Training psychiatric residents in chronic care.

Because of recent advances in the care of the chronically mentally ill, psychiatric residents need to have more specialized training in the treatment of this group of patients. The Massachusetts Mental Health Center has developed a training program in chronic care for psychiatric residents that is a combination of didactic presentations and placements in programs serving chronic patients. In learning to treat the chronically mentally ill, residents face a variety of clinical, countertransference, and supervisory issues. They must learn to conduct therapy that is rehabilitation-based; to combine their role as medical doctor with their role as psychiatric specialist; to work with a multidisciplinary team; and to coordinate patient care among serveral community agencies.