Professional Development Program for New Psychiatry Graduates in an Outpatient Telepsychiatry Practice

Abstract

Abstract: Telehealth has grown in recent years and with it, the need for educational interventions for new graduates entering this practice environment. This article evaluates a six-month professional development program designed to help psychiatrists joining our practice directly out of training acclimate to independent practice and the telepsychiatry setting. Our New Graduate Development Program included advisory sessions, lectures, board preparation, and flash mentorship for 87 new graduates who joined our telepsychiatry practice between July and December 2022. An anonymous retrospective pre-/postsurvey evaluated the efficacy of each component on a five-point Likert scale and a 10-point interval scale. Twenty-three percent of new graduates completed the survey. After participating in the program, 94.40% of respondents indicated that the program helped them acclimate to our practice, prepared them for independent practice, and enhanced their competence in telepsychiatry; 82.35% of respondents agreed that the program improved their performance as a new psychiatrist. The New Graduate Development Program helped participants acclimate to independent practice and the telepsychiatry setting; however, some revisions to our approach are needed for future iterations of the program.