Psychiatric education at a veterans affairs medical center

The authors describe how a small and relatively low-functioning psychiatric teaching program at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center was transformed over a 6-year period into an active and well-functioning program for both medical students and residents. Steps were taken to address trainees' negative perceptions about VA patients and faculty, recruit and support an education-oriented staff, and improve the "user-friendliness" of the system. Efforts were made to integrate education into the missions of a variety of clinical and research programs while emphasizing the convergence of trends in the field of psychiatry with the VA experience. Data are presented indicating improvements in student and resident evaluations. Training was significantly expanded on inpatient units, chemical dependence units, a research unit, and an outpatient clinic. The authors offer suggestions that may be helpful to those developing psychiatric education at other academically affiliated VA medical centers.