Welcome from the Chair

Thank you for considering the UCLA-Olive View psychiatry residency training program as the next step in your career path. Although we have been the ACGME-identified sponsor of this program for only a few years, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center has a rich 35-year history of providing an outstanding educational venue for psychiatric residents and medical students. I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you what I think are some of our strengths.

First, we have a fantastic teaching environment. Our faculty are UCLA professors who provide interactive instruction as clinical supervisors and academic mentors. They focus on creating a learning experience designed to encourage a biopsychosocial perspective that helps residents explore the ways in which biology interacts with the social determinants of health and how psychotherapy is a profoundly cultural endeavor.

That leads to the second strength: our patients. Los Angeles County is home to richly diverse communities, many members of whom are first-generation immigrants in the United States. As the primary safety net provider within our area, we are on the frontline of delivering mental health services to those most in need. However, the variety of training experiences over the course of residency will also give you access to populations diverse not only in race and ethnicity, but also in socioeconomic level, religious affiliation, gender identity, and many other characteristics. The diversity of lived experiences among our patient population facilitates the growth of our residents as psychiatrists and as mental health advocates.

Finally, the real secret to our strength as a training program is our residents. I am very proud of the individuals I’ve had the privilege of knowing and getting to work with over the 33 years that I’ve been involved with residency training here at Olive View. Their dedication to learning and service, as well as their collaborative and collegial attitudes, fosters a nurturing and supportive space that I think you will appreciate if you choose our program.