Advanced psychotherapy training: psychotherapy scholars' track, and the apprenticeship model

Abstract

Background/objective: Guided by ACGME's requirements, psychiatric residency training in psychotherapy currently focuses on teaching school-specific forms of psychotherapy (i.e., cognitive-behavioral, supportive, and psychodynamic psychotherapy). On the basis of a literature review of common factors affecting psychotherapy outcomes and experience with empirically supported and traditional psychotherapies, the authors aimed to develop an advanced contemporary and pragmatic approach to psychotherapy training for eight residents (two per PGY year) enrolled in a specialized Psychotherapy Scholars' Track within an adult general-residency program.

Method: The authors developed core principles and clinical practices, and drafted year-by-year educational goals and objectives to teach the psychotherapy scholars. Based on experiential learning principles, we also developed an individualized form of psychotherapy training, which we call "The Apprenticeship Model."

Results: The Psychotherapy Scholars' Track, and "Apprenticeship Model" of training are now in their third year. To date, authors report that scholars are highly satisfied with the structure and curriculum in the track. Trainees appreciate the protected time for self-directed study, mentored scholarship, and psychotherapy rotations. Patients and the Psychotherapy Scholars experience the "Apprenticeship Model" of psychotherapy training as authentic and compatible with their needs and resources.

Conclusion: The Psychotherapy Scholars' Track developed and piloted in our general psychiatry residency is based on common factors, empirically-supported treatments, and use of experiential learning principles. Whether the Psychotherapy Scholars' Track and "Apprenticeship Model" will ultimately increase residents' psychotherapy skills and positively affect their ability to sustain postgraduate psychotherapy practice in varied settings requires long-term evaluation. The developers welcome empirical testing of the comparative effectiveness of this psychotherapy teaching approach relative to others.