The Early Course Psychosis Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) is located within the Advancing Services for Psychosis Integration and Recovery (ASPIRE) clinic. This fellowship will provide training in comprehensive evaluations and outpatient treatment for individuals experiencing early symptoms of psychosis and those at clinical high-risk for developing psychosis. The fellow will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, social workers, other trainees, educators, and researchers. BIDMC and HMS also offer opportunities to participate in clinical and translational research geared toward understanding and developing innovative treatments for early course psychosis and clinical high-risk populations. The goal of this fellowship is to train psychiatrists in coordinated specialty care (CSC) based on the NAVIGATE model, so that trainees can be well equipped to join a community mental center or establish a program of their own.

Clinical Rotations:

Early Course Psychosis Clinics: Longitudinal clinical experiences providing early course psychosis intervention services in underserved urban and rural communities. Training is provided in comprehensive assessment and evidence-based practices for the treatment of individuals with early course psychosis in outpatient, inpatient, and community settings. Clinical services include medication management, individual therapy, multi-family group therapy, cognitive enhancement therapy, peer support, and academic/employment coaching. The participating clinics include ASPIRE (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA) and The Edinburgh Center (Bedford, MA).

Clinical High Risk for Psychosis Clinic: Longitudinal clinical experience providing preventative services in an urban community. Training is provided in comprehensive assessment and management of youth at clinically high risk for developing psychosis in an outpatient community setting. The participating clinic includes the Resilience Evaluation-Social Emotional Training (RE-SET) Program at Mass General Hospital.

Population Health and Scholarly Time: The fellow will have dedicated time to work with a research mentor on a scholarly project of interest. Data from an ongoing database on early course psychosis at the MAPNET consortium will be available to the fellow for developing and implementing research projects or they may collect data independently. Projects may include initiating and collaborating on manuscript preparation and submission of journal articles, and panel/poster submissions at a local, regional or national conference. The Fellow may also work with faculty on funded research studies focusing on early psychosis.

Didactics/Lectures/Conferences: Weekly protected time for didactics and supervision. Topics range in scope from neurobiology of early psychosis to how to set up a CSC to all aspects of evidence-based care related to evaluating and treating individuals with early psychosis or those at risk. Twice a month lectures as part of the MAPNET lecture series, which includes a broad range of topics from psychopharmacology to psychotherapy to cultural aspects of treatment. Fellows will attend conferences held by the Department of Mental Health and BIDMC. They will also have the opportunity to attend one or more conferences that focus on early psychosis.

Fellowship Directors:

Paulo Lizano, MD, PhD                                                                                                                                      Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, HMS      

Division Chief of Translational Neuroscience, BIDMC

Co-Director, ASPIRE Clinic at BIDMC

Matcheri  S. Keshavan, MD                                                                                                                                     Stanely Cobb Professor of Psychiatry, HMS

Academic Head of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Requirements:

·       Completion of Psychiatry Residency

·       Passed USMLE exams (steps 1-3)

·       For international applicants: a current valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate. Eligible to have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. licensing. You must apply for this and receive approval before applying to the fellowship program.

Timeline:

·       Submit statement of interest, CV, and 3 letters of reference (one from program director) compiled into one PDF to Angie Mines by September 11th, 2023

·       Interviews conducted on Mondays from September 25th to December 11th, 2023, between 11am-1pm Boston time

·       Selection and notification of fellows completed by December 20th, 2023

·       Fellowship starts on 7/1/2024

For additional information please contact: Angie Mines, Address 75 Fenwood Road, Room 540

Boston, MA 02115, Phone 617-754-1236, Fax 617-754-1250, Email amines@bidmc.harvard.edu