The Wright Center Announces Plan to Add Psychiatry Residents

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has approved the Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s application to add an additional three resident physicians to the psychiatry residency.

To meet the growing national demand for psychiatric care, the current workforce of about 45,580 psychiatrists must increase by 2,800 behavioral specialists by 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Today’s estimated 6.4% shortage of psychiatrists is expected to nearly double to 12% by 2025.

“As demand grows, workforce shortages during the pandemic have exacerbated our nation’s health crisis,” said Dr. Sanjay Chandragiri, program director of the Psychiatry Residency. “The ability to expand our psychiatry team will help us provide patients with the care and treatment they deserve and expect from The Wright Center.”

ACGME is the body responsible for accrediting all graduate medical training programs for physicians in the United States. The growth of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Psychiatry Residency enables 25 resident physicians to serve the region at eight community practices in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties, while also replenishing the nation’s health care workforce in this specialty field.

The additional residents will join The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Psychiatry Residency in July.

For more information about behavioral health services or to make an appointment at The Wright Center for Community Health, please go to thewrightcenter.org or call 570-941-0630.