You will receive frequent informal feedback as you progress through the residency via rounds and supervision with faculty, but a very structured evaluation process also takes place which includes written evaluations for each rotation, semi-annual evaluations to assess your overall performance in the previous six months, the annual written Psychiatry Residents in Training Exam (PRITE), and clinical exams ("Mock Boards") to prepare you for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Certification Exam at the completion of training. This formal evaluation process goes both ways as residents are asked to evaluate faculty, rotations, and courses to help maintain a high quality training experience. Graduates of our program enjoy a high pass rate on the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology certification exam, a final measure of training quality.

The affiliation of the Charleston Area Medical Center and the West Virginia University School of Medicine gives you the opportunity to train in a setting that has the advantages of an academic medical center blended with the diverse patient population of a large community hospital. One-third of WVU medical students do their clinical rotations at Charleston Area Medical Center. In addition to working with and teaching medical students, you will share the training experience with residents from the 5 other fully accredited residencies at CAMC, interns from our fully accredited clinical psychology internship, as well as social work interns, nursing students, and other health sciences students.
This broad array of faculty and students creates wonderful cross fertilization opportunities in clinical service, training and research. As a large clinical campus we enjoy the administrative, research, and library services of a university medical center. All ancillary services are provided so "scut" work is minimized, leaving you more time to learn. Night call averages every seventh night over the residency and is not more than every fourth night on any rotation.
Recreational activities are plentiful with white water rafting, snow skiing, mountain biking, fishing, hunting and camping for outdoor enthusiasts, not to mention several golf courses, tennis facilities, professional baseball, and a new ice skating facility now under construction. Cultural opportunities in Charleston include the WV State Symphony, Mountain Stage, local theatre and national touring performances. Many of these will soon be housed in the new Clay Arts Center, across the street from CAMC General Division in the fall of 2002.