Gateway Behavioral Health Community Service Board Program

Gateway Behavioral Health Community Service Board offers a focused and comprehensive Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship based in Savannah, Georgia. The program is designed to meet the urgent need for child and adolescent psychiatrists in the community and beyond, providing fellows with a robust educational experience through a blend of clinical training, mentorship, and didactic instruction.

Program Overview

The fellowship program is community-based, allowing fellows to engage with various community programs and participate in a diverse range of clinical activities. Gateway's mission emphasizes the production of well-educated, skilled, and passionate child and adolescent psychiatrists, supported by a faculty known for their commitment and experience in the field 1.

The curriculum incorporates a thorough schedule that combines hands-on clinical experience with structured learning opportunities. Fellows are engaged in a longitudinal outpatient clinic, crisis stabilization rotations, and various community program rotations, enriching their understanding of the mental health needs of children and adolescents.

Curriculum Structure

First Year Rotations

In the first year, fellows undergo an intensive introductory phase that includes one month of high-yield didactic teaching, followed by clinical rotations that span the rest of the year. These rotations cover:

• Inpatient crisis stabilization at Lakeside
• Consultation-liaison in outpatient family practice clinics
• Outpatient pediatric neurology
• Community development and learning disorder programs
• Residential treatment at Coastal Harbor Treatment Center

Didactics occur weekly, alongside protected time for research and quality improvement projects when not on rotation.

Second Year Rotations

The second year of training focuses on advanced clinical practice and includes board review sessions and elective opportunities. Fellows follow a block schedule that rotates through:

• Consult liaison roles
• Adolescent medicine
• School-based consultations
• Elective rotations tailored to individual interests

Each week features dedicated time for didactic sessions and mentorship, fostering an environment conducive to learning and professional growth 1.

Research and Scholarly Activity

Fellows are encouraged to engage in scholarly research throughout their training, with a firm expectation of completing at least one scholarly project each year. Projects may vary from case reports to systematic reviews, which often lead to further presentations at national conferences and publications 10.

Unique Aspects of the Program

The program's location in Savannah offers fellows the opportunity to immerse themselves in a city known for its rich history and vibrant community life. The Gateway fellowship emphasizes community mental health, encouraging fellows to build relationships and work effectively within the community 12.

Additionally, Gateway Behavioral Health fosters a supportive atmosphere, with close-knit interaction among faculty and residents, further enhancing the educational experience.

Salary and Benefits

Fellows are compensated competitively, with first-year fellows earning approximately $70,000 annually and second-year fellows seeing an increase to $72,500. The program also provides comprehensive benefits typical for fellowships in Georgia, including health, dental, vision insurance, personal leave, and professional development funds 9.

Visa Support

For international medical graduates (IMGs), the program currently does not sponsor visas for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship. Applicants must thus be U.S. citizens or permanent residents to be eligible for the training program 9.

Application Requirements

The application process requires interested candidates to submit their applications through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) and meet specific requirements. Notably, there is no graduation cut-off year, and while USMLE Step requirements include a minimum score of 194 for Step 1 and 209 for Step 2, the program encourages strong performance on the first attempt to maintain competitiveness 11.

Overall, the Gateway Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship commits to developing top-quality psychiatrists who are prepared to meet the mental health needs of their communities.