Medical College of Georgia Program

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) is a fully-accredited two-year program recognized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Established in 1983, the program has garnered a reputation as one of the oldest psychiatric fellowships in the Southeast, and it has maintained continuous accreditation without any citations. This fellowship aims to educate future leaders in the field of pediatric mental health, equipping fellows with competencies through diverse activities, including research, service, and clinical medicine.

The program emphasizes psychotherapy, exposing fellows to a wide array of therapy modalities. Trainees benefit from a structured mentorship system where regular supervision ensures their success alongside personal and professional development. This strong commitment to fellow education fosters an enriching learning environment.

Fellows rotate through various training sites, including a local residential treatment facility, an addiction treatment center, and the consultation-liaison service at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, as well as the outpatient clinic. Through these experiences, fellows gain insights into child psychiatry and family mental health issues. Additionally, they collaborate closely with faculty members, who provide ongoing support throughout their training journey. Dedicated wellness time allows fellows to engage in extracurricular academic activities such as medical student teaching, scholarly research, quality improvement projects, and advocacy initiatives. Opportunities for moonlighting and volunteering at a free mental health clinic are also available.

Goals and Objectives

Within the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program, the Post Pediatric Portal Program (PPPP) stands out as one of only four such initiatives nationwide. Launched in 2014, this innovative program has full backing from the State of Georgia and accreditation by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology (ABPN). It offers a unique three-year training pathway for ACGME-trained pediatricians, allowing them to engage in simultaneous training in both General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP). Upon completion, graduates achieve credentialing and board eligibility in both fields.

The overarching goals of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry training at MCG center on attracting bright and motivated physicians who aspire to pursue careers as child and adolescent psychiatrists. The program is committed to providing an environment conducive to lifelong independent learning and experiential education tailored towards promoting a developmental perspective. The program emphasizes comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment of child, adolescent, and familial psychopathology, integrating biological, psychological, and social factors across developmental stages up to adolescence.

Graduates of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at MCG have successfully established careers in various sectors. They have taken roles in esteemed institutions, private practices, community mental health clinics, and other facilities, thus validating the program's efficacy in preparing trainees for the real-world challenges of pediatric mental health.