Stony Brook Medicine/University Hospital Program

The fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at Stony Brook Medicine offers an intensive one-year, ACGME-accredited program that is designed to provide comprehensive clinical, academic, and research training in the field. The program is structured to ensure that fellows gain extensive experience across a wide array of geriatric psychiatry practices.

The fellowship encompasses dedicated experiences in various care settings, including inpatient care, long-term nursing home care, outpatient clinics, dementia evaluations, and care management at the Stony Brook Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease (CEAD). Furthermore, fellows participate in palliative care, substance and pain management programs, neurology movement disorders programs, and consultation-liaison psychiatry rotations at both Stony Brook Medicine and the Northport VA Hospital 1.

Clinical Rotations

The clinical rotations are integral to the fellowship and include:

• Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry: A three-month rotation at Northport VA Hospital, allowing fellows to manage a caseload of seven patients while working under the supervision of a board-certified psychiatrist.
• Geriatric Outpatient Program: A twelve-month rotation, where fellows engage in direct patient care, completing comprehensive assessments, and participating in case supervision with a focus on managing co-morbid psychiatric and medical conditions.
• Stony Brook CEAD: A twelve-month rotation under the guidance of the Director of Geriatric Psychiatry, involving evaluations of new patients referred for cognitive impairment and dementia assessments.
• Palliative Care Service: A one-month rotation that immerses fellows into an interdisciplinary team approach in an inpatient hospital context.
• Treatment-refractory Depression Program: A focused one-month rotation allowing exposure to innovative treatment methods for older adults experiencing resistant depressive symptoms.
• Long Term Care at the Northport VA Hospital: A three-month consultancy role providing geriatric psychiatric insights in a long-term care setting.
• Movement Disorder Center: A one-month rotation attending to patients with complex movement disorders.
• Psychiatric Inpatient Consultation and Liaison Service: Fellows participate in a three-month rotation providing psychiatric consultation services to a geriatric inpatient population.
• Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT) Service: A three-month exposure to ECT under the supervision of an experienced psychiatrist.

This structure ensures a well-rounded exposure to the numerous facets of geriatric psychiatry, significantly enhancing clinical skills and knowledge.

Curriculum and Research Opportunities

The curriculum of the fellowship is thoughtfully designed to address the unique needs of geriatric patients while fostering research skills and interests. Fellows have the opportunity to engage in clinical research at various clinical sites, including the CEAD, thereby developing both research and leadership skills in geriatric psychiatry 2.

Application Process and Requirements

Applications for the fellowship are accepted on a rolling basis until the available positions are filled. Candidates must have completed an ACGME-accredited general psychiatry residency training program and must be licensed or eligible for a license in New York state. The application package should include a letter of interest, CV, and three letters of reference, with one being from the residency director 4.

Visa Support

The program also offers visa support, allowing them to sponsor J-1 and H-1B visa types for international medical graduates who meet the application criteria. This is vital for international applicants wishing to pursue fellowship training in the United States.

Competitiveness of the Program

While the fellowship is competitive, it encourages applications from a diverse range of candidates, including DO and international medical graduates (IMGs), fostering an inclusive educational environment. The program values clinical expertise, commitment to geriatric psychiatry, and the ability to contribute positively to the fellowship community.

Faculty

The faculty consists of experienced professionals, including board-certified geriatric psychiatrists and psychiatrists with additional qualifications in psychosomatic medicine. They are dedicated to mentorship, facilitating fellows’ development through both clinical and research activities 5.