State hospital curriculum: Public academic liaison for psychiatric education

State hospitals provide essential services to many of society's most ill and needy individuals. As the next century approaches, state hospitals can best fulfil their missions by developing as high-quality neuropsychiatric/rehabilitation institutes, as opposed to custodial care centers. Highly skilled professionals whose education has included the special knowledge and skill pertinent to state hospitals are central to this development. Although "training units" in state hospitals have existed in many locales, a specific curriculum is often lacking. This article describes the curriculum for psychiatric residents who rotate through the Professional Education Unit at Dammasch State Hospital, as part of the Oregon Public Psychiatry Training Program. The curriculum is described by exploration of the individual learning contract, known as the "Educational Plan," which guides each resident's work.