Program Director:  William A. Sonis, M.D. 
Program Coordinator:  Angel Eberhardt

Mission & Goals
Objectives
Program History

 Mission
The mission of the Drexel University College of Medicine (DUCOM) Residency Program in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is to educate physicians competent to practice independently as new child and adolescent psychiatrists who are capable of achieving ABPN specialty certification in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Goals
The goal of the Drexel University College of Medicine (DUCOM) Residency Program in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is to provide a structured, graduated educational experience in child and adolescent psychiatry including training in related various therapeutic skills identified in the ACGME Program Essentials for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Objectives
To graduate physicians with:
1. An adequate fund of knowledge in established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and psychosocial science domains to assure the continued understanding of the practice of child and adolescent psychiatry.
2. The ability to provide psychotherapeutic interventions including brief and long-term individual psychotherapy, family therapy, group therapy, supportive psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
3. The capacity to apply medical and neuroscience knowledge to the choice and utilization of psychopharmacological agents in the treatment of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders.
4. The ability to manage patient crisis safely across multiple settings including ambulatory care centers, emergency rooms, day treatment programs, residential treatment facilities, and inpatient psychiatric units.
5. The ability to develop and maintain appropriate interpersonal therapeutic relationships and communicate effectively with patients, caregivers, professional associates and the public.
6. The values and techniques of lifelong learning emphasizing the continuity of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education necessary to critically assess one’s practice and the medical literature to improve patient care.
7. The ability to behave professionally including; placing patient care beyond self-interests, maintaining continuity of care, responding effectively and appropriately to patient needs, acting ethically and demonstrating respect for the patient, caregivers and colleagues.
8. The ability to work effectively in diverse systems involved in treating children and adolescents including educational, social service, medical, legal and community systems of care.
 
Program History
In 1996, the Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (EPPI) and the Hahnemann University Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Programs merged becoming the Allegheny University of the Health Sciences Program.  In 1998, Allegheny University declared bankruptcy.  Tenet Healthcare purchased all Allegheny assets in Philadelphia, creating the Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University School of Medicine (MCPHU) and Residency Programs, asking Drexel University to manage the academic enterprise, ultimately, in June, 2002, creating the Drexel University College of Medicine (DUCOM) and along with Tenet Healthcare, the DUCOM/HUH Residency Programs.  Despite the subsequent hospital closures and new clinical affiliates, the ACGME recognized our efforts in 2000 and 2005 by awarding our program two consecutive five year accreditations without citations.