UT Southwestern has made an institution-wide commitment to training research-oriented residents, and the Department of Psychiatry shares that commitment. We are enthusiastic about training the next generation of psychiatrist-scientists.

Our research track residency program, called Translational Research Activities in Neuropsychiatry (TRAIN), is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (R25MH101078; M. H. Trivedi, Principal Investigator). The program is designed to allow flexibility for residents to develop and implement translational research projects. TRAIN residents will have access to didactics, financial support, and protected time for research.

With our diverse and extensive faculty, the Department of Psychiatry is in a unique position to prepare residents for successful academic research careers. Close connections with many other departments in UT Southwestern Medical School and UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences provide the framework for a variety of areas of scientific investigation.

Meet the Director

Madhukar H. Trivedi, M.D.

Dr. Trivedi is Professor of Psychiatry, Betty Jo Hay Distinguished Chair in Mental Health, and Julie K. Hersh Chair for Depression Research and Clinical Care at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He is the Director of the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care and Chief of the Division of Mood Disorders.

He is an established clinical and translational researcher, having been Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on a number of single and multisite clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), as well as foundations and industry. Some of Dr. Trivedi's research and clinical highlights:

• Published over 650 journal manuscripts and numerous book chapters
• Developed established benchmarks used for measurement-based treatment of depression and other mood disorders
• Founding Director, Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care
• Top Doctors List: Super Doctors – 2015, 2016, 2017
• Thomson Reuters: World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds/Highly Cited Researcher – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Dallas Innovates 2020: The Magazine: Dallas’ Future 50 List – 2020
• Dallas Innovates article "Madhukar Trivedi: Depression Research at ‘Inflection Point’"

Core Curriculum

During their second postgraduate year (PGY-2), Research Track residents attend weekly Research Track Seminars. The curriculum includes topics such as research design, biostatistics, grant writing, and critical evaluation of research literature. 

The core didactic curriculum for the Psychiatry Residency Program also includes discussions about issues pertinent to the personal success of residents, such as achieving financial stability through loan repayment programs and techniques for balancing work and life responsibilities.

Research Track residents have the chance to interact with prominent investigators in the field of psychiatry and to learn about their research career experience and ongoing work. Advanced Research Track residents gain valuable experience by presenting the findings of their own work and the future directions of their research.

Research Track Seminars

Seminars for Research Track residents include:

• TRAIN Translational Research Seminars to provide residents with foundational knowledge that will allow them to develop a general understanding of basic and translational research areas and techniques, and facilitate residents’ ability to directly interface with research laboratories on campus. TRAIN residents can supplement these seminars through active participation in basic neuroscience-focused journal clubs, laboratory meetings, Research Practicum, and presentations.
• TRAIN Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Seminars provided by faculty who are actively familiar with and/or conducting RDoC-relevant research. Series sessions focus on RDoC concepts and techniques associated with the classification of mental disorders based on dimensions of observable behavior and neurobiological measures organized in domains, constructs, subconstructs, and associated units of analysis.
• Advanced Research Topics Seminars targeted to both psychiatry research track residents and clinical psychology doctoral students. Seminars are designed to provide trainees with foundational knowledge of key elements of research productivity and funding acquisition, as well as general related topics designed to enhance their research skills and competency.
• TRAIN Resident Progress Seminars where Research Track residents present their ongoing work to allow for knowledge-sharing, giving and receiving constructive feedback, and practicing presentation skills. 

Highlights of the TRAIN Program

Individual meetings with the TRAIN Director within months 2-9 of PGY-1:

• Discussions about research interest(s) and potential Research Mentors
• Facilitation of meetings with potential Research Mentors

Regular meetings with selected Research Mentor (PGY-2 to PGY-4) to facilitate:

• Choosing and designing a mentored research project
• Preparing a Research Portfolio
• Overcoming obstacles related to conducting projects
• Organizing and analyzing data
• Preparing a poster for the annual Research Track Seminar
• Developing first-author manuscripts, one based on a literature review related to the resident’s project or a secondary analysis of the Research Mentor’s data and another based on findings of the mentored project

Faculty Mentors

Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D.

• Professor of Psychiatry
• Chief, Division of Clinical Neuroscience
• Psychoneuroendocrine Research Program Director

Graham Emslie, M.D.

• Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics

Robert Greene, M.D., Ph.D.

• Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Carrie McAdams, M.D., Ph.D.

• Associate Professor of Psychiatry
• Director, Brain-Body Perceptions Team

Carol Tamminga, M.D.

• Professor of Psychiatry
• Chief of Translational Neuroscience Research in Schizophrenia

The R25 supports 40% protected research time in PGY-2 and 50% in PGY-3 and-PGY-4.

Didactics are provided by TRAIN faculty, Department of Psychiatry faculty, and O’Donnell Brain Institute faculty through the Center for Translational Medicine at UT Southwestern and through other venues upon approval. The annual Research Track Seminar allows residents to present their work to both internal and external faculty.

Scheduling information is meant to be a general guide to your time in the program. Flexibility is certainly allowed and is, in fact, essential to ensure that you fulfill all the requirements for general residency as well as the research track. Discuss and plan as early as possible to ensure that you can easily accommodate all requirements.

Contact Us

For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact us: