Mental illness affects individuals of all ages and races. It continues to cause significant suffering and loss of self-realization in all areas of an individual’s function. Treatment of mental illness continues to be one of the most challenging but also rewarding career choices for young physicians.
The field of psychiatry offers diverse and stimulating opportunities to explore and gain knowledge in the understanding and treatment of mental illness. One of the challenges of this century is the integration of information from neurosciences, genetics, psychological, sociological, cultural and spiritual perspectives to advance the understanding and treatment of persons with mental illness.
The Austin Medical Education Programs (AMEP) in General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry offers training in eclectic, multidisciplinary, ethical and compassionate treatment of patients affected by mental illness.
The program includes an exceptionally wide variety of clinical experiences in diverse settings, providing exposure to the private sector, the State, the University, the Veterans, the community and the federal mental health care systems. Our elective rotations include opportunities to gain experience in biofeedback techniques, PTSD clinic, Pain clinic, treatment of developmentally delayed or hearing impaired individuals, research and administrative psychiatry.
Both the Adult and Child and Adolescent Programs receive extensive and committed support from the psychiatrists in Austin and the collaborative relationships, which have been formed with the community.
Dr Kira Carey has been involved in the training of general and Child and Adolescent psychiatry residents for her entire professional life spanning over 3 decades and supports the continuing growth of all faculty and residents, both on a professional and personal level.
Training is about the future, welcome to the learning partnership.
Dr. Ripperger-Suhler received a BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 1977 from the University of Colorado, Boulder, an MA in Nutrition in 1983 from the University of Texas at Austin, and the MD in 1992 from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock. She completed General Psychiatry Residency Training in 1997 at the University of Arizona, Tucson and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training in 1999 also at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
She subsequently joined the staff of Scott and White in Temple, Texas, as a child and adolescent psychiatrist where she worked until May 2009. While at Scott and White, she served as Program Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program from 2002-2009 and the General Psychiatry Residency Training Program from 2006-2009.
Returning to her native Austin, she joined the Austin Medical Education Program's Psychiatry Department as Associate Program Director of General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training in June of 2009. Dr. Ripperger-Suhler is dedicated to providing a rich training experience for residents and joined the AMEP team with the goal of helping lead this program to a position of eminence.
Dr. Ripperger-Suhler has a strong interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders and headed the Central Texas Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic at Scott and White. She is working as a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Texas Child Study Center, a collaboration between the University of Texas at Austin and the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. At the center she is helping to develop a state of the art Autism Treatment Center with the goals of serving the children of central Texas and providing an exemplary multidisciplinary training center for the area.
Seton is proud to have four hospitals – the only hospitals in Central Texas - that have earned the