The Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been at the forefront of psychiatric care for decades. Our faculty members were among the first to champion the medical model of psychiatry, now widely accepted, which views psychiatric dysfunction as an interaction between genes and environment.

The department continues to be in the vanguard of both research and patient care. Our collaborative, interdisciplinary approach fosters an exchange of ideas that increases our understanding of nervous system function and ultimately improves the treatment of mental disorders — including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, schizophrenia, delirium, dementia, Tourette syndrome, movement disorders, substance abuse disorders, attention deficit disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders, and eating disorders.

In order to prepare for the future, the department also devotes a significant amount of time and effort to the training of the next generation of clinicians and researchers. We provide training at the medical student, residency, fellowship, and pre- and post-doctoral levels. Our residency program produces confident clinical decision-makers by providing mentorship from leaders in the field, a culture of autonomy, and exposure to a diverse patient population.

Our faculty works and trains in a world-class complex that includes Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center.  Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital are both members of the BJC Health System. BJC, with ties to 15 hospitals, is the largest academically-linked health system in the country.