Today, our nation has barely a quarter of the psychiatrists it needs to meet patient demand. This shortfall is staggering, and its human toll is profound.
For many U.S. patients, the weight of this reality doesn’t hit until they’ve already taken the hardest steps—after they’ve overcome their hesitation, made the call, and opened up about their struggles. Instead of being filled with relief and hope, the following moments may be characterized by frustration or confusion as patients learn an appointment won’t come any time soon. They may be left wondering: “Where do I go now?”
As we lead the University of Utah’s efforts to address our nation’s mental health crisis, we look head-on at the provider shortage that remains a significant barrier to care. But training the mental health care workforce of tomorrow is no small task. It requires us to construct education pathways that are as varied as the populations we serve, with curricula and clinical opportunities designed to meet their specific—and often complex—needs.
This year, in support of the university’s goal to provide proactive and personalized pathways to all students, we’ve made bold steps to expand our offerings so our clinicians enter the field equipped with all they need to drive change.