Becoming a Successful Division Psychiatrist: The Sequel

Abstract

Psychiatric residents in military residency programs participate in military-oriented training designed to help them prepare for military operational positions. One such position is that of the division psychiatrist. There are many differences in the duties of such an operational psychiatrist and those of their civilian counterparts. This article is meant to outline guidelines and tactics for success in a military operational environment. The article covers the topics of personal preparation, clinical and preventive duties, and leadership roles of the division psychiatrist. Much of the article may be generalized and beneficial to mental health and non-mental health Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel as well.

Both Feet In: Maintaining an Academic Focus During the Transition from Residency to a First Military Assignment

“…Genuine hardships experienced by a military at war for 13 years are then quickly appreciated by graduating residents who assume care for service members who train and deploy repeatedly. Upon graduation, the junior psychiatrist is expected to serve as a behavioral health subject matter expert while simultaneously communicating with military commanders with no medical training and navigating a culture where there is stigma to seeking mental health care [1][2][3]. Functioning well in these settings requires the early-career military psychiatrist to acculturate quickly to operational military culture, personnel management, and the business of medicine while adapting to a much larger clinical workload.…”