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Welcome to the Department of Psychiatry's Website
The Department of Psychiatry of Virginia Commonwealth University
and the VCU Medical Center offers a full continuum of specialized
programs and services to meet the mental health needs of Richmond
residents and the referral needs of clinicians from around the Commonwealth
of Virginia and the Middle-Atlantic region of the USA. Our department
is multifaceted, energetic and committed to the belief that the
future of medical practice will be deeply influenced by brain/behavioral
research. We are playing a major role in this work and believe that
research will unlock the mystery of mental illness and provide cures
for our patients. Our clinical practice is based on the application
of evidence-based psychiatry to each person's unique situation.
The academic medical center, coupled with the vast resources of
the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, produces a synergy
in the Department's three-fold mission of patient care, clinical
research and education.
Patient Care
Our clinical practice begins with the belief that correct diagnosis
most often leads to appropriate treatment. We therefore specialize
in diagnostic evaluation coupled with extensive expertise in biological
and psychological therapies. We place special emphasis on the combination
and integration of treatments, which usually brings the best result
for our patients. Our faculty treat the range of human behavioral
problems, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, personality
disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. We work with all
ages. Our faculty has special competency in dealing with the psychiatric
problems associated with physical illness and special problems encountered
by patients and families at the end of life.
Child, adult and geriatric programs meet the needs of each population.
Services are unsurpassed both in terms of their responsiveness to
individual patient and family needs and their application of the
latest research and clinical knowledge in psychiatry.
The Department has several modern sites specifically designed to
work within a managed behavioral care environment, an array of central
MCV outpatient services including subspecialty clinics and highly
specialized inpatient programs.
The Department also includes Psychiatric Genetics as well as Psychological
and Neuropsychological assessment.
Please call our Intake and Referral service at (804)828-2000 or
(800)232-0901. We have enduring optimism about the benefits of appropriate
diagnosis and treatment for mental illnesses and apply the most
current research findings to the problems of each patient.
Research
Research is the answer -- if the question is, "What is the intervention
most likely to improve patient health while controlling global costs?"
A moment's reflection about the impact of the Salk Polio vaccine
brings this point home. Our research in schizophrenia, psychiatric
genetics, epidemiology and women's mental health is world recognized,
and we have great strength in children's psychiatric disorders.
Extensive work is ongoing in understanding substance abuse disorders.
Our research takes place in many settings across the globe and rigorous
attention is given to informed consent, subject protection and adherence
to the highest in ethical standards. Research is only done with
the full consent of the patient.
Education
On this website, you will find detailed descriptions of our adult
psychiatric residency program and pediatric psychology internship.
These programs are fully accredited and attract quality applicants.
We also offer psychiatric fellowships in Child, Psychosomatic Medicine,
and Addiction Medicine.
In addition, our department is responsible for the psychiatric education
of 680 medical students in VCU's School of Medicine and operates
special training programs for post-doctoral psychologists, M.D./Ph.D.
candidates and social work interns.
Our department has a strong collaboration with the Hunter Holmes
McGuire Veteran's Administration Medical Center, including staffing,
training and teaching. We also offer strong strategic partnerships
with INOVA Fairfax Hospital and the Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. We believe
collaboration with other programs expands the educational experience
for all our students and employees.
I hope you will explore our website. Feel free to personally call
faculty whose interests coincide with yours. As a component of a
vibrant urban university, service to our community is a high priority.
Please e-mail me if I may be of service.
Joel J. Silverman, M.D.
Professor and Chairman
Department of Psychiatry
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Explore Patient
Care Options in our Department
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Explore Psychiatric
Research
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Explore Psychiatry
Residency and Educational Activities
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What's News
in the Department of Psychiatry More... |
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