Psychiatry

Woman looking at someone talking
Woman looking at someone talking

Welcome to the Department of Psychiatry

The Department of Psychiatry couples basic science with clinical research to promote world-class investigations on issues relevant to mental health. The main office is located on the main floor of the Walter C Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre (WMC). Research groups are located in the Clinical Sciences Building, the Research Transition Facility and the WCM.

Programs

MD Undergraduate

The Department of Psychiatry offers a six-week mandatory rotation in general adult psychiatry for third-year medical students. We provide a progressive environment where education, research, and patient care are integrated into a unified curriculum. Our goal is to provide students with not only the technical skills and scientific knowledge that will allow them to become competent doctors, but also to be kind and empathetic physicians.

MD Postgraduate

Psychiatry is a specialty discipline of medicine that deals with the etiology, prevention, diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of disorders affecting mental functioning. The five-year residency training program in Psychiatry at the University of Alberta is a well-established training program with broad-based academic and clinical orientations.

Graduate Program

The Department of Psychiatry offers outstanding opportunities for students wishing to pursue graduate studies at both the Master and Doctoral level. Our faculty are known internationally for their research interests which cover most areas relevant to psychiatry and neuropsychiatry. We encourage you to investigate our research groups and units that offer graduate training.

  • Comprehensive Psychiatry Education

    The department provides extensive opportunities in psychiatry education, research, clinical training, covering diverse specializations and emerging areas.

  • Academic Partnerships

    The department thrives through a partnership with Alberta Health Services, fostering an innovative education with key hospitals.

  • Research Excellence

    Our faculty are globally recognized for their diverse areas of research. We are passionate about collaborative research across local, national, and international levels, providing innovative opportunities for trainees worldwide.

Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Psychiatry! The department offers students, residents and teachers a wide array of opportunities at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels to engage in innovative education, research and clinical services training with educational programs in general adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, consultation/liaison psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, emergency psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, addictions psychiatry and clinical psychology. Other programs being developed include sleep disorders, eating disorders, metabolic management, transgender, cross-cultural, and community/shared care psychiatry.

Partnership is a key contributor to the success of the department. We have vital collaborations with Alberta Health Services that help to build an unparalleled academic healthcare environment. We have well-established undergraduate and postgraduate educational programs provided by dedicated educators and mentors from University of Alberta Hospital, Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Alberta Hospital Edmonton, Misericordia Hospital, and the mental health community in general.

There is an excellent core of psychiatry and neuroscience faculty who are recognized nationally and internationally for their research. They are involved extensively in collaborative research locally, nationally and internationally and offer innovative and exciting opportunities for Canadian and international trainees in our MSc, PhD and postdoctoral training programs.

We invite you to explore our website and learn more about our activities and programs.

David Ross
Department Chair

David Ross