People choose an academic career for many reasons. They may enjoy being part of a large community, teaching, or continuously learning from colleagues who are passionate about a particular area of psychiatry. Another attraction is the diversity of academic career paths available. Faculty in an academic medical center typically focus on one or more areas: education (involving medical students, residents, psychology interns, or fellows), administration & finance, quality improvement, clinical specialization, program development, policy advocacy, or research. All these paths are invaluable to an academic medical center, benefiting patients, practitioners, and learners alike.
In contrast to other departments’ resident research tracks, the UAMS Resident Academic Track (RAT) values and offers opportunities in all these areas. Residents in the RAT learn the language, major concepts, and ongoing challenges of each field. The program includes long-term mentor/resident relationships, small-group interactions with various UAMS faculty, and support in pursuing a project in one of these areas. Careers in academic medicine involve teaching, delivering professional presentations, conducting scholarly and critical literature reviews, developing new clinical programs, leading interdisciplinary teams, collaborating in research endeavors as co-investigators, and possessing a broad appreciation of research methodology. The UAMS RAT provides experience in all these areas to foster and promote each resident’s interest in academia.
Residents apply for the RAT at the end of their PGY-1 year and participate in the PGY-2 year and beyond.
If you are interested in learning more about the RAT program, please reach out to Dr. Abigail Richison, M.D., at abrichison@uams.edu.