Psychiatry Residency Program

Imperial County Behavioral Health Psychiatry Residency Track
The Imperial County Behavioral Health Psychiatry Residency Track, developed in partnership with the University of California, San Diego, is a specialized training experience within the General Psychiatry Residency. This track is designed to prepare future psychiatrists to serve in rural, underserved communities through a public behavioral health model. Imperial County Behavioral Health Services (ICBHS), the primary provider of mental health and substance use disorder services in the region, serves as the central training site for the program.

Residents train within ICBHS’s comprehensive, community-based system of care, which includes outpatient mental health clinics, crisis services, substance use disorder programs, and school- and community-based outreach. The program emphasizes culturally responsive care, integrated service delivery, and collaboration across public agencies. Through these experiences, residents gain a deep understanding of the challenges and strengths of practicing psychiatry in a rural, border community.

In addition to clinical rotations at ICBHS facilities, residents benefit from a specialized didactic series in their PGY-3 and PGY-4 years. These sessions focus on rural public psychiatry, systems-based practice, advocacy, healthcare leadership, behavioral health finance, program development, and population health strategies tailored to the needs of Imperial County.

This track offers residents a unique opportunity to contribute to and learn from a safety-net system deeply embedded in its community, preparing them to become effective leaders and advocates in public psychiatry.

Mission

The GME Mission of Imperial County Behavioral Health Services (ICBHS) Psychiatry Residency Program is to cultivate a diverse and nurturing training atmosphere committed to equipping residents with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to become compassionate and effective physician leaders. Our program is dedicated to empowering residents to deliver exceptional and equitable mental health care, particularly to rural populations. Through a dynamic curriculum and emphasis on community-based learning, we aim to prepare psychiatrists who are adept at addressing the multifaceted challenges of contemporary psychiatric practice. By providing extensive exposure to community settings, our program fosters a unique learning experience that distinguishes our residents as well-rounded practitioners equipped to thrive in diverse clinical environments.

Aims(Goals)

• Cultivate a training environment that embraces diversity and fosters inclusivity, ensuring that psychiatric Residents from all backgrounds feel valued and supported in their journey to becoming physician-leaders.
• Emphasize immersive experiences within community settings to prepare Residents for the multifaceted challenges of contemporary psychiatric practice, enriching their understanding of diverse patient populations and treatment modalities.
• Provide Residents with a holistic educational journey that encompasses a wide range of psychiatric care approaches, empowering them to become well-rounded psychiatrists capable of addressing the evolving needs of individuals and communities.
• Advance innovative, evidence-based approaches to mental health care in rural communities, through research and telepsychiatry programs, ensuring residents are equipped to address the mental health disparities in rural and underserved populations.”

Faculty Roster – A brief Medical Bio will be provided of each faculty. (under development)

Last	First	Degrees	Title
Ahmad	Bushra	MD, MPA	Program Director
Bhansali	Rakesh	MD	Core Faculty
Davila	Belen	MD	Core Faculty
Rahmani	Morteza	MD	Faculty
Meyer	Aaron	MD	Core Faculty
Downs	Nancy	MD	Faculty
Khafaja	Mohamad	MD	Faculty
Gould	Hilary	PhD	Faculty
Koh	Steve	MD, MBA, MPH	Core Faculty
Wu	Allan	MD	Faculty
Marquez Castro	Henry	MD	Faculty
LaFree	Andrew	MD	Faculty
Ng	Bernardo	MD	Faculty

Location/Sites – Imperial County Behavioral Health Services (ICBHS)

University of California – San Diego – UCSD

Site	Site Director
ICBHS – Adult and Older Adult Services 2695 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243	Dr. Bushra Ahmad
UCSD Health – East Campus Medical Center 6655 Alvarado Road, San Diego, CA 92120	Dr. Mohamed Khafaja
UCSD Health – Hillcrest Medical Center 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103	Dr. Steve Koh
Innercare – ICBHS 852 East Danenberg Drive, El Centro, CA 92243	Dr. Allan Wu
ICBHS –  Mental Health Triage & Services 202 North 8th Street, El Centro, CA 92243	Dr. Bushra Ahmad
ICBHS  – Substance Use Disorder Treatment 2695 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243	Dr. Bushra Ahmad
ICBHS – Children & Adolescent Outpatient Services 651 Wake Avenue, El Centro, CA 92243	Dr. Henry Marquez Castro
El Centro Regional Medical Center (ICBHS) 1415 Ross Ave, El Centro, CA 92243	Dr. Andrew LaFree
Sun Valley Behavioral Health Medical Center Marshall Avenue, Imperial, CA 92251	Dr. Bernardo Ng

DIVERSITY

Education
Our program is committed to advancing an inclusive and equity-driven curriculum that addresses structural inequities and promotes culturally responsive psychiatric care. In partnership with UC San Diego, we integrate training that encourages residents to examine their own biases, understand the historical impact of racism on mental health, and develop the skills necessary to provide compassionate care in underserved, rural, and border communities. Our diversity curriculum reflects the unique needs and demographics of Imperial County.

Community Outreach & Mentorship
Imperial County is home to a predominantly Hispanic/Latino population and includes communities that are historically underrepresented in medicine. We recognize the importance of mentorship and outreach in creating a sustainable and representative healthcare workforce. Our program actively engages with local schools, community colleges, and medical students, particularly those from underrepresented in medicine backgrounds, to foster interest in psychiatry and support pathways into behavioral health professions. Residents participate in community events, health fairs, and outreach efforts to build trust and promote mental wellness in the region.

Recruitment & Retention
Imperial County’s diverse, bilingual, and binational population presents a unique and powerful learning environment. We believe that a diverse residency cohort representing the cultural, linguistic, and social backgrounds of the communities we serve is essential to effective, equitable care. Our program is committed to recruiting and retaining residents and faculty who are dedicated to health equity and culturally sensitive practice. We actively work to uphold anti-racist, transparent, and inclusive policies throughout our recruitment and retention efforts, and we welcome dialogue with prospective applicants about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Diversity of Imperial County

Imperial County is a rural, predominantly Latino community of approximately 180,000 residents, located in the southeastern corner of California along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to the U.S. Census and California Department of Public Health, the race/ethnicity breakdown is as follows: approximately 85% Hispanic or Latino, 10% White (non-Hispanic), and smaller percentages of Black (2%), Asian (1.5%), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (0.9%) populations. Over 30% of residents are foreign-born, and Spanish is the primary language spoken in many households.

Imperial County faces a number of structural and social determinants of health challenges, including high rates of poverty, with more than 21% of the population living below the federal poverty level (FPL), and limited access to specialty care and behavioral health services. Nearly 10% of residents are uninsured, and the county has a medically underserved designation by federal standards.

As a border community, Imperial County also has unique health needs related to binational care coordination, migrant health, and environmental exposures such as poor air quality. The region is also home to a significant farmworker population, with thousands of individuals engaged in agricultural labor who often experience disparities in access to mental health care.

Although small in population, Imperial County demonstrates strength in its tight-knit community, cultural resilience, and deeply rooted family structures. The region has growing visibility and support for LGBTQ+ residents, with emerging advocacy and wellness resources tailored to the needs of historically marginalized groups.

This complex and dynamic setting offers a powerful training environment for residents committed to public psychiatry, health equity, and serving communities with persistent health and resource disparities.

Diversity Curriculum: (Currently under Development)

UCSD current example:
Our diversity curriculum includes relevant topics, such as:

• Social determinants of health.
• Structural competency.
• Healthcare disparities.
• Racism in psychiatry.
• Anti-racist approaches to psychiatric care.

These topics are presented during Resident Rounds for the psychiatry residency program and Grand Rounds for the psychiatry department.
Furthermore, all lecturers for our program are requested to submit DEI related considerations related to their presentations regardless of subject matter.
We also meet regularly for social justice journal clubs during which we critically discuss topics, such as human trafficking and incarceration.

Curriculum

Imperial County Behavioral Health Services (ICBHS) Psychiatry Residency Training Curriculum

The Imperial County Behavioral Health Services Residency Track offers a specialized curriculum in community and public psychiatry designed to train future psychiatrists to serve in underserved, rural, and border-region settings. Emphasizing integrated care, population health, and leadership in behavioral health systems, this curriculum equips residents with the clinical and administrative skills needed to deliver high-quality mental health care in community-based public settings.

Each graduate of the program will complete diverse training experiences and emerge well-prepared to lead, advocate, and practice psychiatry across a variety of public service environments.

Core Curriculum Focus Areas:

• Population Health in Rural and Multinational Communities
• Health Disparities and Access to Care
• Social and Environmental Determinants of Mental Health
• Integrated and Collaborative Care in Public Systems
• Public Psychiatry and Community-Based Models of Care
• Outcomes-Based Research and Quality Improvement
• Behavioral Health Finance, Leadership, and Systems of Care

Block Rotations by Year

PGY-1

• Rotations include: Family Medicine, Mental Health Triage, Addiction Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Inpatient Psychiatry, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, and Neurology.
• Outpatient focus: 100% for first six blocks; inpatient and consultation-liaison thereafter.
• Includes a longitudinal Academic Half Day.

PGY-2

• Rotations include: Inpatient Psychiatry, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Neurology, Geriatric Psychiatry, Serious Mental Illness, Mental Health Triage, Addiction Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
• Gradual shift to 100% outpatient settings in later blocks.

PGY-3

• Focus on outpatient services at ICBHS Adult and Older Adult Clinics and Mental Health Triage Unit.
• Estimated outpatient exposure: 80%-100%; research: 0%-20%.
• Academic Half Day continues longitudinally.

PGY-4

• Includes: Service Chief responsibilities, subspecialty electives (CAP, Geriatric, Addiction), Interventional Psychiatry, and additional electives.
• All blocks are outpatient with some variability.
• Sites include ICBHS, UCSD, Sun Valley, and others.

Didactic Series Highlights:

Our didactics are designed to support applied learning through:

Group supervision with ICBHS and UCSD Psychiatry faculty

Journal clubs, case conferences, and experiential workshops

Guest lectures by regional behavioral health leaders, advocacy groups, and public health officials

Tours and immersion experiences at ICBHS clinics and community partner sites

Topics Include:

Trauma-Informed and Culturally Responsive Care

Forensic Psychiatry in Rural and Correctional Settings

Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Housing Support Services

The Role of Psychiatry in Emergency and Crisis Response

Behavioral Health Workforce Development and Supervision Models

Navigating Medi-Cal Systems and Behavioral Health Redesign

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and Case Management Models

Mental Health Issues in Immigrant, Migrant, and Agricultural Worker Populations

This curriculum positions residents to become effective leaders in community psychiatry and equips them with the tools to impact systems of care serving vulnerable and historically marginalized populations in Imperial County and beyond.

Current Residents and Fellows – Pending Recruitment.

Alumni – Until we have first year Graduation or we might omit this section at this point.**

Psychiatry Training Application

Medical Student Applicants
The Imperial County Behavioral Health Psychiatry Residency Program participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and only considers PGY-1 applications submitted through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP).

Medical students interested in applying should submit all required materials through ERAS and may schedule interviews via the platform. When requesting an interview, applicants are encouraged to share any specific clinical interests (e.g., rural psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, substance use, psychotherapy, public health, etc.) or if there are particular faculty members or areas they would like to learn more about.

If you have not received an interview confirmation within one week of submitting your request, please contact our program team to follow up on your application status.

Contact Information
For questions, additional information, or to apply directly for advanced training, please contact:

Imperial County Behavioral Health Psychiatry Residency Program

ICBHSpsychiatryresidency@co.imperial.ca.us
Residency Program Coordinator
Armando Velasco
armandovelasco@co.imperial.ca.us
(442) 265-1656

Program Director
Dr. Bushra Ahmad
bushraahmad@co.imperial.ca.us

We look forward to welcoming future psychiatrists who are passionate about advancing mental health equity in underserved communities.

Compensation, Benefits and Liability.

2024–2025 Academic Year Compensation & Salary Scale
The ICBHS Psychiatry Residency Program follows competitive salary guidelines aligned with public sector residency funding and Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Residency Training Program support.

Benefits

Level Annual Salary (UCSD current salary, ICBHS pending review)
Resident Physician 1 $86,819*
Resident Physician 2 $89,311*
Resident Physician 3 $92,363*
Resident Physician 4 $95,549*

Residents in the ICBHS program receive a comprehensive benefits package designed to support their well-being and professional growth:

• Licensure & Exam Support: Reimbursement for USMLE Step 3, California Postgraduate Training License (PTL), and Full Medical License fees.
• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance for residents and their dependents at no additional cost.
• Liability Coverage: Malpractice and disability insurance fully covered by the sponsoring agency.
• Paid Leave:
• Six Weeks of Paid Leave
• Eligibility: Available at least once during the entirety of a resident’s or fellow’s ACGME-accredited program, starting from the first day of training.
• One Additional Week of Paid Time Off
• Usage: Reserved for use outside of the initial six weeks of approved leave.
• Purpose: Can be utilized for vacation, personal days, or other needs, separate from the six-week medical/parental/caregiver leave.Additional educational leave
• Sick leave and family medical leave, including maternity/paternity leave, in accordance with Imperial County and program policy and with Program Director approval
• Meals & Uniforms:
• Food stipend for meals while on call
• White lab coats and laundry service provided
• Library Access: Online and remote access to educational and research resources through UC San Diego’s library system
• Recreational Facilities: UCSD and affiliated campus recreational amenities available to residents, including fitness centers and aquatic facilities.
• Rental Coverage: While the students are attending their rotations in San Diego, we will be covering the monthly rent.

Educational Support – Community Psychiatry Track

The program offers structured financial support for professional development and scholarly activity throughout the four years of training. Residents are eligible for funding to support:

• Travel and registration for in-state and national psychiatry conferences
• Textbooks, scholarly journals, and online learning tools
• Participation in workshops and leadership training
• Additional support for residents presenting posters or talks at conferences

Funding amounts increase with each year of training and are prioritized for residents who engage in scholarly dissemination or represent the program in academic forums.

Additional Information

The ICBHS Psychiatry Residency Program Handbook will outline more detailed policies regarding leave, insurance, housing, call schedules, meals, uniforms, and visa sponsorship. Through our academic partnership, residents are also provided guidance aligned with UC San Diego’s Office of Graduate Medical Education policies where applicable.