M.D. Program

Psychiatric Services

Student Health and Counseling Services: 

Students can access psychiatric services through Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS). Students wishing to schedule an appointment with SHCS psychiatrists must first meet with any mental health clinicians or primary care providers at SHCS. Psychiatric appointments are available in person (Student Health and Wellness Center in Davis CA) and via telehealth. There is no Copay for students with University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and for students without SHIP, there will be copays. 

If you are a medical student with Kaiser insurance, you may be directed to establish care with a psychiatrist within the Kaiser network.

Trainee Mental Health Clinic:

In addition to Student Health and Counseling Services, students can access psychiatric services with Karima Holmes, M.D., the Director of the Trainee Mental Health Clinic, from our Psychiatry Department who is available to provide services to our medical students, residents and fellows. 

Students with Medi-Cal can reach out directly to Karima at tmhc@health.ucdavis.edu. Additional information about Medi-Cal psychiatric services can be obtained by calling the Sacramento County Adult Access line: 916-875-1055

Karima will not be involved in the evaluations of students during clinical rotations.

Welcome to the UC Davis Trainee Mental Health Clinic!

  • Our Treatment Philosophy
  • Intake Process
  • Communication Expectations
  • Emergency Information
  • FAQ and Additional Resources

Our Treatment Philosophy

Trainee Mental Health Clinic (TMHC) is committed to helping you access the care that best meets your needs. Our clinic provides psychiatry services during what may be a focused period of care. For most patients, when the time is right, we’ll help transition your care to a psychiatrist in the community or to your PCP. In some cases, we can provide ongoing care.

If you are in need of urgent support, or during periods of high demand for services, we may prioritize connecting you directly with a community provider who accepts your insurance, so you can receive the support you need as quickly as possible. 

Our treatment philosophy emphasizes that medication management works best when integrated with other support systems, which can include counseling services through Student Health and Counseling Services, academic coaching thru the School of Medicine, and accessing community resources and providers.

Intake Process

To help us get started and begin insurance verification, please complete our intake form and email to:

Once we receive your completed intake form, it typically takes 2 weeks to process. If you haven’t received confirmation that your intake forms have been processed, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Once completed, we will call to schedule your first appointment — typically within 4 weeks.

Communication Expectations

If you have any questions about TMHC services, please email us at one of the following:
tmhc@health.ucdavis.edu    kaholmes@health.ucdavis.edu    aacharya@health.ucdavis.edu

Email is reserved for our initial communications. DO NOT use email for psychiatric care. DO NOT use email for urgent concerns. If you don’t have MyChart, please sign up before your first scheduled appointment. 

We use Epic EMR and will ensure the “break-the-glass” feature on your chart is turned on.

Once you’ve established care within the clinic, ALL communication will be via MyChart messages OR via the clinic phone (916-734-3574). 

Emergency Services

Please note, the Trainee Mental Health Clinic does NOT offer same-day appointments and does NOT function as an urgent care or emergency psychiatry service. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please dial 988. If you believe you are in immediate danger, please go to the nearest Emergency Department or call 911.

For UC Davis Medical Students

Student Health Counseling Services - Urgent Care and Crisis Response

Urgent/same-day appointments are available during normal business hours as outlined below. Please call ahead at 530-752-0871. 

Hours

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • Closed Saturday and Sunday

Outside of the Student Health Counseling Services’ business hours, you can still access support through:

  • 24/7 Phone Line: If you have an emergency after business hours, call 530-752-0871. Follow the phone prompts to connect to a mental health professional.
  • Crisis Text Line: Text RELATE to 741741 to connect with a trained peer crisis-counselor. Available 24/7.

Emergency/Urgent Services:

You can also find additional resources on the Aggie Mental Health webpage.

Please see Karima Holmes, M.D., bio below:
 
Karima Holmes PhotoKarima Holmes, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist who is very passionate about supporting medical trainees' mental health and wellness. She completed her residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital, and a one-year fellowship at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute in Psychotherapy. Karima earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Howard University College of Medicine after completing a post-baccalaureate pre-health program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia, where she concentrated on Hinduism and Afro-Creole religious traditions.

Karima greatly enjoys talking and reading about anything related to liberation psychology and topics of Afrofuturism (Octavia Butler is her favorite author and she can listen to Earth Wind and Fire on repeat). Her other interests lie in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and addressing mental health concerns with cultural sensitivity. 

Karima Holmes, M.D. does not provide urgent or emergency services. Your safety and well-being are a priority; please use the appropriate urgent care resources mentioned here (UC Davis School of Medicine | Student Wellness - Crisis) if you're ever in crisis or need support while waiting for an appointment to establish care.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with Karima Holmes, M.D., please feel free to contact her via email at tmhc@health.ucdavis.edu.