As demand for mental health services continues to grow across Florida, USF Health
is expanding its efforts to train the next generation of psychiatrists.
The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine has launched a new psychiatry residency
program at the Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, helping strengthen the region’s
behavioral health workforce while expanding access to care for patients throughout
Tampa Bay.
Housed within Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital — Florida’s first and only
freestanding behavioral health hospital affiliated with an academic medical center
— the program will offer hands-on training in a dynamic clinical setting. The hospital
opened in 2025 and currently features 96 inpatient beds, with plans to expand capacity with an additional
24 beds.
The Program becomes the second psychiatry residency offered through USF Health, complementing
the college’s longstanding general psychiatry residency while offering a distinct
training experience centered at Tampa General’s cutting-edge facility.
“As the first freestanding behavioral health hospital of its kind in the state, the
hospital allows residents to train within a full continuum of care while caring for
patients across their lifespan,” said Alexis Cohen-Oram, MD, program director of the
USF Psychiatry Residency at Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital.
Beginning this summer with an initial cohort of three residents, the program will
feature a curriculum emphasizing clinical excellence across inpatient, outpatient,
specialty consult and liaison settings, with experiences that evolve as residents
advance through the program.
Early in the residency, physicians will build a strong clinical foundation focusing
on acute and interdisciplinary team-based care and treatment models. As they progress,
the focus transitions to outpatient practice, independent clinical decision-making,
leadership development and individualized career pathways.
“This second residency program represents an important step in expanding access to
high-quality psychiatric training in our region and is a reflection of USF Health’s
growing presence in behavioral health,” said Ryan Wagoner, MD, chair of the Department
of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
“By creating more opportunities to train the best physicians, we can better serve
the Tampa Bay community and help ensure people have access to the care they need.”
The four-year residency curriculum includes:
PGY-1: Rotations in internal medicine, neurology, inpatient care, assessment clinics
and electives.
PGY-2: Exposure to addiction, child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric care and
consult services.
PGY-3: Advanced outpatient and psychotherapy experiences.
PGY-4: Leadership-focused rotations such as forensic psychiatry, electroconvulsive
therapy (ECT), community psychiatry and electives tailored to career goals.
This progressive educational structure prepares residents for independent practice
or fellowship training upon graduation while fostering a collaborative learning environment
where residents are supported throughout their development as clinicians.
“Mental health care is essential for the families in our community,” said Dr. Cohen-Oram.
“We hope to expand access to these families while preparing the next generation of
psychiatrists and address the national shortage.”