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Kirsten Wilkins, MD

Professor of Psychiatry
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Additional Titles

Director of Medical Student Education, Psychiatry

Integrated Care Firm Director, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, VA Connecticut Healthcare System

About

Titles

Professor of Psychiatry

Director of Medical Student Education, Psychiatry

Positions outside Yale

Integrated Care Firm Director, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, VA Connecticut Healthcare System

Biography

Dr. Wilkins is Professor and Director of Medical Student Education in the Department of Psychiatry. She also serves as Firm Director for Integrated Care at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven, CT. Dr. Wilkins works clinically in outpatient primary care-mental health integration and geriatric psychiatry.

As a clinician-educator, Dr. Wilkins is actively involved in the supervision and education of Yale medical students, PA students, and psychiatry residents and fellows. She served as the Psychiatry Clerkship Director from 2011-2019, Director of the YSM Clerkship Curriculum from 2014-2018, and Executive Director of the Yale Interprofessional Longitudinal Clinical Experience from 2018-2022. On a national level, she has long been involved with the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP), having previously served as Chair of the AAGP Teaching and Training Committee and Chair of the AAGP Scholars Program for trainees. She was Co-Chair of the 2021 AAGP Annual Meeting. Dr. Wilkins is a member of the Association for Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP) and was recently selected as Co-Chair of the ADMSEP Education Scholars Program. 

Dr. Wilkins is board certified in General Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, with subspecialty certification in both Geriatric Psychiatry and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and has presented regionally and nationally in the areas of clinical geriatric psychiatry, medical student education, learning climate, and the education of medical trainees in geriatric psychiatry. Current areas of research interest include medical education in geriatric psychiatry, learning climate, integration of mental health and primary care, health professional attitudes toward psychosocial aspects of medicine, and medical student mental health.


Appointments

Education & Training

Fellow
Yale University School of Medicine (2006)
Resident
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (2005)
MD
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (2001)
BS
University of Tulsa, Biological Sciences (1997)

Research

Overview

Back to Basics: Integration of Basic and Clinical Science in the Psychiatry Clerkship

This study compares two curricular innovations aimed at integrating basic and clinical science in the Psychiatry Clerkship: 1) a physician-scientist joining a clinician-taught Dementia lecture versus 2) an instructional video reviewing basic science concepts preceding a clinician-taught Dementia lecture.

Mental Health Self-Care in Medical Students: Barriers and Benefits to Use

This project, developed by a medical student mentee, involves a survey of all Yale medical students to assess mental and physical health care seeking, social behaviors, and barriers to self-care in medical school.

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Kirsten Wilkins's published research.

Publications

2024

2023

2022

2021

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • honor

    Educator of the Year

  • honor

    Nancy C.A. Roeske MD Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Medical Student Education

  • honor

    Psychiatry Residents' Association Teaching Award

  • honor

    Chairman's Award

  • honor

    Outstanding Resident Teaching Award

Get In Touch

Contacts

Academic Office Number
Appointment Number
Office Fax Number
Mailing Address

Psychiatry

950 Campbell Ave 116A

West Haven, CT 06516

United States