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Transcultural Psychiatry and International Studies

Residents: Drs. Kussawat, Zheng, and Gill

Welcome to our transcultural and international psychiatric programs for medical students, residents, and faculty. Our department of Behavioral Medicine has been offering cultural and international opportunities for our students and faculty since 1988. Below you will find information about a few of our exciting programs. Please feel free to contact me for questions about these great opportunities. - Donald Fidler, MD, FRCP-I, Director of Transcultural Psychiatric Programs (Email: dfidler@hsc.wvu.edu)

Click here for the link to MEKI (Middle East Kids In Crisis) Project

Specific Programs

2007-8 APA Minority Fellow

We are proud that the American Psychiatric Association Minority Fellowship Selection and Advisory Committee selected our senior, chief resident, Vikramjit Gill, MD, to be a 2007-2008 APA Minority Fellow. The fellowship award presents a stipend for a fellow to use for special projects such as sponsoring conferences, seminars, lecture series, and grand rounds on minority-related topics, establishing cultural libraries through purchase of books, supporting fellow travel to transculturally related seminars, establishing a Minority Fellowship Program Internet web page, and sponsoring seminars on working with culturally diverse families and the challenge of substance abuse treatment.

Kodiak Island, Alaska, USA

Alazka Since 1988, Dr. Fidler has visited the villages of Kodiak Island, focusing on the village of Akhiok in the southwest corner of Kodiak Island. Numerous WVU medical students, residents, and faculty members as well as invited guests from other universities in the U.S. and New Zealand have accompanied Dr. Fidler to Kodiak Island. The staff assisted KANA (Kodiak Area Native Association) in helping to build and run annual summer spirit camps for the island children and their families. The camps focused on alcohol and drug prevention, consolidating indigenous spirituality and customs, and learning to achieve in the larger melting-pot culture.

Mount Isa and the Outback, Queensland, Australia

Mount Isa and the Outback, Queensland, Australia In 2002, Dr. Donald Fidler moved to Mount Isa, in the outback of Queensland, Australia for six months to work as the director of mental health and to learn about the Aborigine culture. Andrew Trumbull, a WVU undergraduate student, accompanied him. Many medical students from Australia and New Zealand worked with Dr. Fidler during his six months in the outback.

Dr. Mark Renfro, a neurosurgery resident from the University of Florida, visited both on the coast and in the outback.

Dr. Fidler flew to several small villages in the outback and on islands to the north of Queensland. Many of these places had never had a previous visit from a psychiatrist.

China

Robert Edmundson, Associate Professor at WVU, presented three presentations during his September 2007 visit to Beijing Normal University. He gave a power point presentation to faculty and staff of the counseling center at BNU regarding services provided to students at WVU. He also presented to approximately 200 students regarding mental health issues on college campuses. The third presentation was a workshop for teachers and community professionals on the use of group therapy in dealing with addictions.

Mr. Edmundson believes that one accomplishment of the visit was the sharing and exchange of information. He realized that many of the mental health stigmas which confront US students are perhaps even greater in China. The idea of asking for help appears to elicit a lot of shame for many Chinese students. Mr. Edmundson said that he was glad he was able to encourage and model a healthier way of confronting problems.

Sultanate of Oman

In 2001, West Virginia University helped the Sultanate of Oman develop a four-year medical school and develop a three-year undergraduate pre-medical school. The schools comprise the Oman Medical College or OMC. The undergraduate campus is located in Muscat, Oman and the medical school campus is located in Sohar, Oman.

In 2005, Dr. Fidler helped develop the OMC Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry. Each year, a group of students from OMC visit the School of Medicine at West Virginia University. In 2006, the first WVU medical student, Phillip Granchi, visited OMC for a fourth-year clinical psychiatric elective.

Israel

Israel In 2007, psychiatric colleagues invited Dr. Fidler to visit Israel to learn about child psychiatric programs in the Middle East.

Nelson, New Zealand (south island)

In 2003, Dr. Donald Fidler moved to Nelson, New Zealand for six months to work as the director of the pre-crisis unit of the Marlborough Nelson Hospital Mental Health System and to learn about the Maori culture. Andrew Trumbull, a WVU undergraduate student, accompanied him. Many medical students and residents from the UK and New Zealand worked with Dr. Fidler during his six months on the south island.