This new program will consider applicants beginning in March 2023

Message from the Director

I am delighted to introduce you to the newest psychiatry residency training program in South Carolina.   Orangeburg is located in the Midlands about 40 miles from the capital city of Columbia and 75 miles from the coastal city of Charleston.   What follows on this website is information that you will find helpful for decision-making.   I would underscore the distinctives of this program as being more rural, inquiry-oriented, community-based, and spiritually-integrated.  Our residents will have a solid experience in the simultaneous treatment of addiction and other psychiatric disorders. We emphasize a careful formulation in addition to diagnosis.  Our treatment approach is likewise multi-dimensional and comprehensive.  We teach that evidence-based practice is where research, clinical experience, and patient preference intersect.  Our faculty will strive to assist you in the search for answers, encourage faith, and understand relationship.   Importantly, once you complete training there will be myriad employment opportunities for meeting the mental health needs of all South Carolinians supported by a network of psychiatric colleagues and friends.  I hope to see you soon!

About the Program

The TCCADA psychiatry training program sits within the larger state Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Service (DAODAS).  It is one of 31 treatment centers across the state.  Other primary affiliations of the TCCADA psychiatry training program which include the Regional Medical Center, Orangeburg Area Mental Health Center, and the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, expose residents to the broader context of both regional and state mental health care.  The mental health centers and hospitals of SCDMH collaborate with other agencies that simultaneously serve those with mental illness such as the Department of Social Services (DSS), South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department (SCVRD), local schools, detention centers, courts, and homeless shelters. 

Sponsoring and Partnering Institutions

The Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCCADA) is a private, not-for-profit healthcare delivery system committed to medical excellence through comprehensive programs on substance abuse prevention, education, intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation for the benefit of the citizens (population 115,000) in Orangeburg, Bamberg, and Calhoun Counties. It is associated with the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS), the South Carolina government agency charged with ensuring quality services to prevent or reduce the negative consequences of substance use and addictions.  To ensure the availability and quality of a continuum of substance use services, DAODAS coordinates a statewide system of local substance abuse agencies that provide prevention, treatment, and recovery services.  DAODAS provides strategic direction and corporate services to its affiliates, including the Tri-County Commission with the Dawn Center and the William J. McCord Treatment Facility as the primary clinical sites.   Telepsychiatry is a system resource that will allow for residents to consult remotely to the wider systems of care.  The TCCADA has developed a regional therapist network with credentialed expertise for the purpose of collaboration and coordinated holistic care.  Because those with substance use disorders are more likely than not to have a co-occurring acute psychiatric condition, and because treatment outcomes are much improved with the simultaneous treatment of these co-occurring disorders, the Tri-County Commission recognizes the essential need to partner with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) in providing effective and comprehensive psychiatric care.  Thus the participating sites include the Orangeburg Area Mental Health Center which provides mental health services to people of all ages, offering crisis intervention, individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric assessment, medication management, and various support services.  The SCDMH inpatient sites include Morris Village (the only hospital for substance use disorders in South Carolina), Bryan Psychiatric Hospital (adult psychiatric facility), and the William S. Hall Psychiatric Institute with 50 inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric beds.  Also, participating is the Regional Medical Center with 286 staffed beds (16 bed Geropsychiatry Unit), an Emergency Department, Neurology service, outpatient psychotherapy, primary care, and 8,111 discharges per year.

 
The TCCADA facilities are licensed and certified by Department of Health and Environmental Control Health Licensing (DHEC) and accredited by the Joint Commission. The services of TCCADA are intended for and dedicated to prevention and education regarding the conditions of alcoholism, drug dependence and substance abuse. The ultimate concern is with overall health, happiness, and well-being of those suffering directly or indirectly from alcohol and other drug problems. The authority of TCCADA is vested in the Commission, which is made up of board members appointed by the Governor. The board members, who serve without pay, appoint the Executive Director who is responsible for overall administration of philosophy and polices and the general coordination of all projects within the agency.

TCCADA has received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) as an official teaching institution. The Designated Institutional Official, who appoints and overseas the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC), reports directly to the Executive Director.  The TCCADA Medical Staff accepts responsibility for assuring supervision of all resident educational activities including patient care. Through its by-laws, the TCCADA Medical Staff will delegate this responsibility to The Office of Graduate Medical Education, which fulfills this responsibility through its full time and volunteer faculty teaching staff.

Mission

The Mission of the Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCCADA) Psychiatry Residency Program is to train excellent clinicians who:

• Comprehensively evaluate, understand, and treat psychiatric disorders using biopsychosocial, cultural, spiritual, and developmental models
• Deftly and simultaneously treat substance use disorders with comorbid psychiatric conditions
• Integrate research and discovery within clinical practice
• Pursue self-appraisal, individual development, interprofessionalism, and leadership
• Teach enthusiastically and model life-long learning

Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCCADA)

Psychiatry Residency Program Residency Overview

The Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCCADA) Psychiatry Residency Program is a 4-year ACGME accredited training program with 10 residents per year at the McCord Center for Psychiatry  in Orangeburg, South Carolina.  The program is administered by a program director, associate PD, and six additional core faculty, along with assistance from community physicians and licensed mental health care professionals.  

The focus of the TCCADA Psychiatry Residency Program is the training and retention of psychiatric physicians to address the current and ongoing provider shortages in this critical medical specialty, especially in rural areas of South Carolina. Integrating with substance use disorders programs and primary care while partnering with community providers of mental health services, will improve access to psychiatric care and reduce utilization of emergency and inpatient services.   The integration model employs telepsychiatry to consult in real time with rural practices.  There is also integration with other mental health care providers of social work, counseling, and psychology.  A dedicated data analyst for the training program assists with value-based decisions, performance management, quality improvement, and research activities.

Curriculum

The program curriculum includes formal didactics for solid foundational knowledge in psychopathology and its treatment and comprehensive clinical experiences guided by a system of care philosophy that is culturally competent, community-based, individual and family focused.  The breadth of experience and inquiry-based approach is designed to develop the tools, comfort, and cognitive flexibility to adapt to rapid changes in health care.  Formulation from a biopsychosocial, cultural, spiritual, and developmental perspective is a key emphasis for clinical problem-solving and effective treatment.

Rotations

In addition to family medicine and neurology, other rotations include community, addiction, geriatric, child and adolescent, reproductive, forensic, international, and administrative psychiatry.   Residents have a continuous psychotherapy clinic for three years of training. To view the rotation block design, please scroll to the bottom of this page.

Resident Benefits

We understand that having just graduated from medical school, many of our residents are on a tight budget. The TCCADA Psychiatry Residency Training Program offers a competitive salary in an environment with a moderate cost of living. In addition, our program offers several other benefits that help to stretch our trainee’s dollars just a little further.

Annual Salary (2023-2024)

• PGY1: $57,000
• PGY2: $58,000
• PGY3: $61,000
• PGY4: $63,000

Vacation/Paid Time Off

• Up to 16 days off each for paid vacation and sick leave
• Major Holidays

Moving Allowance

• Up to $1,000 reimbursed

Educational Funds (In addition to salary)

• PGY-1: $500 and iPhone
• PGY-2: $1,000
• PGY-3: $1,000
• PGY-4: $1,500

Certification Courses 

TCCADA provides at no cost to residents the courses required for a particular program, such as the BLS, ACLS, ATLS, NRP and PALS. 

Memberships 

The South Carolina Medical Association offers free membership to each resident. 

License, Registrations and Exams 

Licenses

Limited medical license application fees ($150) are paid by TCCADA. Limited medical license renewal fees ($150) continue to be paid by TCCADA throughout residency and/or fellowship.

Those residents/fellows interested in obtaining a S.C. permanently endorsed medical license will pay all fees and TCCADA will reimburse $150 each academic year toward the biennial (2-year) license.

S.C. permanently endorsed medical license renewal fees ($155 biennially) will be paid by TCCADA throughout residency and/or fellowship. 

Registrations

Narcotics registrations (State DEA $125 – for one-year period) will be paid by TCCADA for medical residents each year throughout residency and/or fellowship.

Narcotics registrations (Federal DEA $731 – for three-year period) will be paid upfront by TCCADA for medical residents but prorated based on expiration and graduation dates.

Exams

USMLE Step 3 or COMLEX Step 3 – All TCCADA residents are required to sit for the Step 3 exam within 18 months of starting residency.  Incoming first year residents only, they will be eligible to pay for their Step 3 exam using their $500 educational fund.

Additional Benefits

Health Insurance

Enrollment in the SC State Retirement System

Cell phone and phone case provided to every incoming resident

Membership at the MUSC Health - Orangeburg Healthplex

Counseling, assessment, referral and education offered by AllOne Health

Program level activities designed to foster collaboration, support, and unity among residents and fellows

Lab coats

Free parking in designated areas.

Travel

Orangeburg sits on the I-26 corridor with quick access to the beach, midlands, and mountains.  Columbia International Airport is conveniently located nearby.  In about one hour you can enjoy the sandy beaches and world class seafood in the historic, coastal city of Charleston. 

Application Process

TCCADA offers ten first year Categorical positions in psychiatry. The program participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) psychiatry match and will complete interviews prior to the deadline for submission of the rank order list. 

For 2023 we will be filling our positions through the NRMP Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) process.

• Applications for PGY-1 positions are only accepted through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System).  Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as interview slots are limited.
• USMLE scores and number of attempts are taken into account as we evaluate the totality of the application.
• International Medical Graduates with US clinical experience are welcome to apply.
• Fluency in written and oral English is a requirement.
• Letters of recommendation from US physicians are strongly preferred.
• Preference is given to applicants who have graduated medical school or have completed another residency program within the past three years.

ERAS Requirements

• Provide a transcript from your medical school, a dean’s letter and two letters of reference, at least one of which should be from a psychiatrist.
• All applicants should have completed USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 CK & CS. No specific numerical scores are required.
• For osteopathic medical school applicants, we require a COMLEX.

We delight in meeting prospective residents! Upon receipt and review of the above information, carefully chosen applicants will be invited to arrange a mutually convenient time for interviews. Final acceptance to the program is at the discretion of the chief medical officer and the residency training program director, upon the advice of the Resident Selection Committee.

All interviewed candidates are reviewed by the Resident Selection Committee to complete the rank order list that is submitted to the NRMP. Successful applicants will be notified by NRMP match results, followed by a letter from the program.

Initial appointment to the program is for one year and reappointment for each subsequent year is based on the resident’s performance.