Psychiatry Residency Program

Welcome from the Program Director

Welcome to the Riverside Medical Center Psychiatry Residency Program.

Choosing a residency is one of the most meaningful decisions in your professional life. You are selecting not only where you will train, but the people, environment, and values that will shape the psychiatrist you become. At Riverside, our vision is simple: to develop thoughtful, capable, compassionate physicians who care well for patients, think critically, continue learning, and contribute to their communities.

Education is at the center of our mission. We value curiosity, thoughtful clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, and open dialogue. Psychiatry is a discipline grounded in science but centered on people—their stories, relationships, cultures, strengths, and struggles.

Our residents have the opportunity to care for patients across a broad range of psychiatric conditions and clinical settings. Through inpatient and outpatient experiences, emergency psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, and community-based care, residents develop the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary to become well-rounded psychiatrists. We strive to provide the supervision, feedback, and progressive responsibility that allow residents to develop confidence and clinical independence over time.

Just as important as the curriculum is the culture. The environment in which you train matters. We want Riverside to be a place where residents feel heard, respected, and encouraged to ask questions. Residents' perspectives strengthen our teaching and help us continually improve the program. Faculty are invested in your development, and colleagues support one another through both the rewarding and challenging moments of training. Mentorship is personal and intentional; each resident's interests and aspirations guide their path.

As a community-based program, Riverside offers a meaningful view of the realities of mental health care. Our patients come from diverse backgrounds, and understanding the circumstances that shape their lives is essential to becoming an effective psychiatrist.

We want our graduates to be excellent clinicians—and also curious physicians, thoughtful colleagues, compassionate advocates, and lifelong learners.

Residency is demanding, but it should also be a time of growth, mentorship, friendship, and discovery, and we want you to enjoy the journey. My commitment as Program Director is to ensure you are challenged, supported, and well prepared for independent practice, while feeling part of a community that cares about your well-being.

As you explore programs, consider not only the rotations but the people, the environment, and whether the program will help you become the psychiatrist—and physician—you aspire to be. We hope Riverside is that place.

Thank you for considering Riverside Medical Center. I look forward to meeting you and learning about your goals.

Welcome to Riverside. We hope you will become part of our community.

— Olatola Iyi-Ojo, MD, MPH
Psychiatry Residency Program Director