As a Triple Board graduate myself, I have a unique understanding of this remarkable training experience, and am delighted to be the training director for our triple board program. Triple Board Residency Programs were created as training experiences producing physicians capable of practice, teaching, and research in the integrated fields of pediatrics and psychiatry. Triple boarders are able to straddle the “divide” between physical and mental health, are able to educate their colleagues who live on either side of that divide, and over time, are able to demonstrate that, really, there is no divide, and kids are healthier if you just treat them as a whole. I think triple boarders are also exquisitely attuned to normal development, and the training instills in them a sense of advocacy.
Utah was one of the original medical schools that took a chance on this combined training program, and that innovative spirit persists at the University of Utah today. The future of Triple Board Training in Utah lies in Mental Health Integration, and we plan to be at the forefront of training our residents to be experts in providing collaborative and integrative care for patients in primary care medical homes.
Utah is a wonderful place to train. Our catchment area for patients spans the Intermountain West. We receive excellent pediatric training at the world-class Primary Children’s Hospital. We have a free-standing psychiatric hospital with over 60 child and adolescent inpatient beds. We have 40 child psychiatry faculty who are involved in the teaching of our residents. And, we have great residents, who bring with them enthusiasm and unique interests which enhance the program.
Utah is also a wonderful place to live. Our residents are able to hike or ski on their days off, with a short 20-minute drive into the mountains. The amazing scenery of the red rock desert is a few hours’ drive away. As well, Salt Lake City boasts a burgeoning art and music scene, and every year, Hollywood descends on Park City for the Sundance Film Festival. Residency is hard work, but in Salt Lake City, you can also have a life outside of residency.
Kristi Kleinschmit, MD
Triple Board Program Director