Program Curriculum

The Triple Board Residency program follows a five-year progression that includes training through both academic and clinical settings in all three disciplines.

Two physicians sitting at desk facing one another and talking.

Psychiatry

The Triple Board resident spends 18 months training in all aspects of categorical Psychiatry, including inpatient and outpatient Psychiatry, adult Neurology, Psychotherapy, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Substance Abuse treatment, Emergency Psychiatry, and community mental health—all while collaborating with other mental health providers. These rotations take place at IU Health Methodist Hospital, IU Health University Hospital, Eskenazi Health Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children and the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. All rotation facilities are within walking distance of the IU School of Medicine’s downtown Indianapolis campus.

A psychiatrist meets with a pediatric patient.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Residents within the Triple Board Program spend 18 months training in all aspects of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Rotations include inpatient and outpatient Psychiatry, psychotherapy, pediatric Neurology, and long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. These rotations take place at Eskenazi Health Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children. Throughout the child and adolescent phase of training, residents attend continuity clinics starting in the spring of the PGY4 year. Electives are also offered in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and include school consults, forensics and substance abuse.

Pediatrics

Residents spend a total of 24 months training in Pediatrics. Rotations include general Pediatrics, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), Pediatric emergency medicine, Adolescent Medicine and Pediatric Neurology. These rotations take place at IU Health Methodist Hospital, Eskenazi Health, and Riley Hospital for Children. Residents have the opportunity to select four subspecialty months that best align with their clinical interests. A weekly continuity clinic rotation is mandatory for PGY1 residents with the option of every other week beginning in the PGY5 year.

Block Schedule

Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
PGY-1 The first (intern) year Triple Board training is divided into 13 four-week rotations or “blocks.” The majority of the intern year is dedicated to pediatrics training, allowing residents to fully integrate into the pediatric intern class. IU Triple Board uniquely includes two dedicated child and adolescent psychiatry rotations the first year. Residents consistently appreciate this ability to keep the “big picture” in mind and start child & adolescent psychiatry exposure early. Residents also start outpatient pediatric continuity clinic one half day per week and can continue this throughout the 5-year training, allowing for continuity of care.
11 Blocks	Pediatrics 2 Hospitalist, 1 Complex Care (inpatient Developmental Pediatrics), 2 specialty wards (may include Hematology/Oncology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Renal, etc.), Emergency, 1 elective, NICU, Ambulatory, Community, Newborn Nursery
2 Blocks	Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Consultation Liaison/Inpatient
Year-Round	Outpatient Pediatric Continuity Clinic: 1/2 day per week
Call	Includes night shifts, 28-hour call and short (4 hour) call
PGY-2 In the second year, residents transition from pediatrics to inpatient adult psychiatry and spend approximately half the time in pediatrics and half in adult psychiatry, including a rotation on adult neurology. The psychiatry portion splits and bookends the pediatrics blocks, to begin to integrate residents’ skills.
5 Blocks	Adult Psychiatry Divided into two 3-month periods interspersed with pediatrics Sites include the VA Medical Center, IU Methodist Hospital and Eskenazi Hospital
1 Block	Adult Neurology Sites include the VA Medical Center, IU Methodist Hospital and Eskenazi Hospital
7 Blocks	Pediatrics PICU, NICU, RER, general pediatrics ward, specialty ward, elective, and adolescent medicine are typical
Year-Round	Outpatient Pediatric Continuity Clinic: 1/2 day per week
Call	Pediatrics: 28-hour call on PICU, NICU, senior call for general inpatient and specialty wards Psychiatry: 3 blocks Emergency Psychiatry short call, 2 blocks overnight call with a post-call day
PGY-3 Most of the third year hones residents’ adult psychiatry skills with a variety of outpatient psychiatry clinics, including mood disorders, early psychosis, child & adolescent, psychodynamic psychotherapy, emergency psychiatry and perinatal psychiatry. The extended block of adult psychiatry clinics is similarly structured across Triple Board programs based on ACGME requirements. However, there is the opportunity to focus on specific populations of interest.
2 Blocks	Pediatrics
Remainder of Year	Outpatient adult psychiatry, including several half-day medication management clinics, therapy clinic, psychotherapy didactics and general didactics
Year-Round	Outpatient Pediatric Continuity Clinic: 1/2 day per week
Call	Varies based on pediatrics rotations selected Psychiatry call includes child and adolescent psychiatry coverage at Riley Children’s Hospital, opportunities for increased autonomy. Evening hours and weekend days, not overnight, taken a week at a time in rotation with other residents in the pool, averaging about one week every 3 months.
PGY-4 This year finishes the pediatrics training mid-year, and residents have an opportunity to change their continuity clinic to another site or a specific pediatric sub-specialty depending on developing interests. Residents also finish adult psychiatry training and transition into the child & adolescent psychiatry fellow role with opportunities to build confidence and skills as a leader.
5 Blocks	Pediatrics
3 months	Adult Consult-Liaison and Forensics
4 months	Inpatient Child, Adolescent Psychiatry and Residential
Call	Pediatrics rotation dependent Start Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow call, primarily home-call for Riley Hospital for Children
Year-Round	Continuity Clinic: 1/2 day per week
PGY-5 This year is full of opportunities to grow as a leader, take part in shaping the program and get involved in program level components. Residents master outpatient child and adult psychiatry medication management skills and establish strong therapeutic relationships through a full year of outpatient clinics. There are a wide variety of clinic opportunities with flexibility to pursue specific interests within the field. Residents also learn various forms of therapy with supervision. Having completed all of the pediatric training and taken victory laps in their pediatric continuity clinic, residents are eligible to take the pediatric board exam.
Entire Year	Outpatient Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, including experiences in forensics, school-based services, and other electives
Call	Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow morning and early evening home call every 3-4 weeks, weekend daytime inpatient coverage at Riley Hospital for children inpatient unit 2-3 weekends/year. No overnight call.