Program Directors' Messages

Robert J. Olson, M.D., Program Director

Welcome to the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences Psychiatry Residency Program website. We are very excited that you are considering our program for your residency training. The program was founded in 1980 and this past summer we held our 30th graduation banquet for our most recent residents completing the program. Our faculty practice in multiple community locations including a large multi-specialty tertiary referral clinic/hospital system, the Fargo Veterans Administration Health Care System, Community Human Service Centers, the State Hospital, private clinics both large and small, university settings, and other community agencies.  Rural outreach and telemedicine extends through 10 locations throughout our region.  Integration into primary care includes co-location of our Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Psychiatry Resident Clinics, providing cross-pollination between and joint learning.  Our teaching is personal and in small groups, classes varying from six to twelve residents in a course. You and your professors will get to know each other well as teachers, learners, and physicians caring for patients.

We expect motivated residents who want to actively participate in their learning and working together to strengthen the residency. Our faculty and staff, residents and graduates are proud of this program.

As director of the residency program, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. I have personally been involved in teaching our residents for the past 30 years; including teaching a variety of didactic courses and supervising clinical experiences which include outpatient resident clinics, ER psychiatry, inpatient electives and geriatric psychiatry consultation to nursing homes. I was raised in western North Dakota, trained in psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon, before returning to Fargo. I continue to practice in Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry, which are my board certifications, but spend 75 percent of my time teaching.

Lisa J. Schock, M.D., Associate Program Director

Welcome! I am a Fargo native who completed my undergraduate degree, medical degree, and psychiatry residency at the University of North Dakota. I enjoyed my experiences with UND so much that I now work for the school as the Associate Program Director for our residency and the Clerkship Director for medical students rotating in psychiatry. I supervise residents and students in the clinical setting, in addition to teaching didactic courses. My clinical practice is currently working as an inpatient psychiatrist, though I have worked in various outpatient settings. My goal is to facilitate a supportive residency program that graduates highly skilled and well-rounded psychiatrists.

Our aim is to graduate well-rounded psychiatrists with broad training experiences. Our graduating residents will be well-equipped to become board certified in Psychiatry and practice successfully, giving excellent patient care with confidence.

Hear more from our program directors below.