The Discipline of Psychiatry is located at the Nelson R Mandela School of Clinical Medicine, within the College of Health Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Its offices are on the 2nd Floor of the Main Building at the Medical School Campus on Umbilo Rd, Durban.

The Discipline of Psychiatry comprises of an academic platform that includes hospital sites based in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Empangeni. Undergraduate students perform their Psychiatry blocks in Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Registrars in Psychiatry (specialist trainees or residents) are allocated to clinical units in all 3 centres.

VISION

To be a premier discipline in training and research in psychiatry and mental health.

MISSION

In accordance with this vision, the Discipline of Psychiatry is committed to providing:

• Effective and appropriate undergraduate and postgraduate education in psychiatry and mental health.
• High quality, safe and accessible mental health care services to the population of KwaZulu-Natal.
• Opportunities for research with special emphasis on psychiatric epidemiology, first-episode psychosis, cross-cultural issues in mental health, mental health care services development and the neuropsychiatric manifestations of HIV/AIDS.