Clinical Curriculum at a Glance
First Year:
Inpatient Service: 4 months; 80%
This service is provided in the Child and Adolescent Unit of Shands at Vista, a 15-bed inpatient facility equipped with all the essentials required for the comprehensive acute psychiatric care of children and adolescents between the ages of 4 to 17.
Consultation and Liaison Service: exposure
This service provides psychiatric consultations to all the pediatric inpatient services at Shands Children’s Hospital. Time on this service is combined with the Inpatient Service rotation, and it provides comprehensive assessment to children with a wide variety of medical and neurological disorders.
Outpatient Services/general child psychiatry clinics: Continuity Clinic
This service is provided in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic at Shands Medical Plaza at UF, which provides outpatient psychiatric care to a large and diverse population ranging in age from 2 to 17 years. The full spectrum of psychiatric disorders is evaluated and treated using comprehensive modalities.
Specialty Clinics: exposure
1) Autism Spectrum Disorders/Developmental Disabilities Program
This is an intensive outpatient evaluation and treatment program at Shands at UF, specially designed for children and adolescents with a variety of Pervasive Developmental Disorders and other developmental disabilities.
2) Pediatric Movement Disorders/Tics/Tourettes Program
This is an intensive outpatient program at Shands at UF, specially designed for children with a multitude of movement disorders. Comprehensive assessment and treatment using a multi-disciplinary team approach is utilized. This model uses collaboration with the Department of Neurology with an interdisciplinary team approach.
3) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Program
Junior fellows will have exposure to our OCD Clinic, learn to diagnosis and treat OCD and OCD comorbidities. There are opportunities for fellows to also participate in OCD research and the UF Comprehensive OCD CBT Program.
4) Adolescent Substance Use/Abuse/Addictions Clinic
Child Psychiatry fellows may have exposure to our outpatient services focused on and directed at adolescents with dual diagnoses. This outpatient clinic ties in with inpatient dual diagnosis unit at Vista.
Pediatric Neurology Service: 2 months; 10%
This service is offered by the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology at Shands at UF. Child Psychiatry fellows rotate through and assess/treat a comprehensive array of outpatient neurological disorders.
Psychological Testing: exposure
During the first year of training, the Child Psychiatry fellow will have opportunity to sit in and observe psychological testing done on children and adolescents. Basic exposure will help fellows better understand various tests available to assess cognition, development, Learning Disorders, and aid in diagnostic clarification.
Second Year:
School Consultations Rotation: exposure
Child Psychiatry fellows perform comprehensive school assessment of children directly in the school setting. There is the opportunity for multidisciplinary team meetings involving teachers, special educators, psychologists, administrators and ancillary services. Exposure involves schools within the Alachua County School District, as well as other counties in north-central Florida. Additional exposure is provided in the area of school liaison for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ADS)/developmental disabilities.
Meridian Behavioral Healthcare Clinic: 8-12 months; 20%
This community mental health clinic in Gainesville serves a diverse population of youth and families in the surrounding counties. The Child Psychiatry fellows provide comprehensive diagnostic assessment and treatment planning. Senior fellows will have a year-long continuity clinic there.
Specialty Outpatient Clinics: exposure
1) Autism Spectrum Disorders/Developmental Disabilities Program
2) Pediatric Movement Disorders/Tics/Tourettes Program
Exposure during the first year continues into the second year, and fellows are able to hone their diagnostic and clinical skills with direct faculty supervision.
Student Mental Health Services: 12 months; 20%
The Student Mental Health Service (SMHS) of the University of Florida is located on campus and is comprised of a multidisciplinary staff of experienced clinicians. Child Psychiatry fellows have direct patient contact with a unique population of college age students and have the opportunity for assessment and treatment, focusing on older adolescents and the transitions to adulthood. Supervision is provided on-site and collaborative treatment planning and consultation with other mental health professionals is available. Senior fellows will have a year-long continuity clinic there.
Elective: 4 weeks equivalent
A wide variety of electives is offered at UF. These include, but are not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program, Clinical Research trials, Forensic Psychiatry, Vero Beach-UF clinic elective (focused psychotherapy training and family assessment), Parent Child Interaction Training, Clinical Genetics, and the Eating Disorders multi-disciplinary team. Other opportunities also exist, and planning with the Program Director is recommended.
