiatric stability, promote independence, reduce hospitalizations, and enhance overall quality of life.
Psychiatric Emergency Department
The Psychiatric Emergency Department is located on the first floor of the Hospital’s Main Building and operates as part of the hospital’s 24-hour Emergency Services. The department provides emergency psychiatric evaluations and crisis intervention services for individuals experiencing acute mental health crises.
All patients presenting to the Psychiatric Emergency Department receive a comprehensive psychiatric assessment, diagnostic evaluation, and appropriate treatment recommendations. Depending on the patient’s clinical needs, care may include crisis stabilization, medication management, brief therapeutic intervention, referral to outpatient services, or admission to an inpatient psychiatric unit.
Immediate crisis intervention services are provided by a highly trained multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychiatric residents, nurses, social workers, and counselors. The department is committed to ensuring patient safety while providing compassionate, timely, and appropriate psychiatric care.
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatric Service
The Consultation-Liaison Psychiatric Service provides psychiatric evaluation and treatment for patients admitted to medical, surgical, rehabilitation, and specialty units throughout the hospital. This service focuses on addressing the psychological and psychiatric aspects of medical illness and hospitalization.
The Consultation-Liaison team assists in identifying, diagnosing, and managing a wide range of psychiatric and behavioral concerns that may arise during medical treatment, including:
- Depression and anxiety related to medical illness
- Self-destructive or high-risk behaviors
- Violence or agitation
- Chronic pain management
- Delirium and cognitive disturbances
- Treatment refusal or noncompliance
- Coping with serious illness, death, and dying
The team collaborates closely with primary medical and surgical teams to provide integrated, patient-centered care that supports both physical and emotional well-being.
Substance Abuse Consultation Service
The Substance Abuse Consultation Service provides specialized consultation and treatment recommendations for patients with substance use disorders throughout the hospital, including those treated in the Emergency Department and inpatient medical and surgical services.
Specialists in addiction psychiatry and substance abuse work closely with primary treatment teams to assess patients’ substance use histories, identify co-occurring psychiatric concerns, manage withdrawal symptoms, and develop individualized treatment recommendations.
Services may include:
- Substance use assessments and evaluations
- Withdrawal management recommendations
- Medication-assisted treatment guidance
- Risk assessments and safety planning
- Referral to inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment programs
- Coordination of follow-up care and community resources
The service also supports patients receiving care through the Mental Health Outpatient Services program, ensuring continuity of care and integrated treatment for individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders.
Call Responsibilities
The junior resident works in pairs, with the senior resident overseeing the Psychiatric Emergency Department and the junior resident managing inpatient services. These shifts are Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 8 p.m. to Sunday 8 a.m., and Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Additionally, there's a Night Float system covering weeknights, staffed by PGY 1 and PGY 2 residents, typically on a two-week block. PGY 3 and PGY 4 residents might also take on a week of Night Float annually if needed. Throughout these periods, an attending is always present for supervision and guidance.
Curriculum
Structured weekly, the curriculum is tailored for each PGY level, covering subjects such as Psychotherapy, Psychiatry Review, PRITE preparation, Evaluation, Interviewing, and Psychopharmacology, among others. Classes are scheduled from 8 AM to 9 AM, Monday through Friday.
Scholarly Activity and Academic Development
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires all residents to participate in scholarly activity as an essential component of residency training. The Psychiatry Residency Program at Metropolitan Hospital is strongly committed to fostering academic growth, critical thinking, lifelong learning, and contributions to the field of psychiatry through a wide range of scholarly opportunities.
Under the mentorship and guidance of faculty members, all residents actively participate in scholarly and educational activities throughout their training. Residents are scheduled to deliver multiple academic presentations each year, including Case Conferences, Journal Club discussions, and topic reviews designed to support preparation for both the Psychiatry Resident In-Training Examination (PRITE) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) certification examinations.
As part of the program’s commitment to academic excellence and professional development, all graduating residents are required to present at least one formal Grand Rounds lecture. These presentations allow residents to demonstrate clinical knowledge, critical analysis, teaching ability, and scholarly achievement before faculty, peers, and multidisciplinary staff.
Residents are strongly encouraged and actively supported in submitting their scholarly work for presentation at local, regional, national, and international conferences, as well as for publication in academic journals. Faculty mentors assist residents in project development, research methodology, abstract preparation, poster creation, manuscript writing, and conference submissions.
Examples of scholarly activities and original projects commonly pursued by residents include:
- Novel case reports and case presentations with literature discussion
- Comprehensive literature reviews
- Quality improvement and patient safety initiatives
- Retrospective and prospective clinical studies
- Educational and curriculum development projects
- Research related to psychiatric diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare systems
Residency Scholarly Activity Requirements
During residency training, each resident is expected to:
- Complete at least one original scholarly project to be presented at Grand Rounds. Projects may consist of original research or an in-depth literature review.
- Present at least one Case Conference annually.
- Present at least one Journal Club article review each year.
- Participate in at least one ongoing departmental research or scholarly activity group, which may lead to additional completed projects, presentations, or publications.
Many residents expand interesting clinical cases or research projects into poster presentations for outside conferences, research competitions, and journal submissions. These experiences provide residents with valuable opportunities to strengthen presentation skills, engage in academic collaboration, contribute to advances in psychiatric knowledge, and build strong professional portfolios for future careers in clinical practice, fellowship training, research, or academic psychiatry.
Benefits
Resident Salary and Compensation (Academic-Year Scale)
Resident salaries are structured according to postgraduate year (PGY) level and are subject to periodic review and contractual updates:
- PGY 1: $81,238
- PGY 2: $90,793
- PGY 3: $91,877
- PGY 4: $94,159
- PGY 5: $95,799
Additional Financial Support
Residents receive supplemental stipends to support educational and professional development needs:
- Annual Meal Stipend: $3,500 per year
- Educational Allowance: $650 per year
- May be used for medical books, journals, board examinations, or approved mobile devices
- Conference Support: $1,500 every three years
- Available for attendance at approved medical conferences and professional meetings
Benefits Package
Comprehensive benefits are provided through the hospital, with supplemental coverage administered through the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) union. Benefits are subject to change based on contractual negotiations.
Health and Insurance Coverage
- Medical insurance coverage
- Prescription drug coverage
- Dental insurance
- Vision/optical insurance
- Life insurance
- Short-term disability coverage
Additional Financial and Family Support
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options, including childcare benefits
- Up to $5,000 per year pre-tax for eligible childcare expenses
Professional and Educational Benefits
- Structured professional education support throughout residency training
Time Off Policies
Vacation
- 20 weekdays of vacation annually
- Subject to departmental approval and scheduling requirements
- Requests for adjacent weekends may be submitted but are not guaranteed.
Holidays
- 11 standard holidays
- Residents are typically scheduled to work two holidays per academic year.
Bereavement Leave
- Up to 3 days of paid leave for the loss of an immediate family member
Personal/Well-being Leave
- Up to 2 full days, or 4 half days annually
- Must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance and approved by program leadership
