We offer five optional special residency tracks: research, combined track (adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry), clinician educator, psychotherapy, and community psychiatry.
Match Options
Physician Scientist Track
The NIMH-funded Duke Psychiatry Physician Scientist Track (PST) is designed for residents interested in becoming clinician-scientists. Two slots per year are available, and applicants match into the physician scientist track. This track is led by co-directors Joseph Winger, PhD and Julie Penzner, MD with advisory board members Alex Bey, MD, PhD; Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD; Lauren Franz, MBBCh; Chris Marx, MD; Moira Rynn, MD, and Greg Sahlem, MD, PhD.
Combined Adult Psychiatry-Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Track
The five-year Combined Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Track integrates training in both specialties and is designed for applicants who demonstrate interest and aptitude in adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. During the adult psychiatry training years, participants receive additional mentorship and clinical exposure in child and adolescent psychiatry and pediatrics. One position will be available each year beginning with the 2026–2027 application season.
Internal Tracks
Clinician Educator
The Clinician Educator Track (CET) offers additional training and mentorship toward developing knowledge and skills in teaching and education, as well as fostering academic scholarship in medical education. Residents may apply for the clinician educator track during PGY1, PGY2 or PGY3. This track is co-led by Tara Chandrasekhar, MD, Colleen Cowperthwait, PhD, Aishwarya Rajagopalan, DO, Christopher Ramsay, MD, and Paul Riordan, MD,
Psychotherapy
The Duke Psychotherapy Track (DPT), led by Marla Wald, MD, helps residents develop advanced skills in a range of psychotherapy approaches. Residents may apply for the psychotherapy track during PGY2 or PGY3.
Community Psychiatry
The Duke/UNC Community Psychiatry Track and interest group is dedicated for trainees at both institutions who are interested in and pursuing a career in community and public psychiatry. The track aims to serve our most vulnerable patient and community members, often patients with severe mental illness.
Eligibility for Tracks
The clinician educator and psychotherapy tracks are open to all psychiatry residents and internal medicine-psychiatry residents (including psychiatry residents in the physician scientist track), and residents may participate in both. Residents may apply to the Community Psychiatry Track for the PGY3 year. Residents must apply for the Physician Scientist Track and Combined Adult-CAP Track through separate match numbers.