About The Program

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) is proud to offer an ACGME-accredited, community-focused Psychiatry Residency Program. Built through collaboration among Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Avita Community Partners, Peachford Hospital, and Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) integrated care clinics across multiple counties, our program provides broad, mission-driven training rooted in the needs of our region.

We are proud to share that in the 2026 national ACGME Resident/Fellow Survey, 91% of our residents said they would definitely choose our program again, while 0% said they would not. Residents also reported exceptional educational and clinical support: 100% affirmed they receive appropriate supervision and that faculty model professionalism in their teaching. Every resident surveyed reported having sufficient time to meaningfully engage with patients, participate in educational activities, attend personal appointments, and access confidential mental health care. Importantly, no resident reported that their education was compromised by non-physician service obligations. These results reflect our deep commitment to protecting resident education, well-being, and professional growth.

Our program’s aim is to improve the health of our community by training the next generation of evidence-based and patient-centered psychiatry leaders for Northeast Georgia. We are looking for pioneering residents with a dedication to community psychiatry to join us!

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Meet The Team

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Psychiatry Program Information

How to Apply
Review Psychiatry application requirements
Curriculum
Learn details about the rotations for each year of training in the Psychiatry Residency program.
Locations
Our program includes training opportunities at seven treatment facilities across the Georgia region.
Mission & Goals
View our program’s mission & goals to see how we put our residents first.
Why NGMC
Learning in the right environment and culture can make all the difference.
Video Library
Hear from our residents and staff directly.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming webinars & informational sessions.

FAQs

General Program Information

Please refer to our Salary and Benefits page for the most up-to-date NGMC resident salary information and details on benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, CME funding, vacation days, and parental leave.

Yes. Rotations with a traditionally lighter patient load have been structured to allow flexibility and provide backup coverage when residents need to utilize sick call.

Recent improvements to the residency program include increased flexibility in sick day and call coverage policies, the addition of wellness hours and half-days for resident appointments, dedicated individual offices for outpatient residents, a new shared work area for residents rotating on consultation-liaison psychiatry, reduced travel for PGY-3 rotations and electives, and a comprehensive overhaul of the didactic curriculum based on feedback from the Resident Committee on Curriculum.

Yes. Prospective applicants can meet current residents at multiple open houses throughout the year, during interview day resident sessions, and at optional in-person second look visits in January.

Clinical Training & Rotations

Yes.Psychotherapy training constitutes about one-third of our didactic curriculum and is integrated into every clinical rotation. Didactic seminars and case conferences on psychotherapy occur throughout all four years, complemented by group and individual therapy cases and supervision conferences during the PGY3 and PGY4 years. Junior residents gain experience through group therapy, while senior residents also receive longitudinal psychotherapy experiences in their continuity clinic utilizing diverse modalities, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and supportive therapy.

A detailed breakdown of core rotations and sample schedules by year are available on our Curriculum page.

Residents begin seeing patients in their continuity clinic during their third year of training, and they continue with these patients through graduation.

Yes. All residents rotate through these specialty services, and we aim to offer significantly above the ACGME minimum requirements for training in both child and addiction psychiatry.

Yes. During their fourth year, residents can propose their own electives and may request one external elective at an approved site aligned with their clinical interests and career goals.

Moonlighting & Professional Development

Residents are eligible to moonlight beginning in their third year, provided they remain in good standing and receive approval from the program director. Several residents currently moonlight at external facilities; however, internal moonlighting opportunities are not available at this time.

Residents must hold an unrestricted Georgia medical license, DEA registration, and malpractice insurance. Additionally, moonlighting requires good academic standing and prior approval from both Graduate Medical Education and the psychiatry program director. Per national regulations, moonlighting counts towards duty hours and is tracked within the program to ensure compliance.  

Yes. Psychiatry residents have opportunities to participate in leadership committees within the program and across the hospital system. During the fourth year, two residents from the senior class are selected to serve as chief residents (one overseeing ambulatory rotations and one overseeing inpatient rotations).

NGMC offers robust research support, and scholarly activity is emphasized throughout residency training. Each year, residents from psychiatry and across GME present posters, author scientific papers, and contribute to conferences and academic forums. Funding is available to support residents interested in pursuing scholarly activity, and NGMC has dedicated library and research/QI departments.

Lifestyle & Wellness

The GME office offers weekly wellness activities free to residents every Wednesday afternoon. These events vary and have included bowling, kayaking, and pickleball, all aimed at fostering camaraderie and relaxation. 

Yes. In addition to GME-hosted activities, the psychiatry program sponsors its own wellness retreats, half-days, and scattered hours throughout the year. Recent retreats have included a boating excursion on Lake Lanier.

The relationship between residents and faculty is consistently strong and collegial. Faculty are approachable, supportive, and invested in both professional growth and personal wellbeing.

Residents receive a weekly $75 food stipend, and additional meals are available in the resident lounge and during catered educational activities.

Yes. The recent expansion of the Green Tower parking deck has improved access to free and convenient parking.

Living in Gainesville, GA

Residents in Gainesville and surrounding areas—including Flowery Branch and Lula—choose a mix of renting and home ownership, depending on personal preference and lifestyle. The cost of living in Gainesville is generally very affordable.

Yes. Popular residential areas include Gainesville, Flowery Branch, and Lula, with a variety of apartment complexes and neighborhoods that cater to resident physicians and young professionals. Some residents choose to live closer to Atlanta or west of Lake Lanier in areas like Sugar Hill, Cumming, or Dawsonville.

Commute times to the main learning center in Gainesville typically range from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on location and traffic.

Gainesville offers a vibrant downtown square with unique dining and shopping options. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy nearby hiking trails, Lake Lanier’s fishing and boating culture, and proximity to the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains within the Appalachian system (about 1.5 hours away). The city also benefits from easy access to Atlanta for concerts, sporting events, and travel.

Gainesville is just over one hour from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, making regional and international travel convenient for residents.