University of Southern California/Los Angeles General Medical Center (USC/LA General) Program

The University of Southern California (USC)/Los Angeles General Medical Center (LAGMC) offers a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program that is designed to provide comprehensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. This fully accredited program is structured over two years and accommodates up to six fellows each year.

Program Overview

This fellowship program offers extensive exposure across diverse clinical settings, including the Los Angeles General Medical Center, which serves as a major safety net hospital, as well as Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a private tertiary care center. The curriculum emphasizes a holistic approach to treatment, integrating knowledge about neurobiology, developmental psychology, and the context of family and community life into patient care. The structure includes hospital-based rotations in emergency care, adolescent inpatient services, consultation-liaison, and pediatric neurology services in the first year, followed by outpatient treatment experience in the second year.

Curriculum and Training

The first year of fellowship is largely focused on in-hospital experiences, where fellows manage acute psychiatric emergencies, engage with interdisciplinary teams, and learn key assessment and treatment strategies. In the second year, fellows transition to outpatient care, emphasizing psychopharmacological management as well as psychotherapy. Throughout both years, fellows are expected to engage actively in their learning, with structured mentoring from faculty who are leaders in the fields of psychiatry, neuroscience, and psychotherapy.

Didactic Education

Fellows attend lectures and seminars that cover essential topics such as diagnostic interviewing of children, developmental psychopathology, psychopharmacology, and specialized treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy and trauma-informed care. Additionally, the program includes bi-weekly journal clubs where fellows present on current literature, fostering skills in research and critical analysis.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are encouraged to participate in various research activities that align with their interests. The program supports multiple research projects, focusing on topics like the neurobiological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders, the impacts of trauma on child development, and innovative treatment strategies. Fellows often contribute to scholarly work that is presented at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Competitiveness and Application Requirements

The fellowship program is highly competitive, welcoming applications from U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and eligible international medical graduates (IMGs). Specific requirements include:

• Completion of at least three years of general psychiatry residency training.
• Passing at least one clinical skills evaluation (CSE) of an adult psychiatry patient prior to entering the fellowship.
• U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or eligible for a J-1 visa; H-1B visa holders are not accepted.
• Applicants must submit documentation including letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and transcripts via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
• Applications must be submitted by October 1st for a fellowship commencing the following year.

Support and Benefits

Fellows are employees of Los Angeles County, and their salaries are negotiated according to the union contracts. As of July 1, 2020, the salaries are as follows:

• PGY-4: $70,316.57
• PGY-5: $75,244.51
• PGY-6: $80,342.70

The program emphasizes the well-being of its fellows, offering annual retreats, wellness groups, and mindfulness practices to combat burnout and encourage a balanced lifestyle.

Visa Support

The program offers visa sponsorship for eligible international medical graduates. It specifically supports applicants for J-1 visas, ensuring that international fellows can participate in the training program seamlessly.

Living in Los Angeles

Living in Los Angeles offers a myriad of lifestyle options, with the city's cultural diversity, vibrant art scene, and various outdoor activities contributing positively to the fellowship experience. The climate is generally pleasant, allowing for year-round activities ranging from visiting beaches to exploring mountains and national parks.