Boston Children’s Hospital Psychiatry Consultation Service Postdoctoral Fellowship

23 Oct 2023    

Program Overview

The Psychiatry Consultation Service (PCS) provides consultation-liaison services for children, adolescents, young adults, and their families facing challenges related to medical illness and hospitalization. Presentations include new diagnoses, chronic illnesses, acute medical or psychiatric crises, and difficulty coping with hospitalization, on almost all inpatient medical and surgical units at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). In providing these clinical services, the PCS targets teaching of the consultation- liaison service model to trainees in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, and aims to expand the academic knowledge base of behavioral medicine. One of the largest services in the country, clinicians include staff psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers; 2 child psychiatry fellows; 3-4 postdoctoral psychology fellows; and 3-4 psychology interns. The PCS conducts over 1,100 consultations a year.

The consultation-liaison service model is based on the biopsychosocial framework and provides a range of services during inpatient medical or surgical admissions, including diagnostic and emergency evaluations, as well as short-term therapeutic interventions. Clinicians work within an interdisciplinary model and collaborate with the many medical and surgical specialty and subspecialty teams, nursing, and allied health providers throughout the hospital. This interface between the psychiatric and medical/surgical services has been demonstrated to minimize the negative impact of the stressful experience, promote healthy coping, and help the child and family return to their prior state of emotional well-being.

Positions

Three to four postdoctoral fellowship positions in pediatric psychology are available within PCS. Each fellowship is a full-time, 12-month position consisting of clinical training in pediatric psychology consultation models and applied clinical research. The option for a second-year advanced fellowship may be available with consideration of funding and matching fellow/program interests. Training experiences include participation in the PCS rounds and seminars, pediatric psychology seminar, the postdoctoral fellow research seminar, and departmental didactic seminars. Postdoctoral fellows receive weekly individual supervision in addition to case-based supervision by psychology and psychiatry attendings.

Clinical Activities

Clinical activities include psychological consultation and treatment for children, adolescents, and young adults with acute or chronic medical and/or psychiatric conditions. Specific clinical services to be provided include psychiatric consultation, diagnostic assessment, and follow-up management of psychiatric concerns presenting during medical hospitalization; brief psychotherapy; coping with physical illnesses; psychoeducation for youth and their families; support for unit health caregivers; liaison with interdisciplinary teams; pre-transplant evaluations; and managing/facilitating case transfers from the medical floors to the community or to intensive psychiatry treatment programs. Treatment interventions range from supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral treatment, acceptance and commitment-based therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy-informed treatment, biofeedback-assisted relaxation training, parent management strategies, insight-oriented interventions, and interdisciplinary collaboration for end-of-life care.

Research Activities

Each fellow can expect that approximately 20% of their time will be dedicated to applied research and academic pursuits. Recent research and quality improvement opportunities have included areas of somatic symptom and related disorders, eating and feeding disorders, solid organ transplant, psychiatric boarding, consultation liaison outcomes, and treatment protocols for various psychiatric conditions. Potential research activities include study design, data analysis, grant writing, and manuscript preparation. Fellows will participate in ongoing research initiatives, with the opportunity to develop and complete independent projects. Evidence of a research product will be expected at the end of the fellowship year. Fellows will also be provided the opportunity to teach psychology interns, medical students, and/or other trainees. In addition, fellows will have the unique experience of engaging in umbrella supervision of psychology interns during the second half of their training year.

Application Information:

Information about the Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychology Fellowship Program, including all fellowship offerings for the coming training year, can be found here: https://www.childrenshospital.org/departments/psychiatry/training-programs/psychology-fellowship-program. More information about the PCS fellowship is available on our program website http://www.childrenshospital.org/programs/psychiatry-consultation-service  and our UPPD listing: https://appic.org/Postdocs/Universal-Psychology-Postdoctoral-Directory-UPPD/Detail/id/2226

Candidates with previous experience in pediatric psychology, consultation models, and collaboration within multidisciplinary settings are encouraged to apply. A strong interest and commitment to applied research is also preferred. Applicants must have (1) completed an APA-/CPA-/PCSAS-accredited doctoral program; (2) prior to beginning fellowship, will have completed an APA-/CPA-accredited internship; (3) prior to beginning fellowship, will have defended dissertation and all other doctoral requirements.

APPA CAS will be utilized for application submission (https://appicpostdoc.liaisoncas.com/). Interested candidates are asked to prepare the following: a letter of interest/personal statement, curriculum vitae, APPA CAS application, three letters of reference, and a certified transcript of doctoral work (submitted directly to APPA CAS). Letters of reference should be requested electronically in APPA CAS and uploaded directly by the letter writer. Early applications are encouraged. Completed applications must be received by December 11, 2023.

Questions about the PCS fellowship are best addressed via email to Beth Logan, PhD (beth.logan@childrens.harvard.edu).