Women’s Mood Disorder Track
The Women’s Mood Disorder Track: Advanced Training in Reproductive Psychiatry
This three-year longitudinal track trains General Adult Psychiatry residents in reproductive psychiatry.
Over 50% of psychiatric patients are women, and over 80% of women will have at least one pregnancy—50% of which are unplanned. Psychiatrists encounter pregnant and postpartum women across all settings, often with complex psychiatric and obstetric needs that require specialized knowledge in risk assessment, medication management, and maternal-fetal-neonatal outcomes. This track prepares clinicians to address this critical clinical need with competence and evidence-based care.
Clinical Training and Scholarly Development:
Residents gain longitudinal experience across inpatient and outpatient settings, community psychiatry partnerships (Horizons, El Futuro, Menopause Clinic), and NC Maternal Mental Health MATTERS consultation—developing expertise in the assessment and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, PMDD, perimenopause-related psychiatric illness, and substance abuse in pregnant and postpartum women. Mentored scholarly projects, medical student teaching, and didactics in reproductive psychopharmacology support professional development and academic advancement.
Year-by-Year Progression:
PGY-2: Foundational outpatient skills in Women’s Mood Disorder clinics and community psychiatry rotations (Horizons, El Futuro, Menopause Clinic)
PGY-3: Maintain continuity with selected PGY-2 patients; introduction to perinatal inpatient psychiatry; initiate scholarly project; lead didactics in reproductive psychiatry for medical students
PGY-4: Individualized based on career interests—options include deepening outpatient longitudinal management, pursuing inpatient leadership/acting attending roles, or developing NC MATTERS consultation expertise.
