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Psychiatry Residency

The Psychiatry Residency Program is part of Carle’s outstanding residency training system and is committed to making a difference in the lives of our residents, our patients and the world. Inspired and engaged scholarship; innovation and discovery; and impassioned and insightful patient care happen here.

How to Apply GME Experience

Letter from the Program Director

Welcome and thank you for your interest in the Psychiatry Residency Program at Carle Foundation Hospital. We are a hospital-based program with university affiliation offering a world-class medical education and an inspiring residency experience. Our program received ACGME accreditation in April of 2016 and hosted our first class in July of 2017.

You will learn from the diverse patient population and highly supportive and knowledgeable faculty. Our Psychiatry Residency Program provides training at four hospitals and affiliated clinics. Sites include a level one trauma center ranked among the nation's best, two community and service-focused hospitals, and a Veterans Administration hospital.

Our curriculum is established to help residents succeed in passing national boards. Contact us to learn more about our psychiatric residency training program.

So come find out more, discover something outside of ordinary in Urbana-Champaign.


Our Commitment

We are committed to making a difference in the lives of our residents, our patients and the world. Inspired and engaged scholarship; innovation and discovery; and impassioned and insightful patient care happen here.

  • Knowledge: graduates acquire new knowledge and skills through lifelong self-directed learning
  • Nurture: emphasis on the humane application of scientific knowledge
  • Distinction: providing the highest standards of academic excellence and professional ethics
  • Care: responsiveness to needs of individuals and the community

Curriculum


Our program offers opportunities for in-depth training in a variety of psychiatric areas including psychotherapy-training beginning in the first year, child psychiatry, integrated care, work with the veterans' population, dual diagnosis/substance abuse treatment, and more.

  • Interdisciplinary training provided in conjunction with psychologists, physician assistant students, psychiatric nurse practitioners and medical students
  • Succeed in passing national boards, gaining acceptance in highly competitive fellowships and finding attractive hospital and clinical positions
PGY-1
  • 3 blocks: Inpatient Psychiatry/ECT at OSF
  • 2 blocks: Neurology Inpatient at Carle
  • 2 blocks: Inpatient Internal Medicine at OSF
  • 2 blocks: Inpatient Palliative Medicine at Carle
  • 1 block: Pediatrics Outpatient/Developmental Pediatrics at Carle
  • 2 blocks: Addiction Medicine Inpatient at Carle
  • 1 block: Emergency Medicine at Carle
PGY-2
  • 3 blocks: Community Resident Clinic Outpatient at Carle
  • 2 blocks: Emergency Psychiatry at OSF
  • 3 blocks: Consult and Liaison Psychiatry/QI/Forensics at Carle
  • 3 blocks: Inpatient Psychiatry at Danville VA
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • 1/2 day per week: Longitudinal Psychotherapy Clinic at Carle
PGY-3
  • Outpatient Psychiatry: Adult, Child and Adolescent, Geriatric, Med/Therapy Clinic, Addiction, Student Health
    • Carle Champaign on Mattis Clinic
    • Carle Addiction Recovery Center
    • University of Illinois McKinley Health Center
  • 1/2 day per week: Longitudinal Psychotherapy Clinic at Carle
PGY-4
  • Community Integrated Care Clinic
  • 1 block: Senior Consult Liaison at Carle
  • 2 blocks: Senior Inpatient
  • Expanding opportunities for collaborative care with Primary Care physicians
  • 1/2 day per week: Longitudinal Psychotherapy Clinic at Carle
  • *Electives

Meet Our Team

Benjamin Gersh, MD

Administration

Program Director

Charles Hawley, MD, PhD

Administration

Associate Program Director

Jorgi Jones

Administration

Program Coordinator

Suzanna Kitten, MD

Core Faculty

Hudson Riehl, PhD

Core Faculty

Feiteng Su, MD

Core Faculty

Gerald M. Welch, MD

Core Faculty

James M. Whisenand, MD

Core Faculty

Arden Davis Barnett, Jr., MD

Faculty

James Besante, MD

Faculty

Mercy Eigbike, MD

Faculty

Amy Hilty, MD

Faculty

Lawrence L. Jeckel, MD

Faculty

Timothy G. Roberts, MD

Faculty

Arthur R. Traugott, MD

Faculty

Elise Wessol, DO

Faculty

Brandon Brown, MD

Chief Resident

PGY-4

Brian Tong, MD

Chief Resident

PGY-4

Milind Joshi, MD

Resident

PGY-4

Luke Pro, MD

Resident

PGY-4

Dawn Ramdas, DO

Resident

PGY-4

Christine Farag, MD

Resident

PGY-3

Kort Knous, MD

Resident

PGY-3

George Massey, MD

Resident

PGY-3

Keerthi Reddy, MD

Resident

PGY-3

Dhanya Baskaran, MD

Resident

PGY-2

Nakib Mansuri, MD

Resident

PGY-2

Vanessa Peters, MD, PhD

Resident

PGY-2

Osas Uduevbo, MD

Resident

PGY-2

Sabrina Chaudhry-Yaqub, MD

Resident

PGY-1

Davis Gerew, MD

Resident

PGY-1

Matthew Holaday, MD

Resident

PGY-1

Joseph Sauer, MD

Resident

PGY-1

How to Apply


Thank you for your interest in the Psychiatry Residency Program at Carle Foundation Hospital. The Psychiatry Residency Program participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) and only accepts applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Application Submission

  • Applicants must apply through ERAS
  • Email, paper or faxed documentation cannot be accepted and is not reviewed
  • Submission deadline is November 15
  • Our ACGME Program ID is 4001600306
  • Our NRMP number: 1226400C0
  • Applications are welcomed from U.S. and International medical school graduates (J1 visas accepted).
Application Criteria 

A complete application includes:

  • A curriculum vitae (CV)
  • A photograph
  • A Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MPSE), Dean’s letter from the candidate’s medical school, or equivalent
  • At least three letters of recommendation (waived letters)
  • A personal statement
  • Medical school transcript
  • United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Scores/Transcripts for steps 1 and 2:
    • Psychiatry Residency does not publish minimum score requirements
    • COMLEX scores are accepted in lieu of USMLE for Osteopathic students
Interviews

  • Interviews, by invitation only, are typically held mid-October through December
  • Invitations to interview are offered via ERAS
  • Typically, interview candidates are invited to attend an optional virtual social hour with residents from the Psychiatry program
  • The typical interview is with three faculty members
  • Preference for interviews is given to candidates who have:
    • Passed the USMLE exams with no failures
    • USMLE transcripts documenting completion of Step 2 CK must be available by February 1 prior to the NRMP Match (example: USMLE transcripts documenting CK must be available in ERAS by February 1, 2022 for the match in 2022)
    • Graduated from medical school within the past four years
    • U.S. clinical experience required, e.g. clinical observership or externship
    • The ability to meet Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation's requirements for Physician Temporary Licensure. This includes the ability to:
      • Document at least four weeks of psychiatry rotation(s) in medical school
  • Without exception, international candidates must be Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certified by February 1 prior to the NRMP Match (example: candidates will need to be ECFMG certified by February 1, 2022 for the match in 2022)

Please note that this information may be subject to change.

If you have any questions regarding our program or the application process, please contact us by email at PsychRP@carle.com or call (217) 383-4229.