The didactic curriculum of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Residency Program is designed to offer an organized, integrated, and progressive program of instruction and learning over the 2-year training cycle. The curriculum is implemented through a combination of CAP year-specific longitudinal core seminars as well as a series of clinical conferences that combine both training years.
The curriculum is iterative rather than static. Changes are made on the basis of new developments in knowledge and practice, new opportunities to enhance training, and changes in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements. Resident input is a major factor in adding and dropping specific curricular elements; however, the ultimate responsibility for its form and implementation rests with the faculty and Program Director.
All residents spend one day per week at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for didactics, and clinical conferences throughout both years of training.
CAP-1 year
After an introductory intensive "crash course" during orientation week, the CAP 1 curriculum is devoted to understanding normal and abnormal child and adolescent development, psychopathology, comprehensive assessment of children and families, and multi-modal treatment of children and families including specific psychotherapies and psychopharmacology. Courses include:
- Child and Adolescent Development
- Developmental Disorders
- Best Practices- Psychopathology and Psychopharmacology
- Introduction to Assessment
- Clinical Evaluation and Testing
- Psychodynamic Principles and Application
- Child and Adolescent Psychotherapies
- Introduction to Social Legal and Ethical Issues
CAP-2 year
The second-year curriculum is designed to build on the foundation knowledge presented in the CAP 1 year and to broaden the application of content-based learning to clinical practice. Courses include:
- Advanced Topics in CAP
- Advanced Family Therapy
- Advance Social, Legal and Ethical Issues
- Advanced Psychopharmacology and Neurobiology
CAP-1 and CAP-2 year
Several core clinical conferences are conducted for both CAP-1 and CAP-2 residents across both years of the training program. Most occur monthly except for grand rounds which is weekly. These include:
- Evidence-based medicine
- Group supervision
- Collaborative Office Rounds
- Psychiatry Grand Rounds
In addition to the above-scheduled didactics, there are a number of interdepartmental events that are opportunities for enhanced learning such as Pediatric Grand Rounds and Swartz Rounds. Additionally there are annual presentations such as the D. Hugh Memorial Trust Annual MacManee Conference, regional trainings is the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS), and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Local and regional conferences and trainings offer additional training that can be pursued by individual trainees based on their interests.
Several monthly meetings provide opportunities for regular involvement of residents in the CAP section, with the program director, and with peers. These include:
- CAP section meeting
- Training meeting with Program Director
- Chief meeting with CAP-1 and CAP-2 Residents