MIRECC / CoE
MIRECC/CoE VA Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment
VA Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment (MIRT)
Updated: 17 October 2025
Fellowship Overview and Announcements
Fellowship Overview
The VA Office of Academic Affiliations is offering the VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment at 28 VA sites through MIRECC (Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center), SMITREC (Serious Mental Illness Treatment, Research, and Evaluation Center), NCPTSD (National Center for PTSD), CIH (Centers for Integrated Healthcare) and COEs (Centers of Excellence). Specific Sites and contacts are listed below. All sites in our program strive to foster a climate of cultural humility and inclusivity. Fellowship sites are committed to a professional environment that is positive, respectful, and supportive of cultural and individual differences represented by our Faculty and Fellows. Each year, one MD Fellow from psychiatry, neurology, radiology, internal medicine, or other areas of medicine and one Allied Health Fellow from clinical psychology, counseling psychology, social work, nursing or pharmacy are accepted at each site. The VISN 21 MIRECC serves as the national coordinating center for the program, directed by Sherry A. Beaudreau, Ph.D., ABPP.
The primary goal of the fellowship program is to train MDs, psychologists and other allied health professionals to become leading clinical researchers in high priority areas of mental health. Over the course of the two-year program, fellows are trained in academic and health systems research, advanced clinical care service delivery, and program administration in an interdisciplinary setting. The fellowship combines individual mentored research and clinical training with state-of-the-art educational experiences.
A special emphasis of the fellowship program is to train fellows to conduct translational research that brings basic science to clinical practice. For example, fellows learn how genetic factors are linked to clinical outcomes and how innovative research methodologies yield more clinically relevant information. One highly successful aspect of training has been the videoconference seminar series. Twice a month a leading expert in the field presents to fellows at all sites through the video conferencing system. The didactic emphasizes two main areas. One includes presentations on all aspects of career development from grant and manuscript preparation to the role of mentorship. The second emphasis is on the most recent advances in conducting specific components of clinical research in mental health, from genetics to designing the best interventions. There is also a strong emphasis on state-of-the-art methodological approaches to mental health research and practice. Seminar topics last year included VA career development, funding and resources, behavioral genetics, health informatics, and designing clinical trials of behavioral therapies. Past seminars have featured presentations on funding mechanisms and career development awards by Theresa Gleason, Ph.D., from VA R&D, Jovier Evans, Ph.D., from the NIMH, and Molly Wagster, M.D., from the NIA.
Additional monthly multi-site videoconference workshops on grant preparation are also provided to the Fellows in addition to ongoing weekly biostatistical consultation through the coordinating center.
For more information about the fellowship program, contact us by email at martin.king@va.gov and sherry.beaudreau@va.gov.
Fellowship Program Announcement
The Office of Academic Affiliations, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), announces its two-year, post residency, specialized training program in Advanced Mental Illness Research and Treatment at 28 VA sites through MIRECC, SMITREC, NCPTSD, and COE located across the country. This is an interdisciplinary program that aims to train MDs, psychologists and other allied health professionals (e.g., PhDs in social work, nursing) to become outstanding clinical researchers in high priority areas of mental health research and practice. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
The program combines individualized, mentored research and clinical training with a state-of-the-art curriculum that emphasizes research methods; statistics; epidemiology; mental health systems; quality improvement methods; education and service delivery. Each site is affiliated with a MIRECC, SMITREC, NCPTSD, or COE, and an affiliate academic institution. Fellowship sites are linked electronically for didactic, academic, and research efforts.
Fellows devote 75% time to research and educational activities and 25% to clinical training. In collaboration with their mentors, Fellows will develop and implement a research project, publish and present findings, participate in grant writing, and utilize the latest technology for educational activities and clinical service delivery to meet the needs of all Veterans.
Requirements and Application
Requirements
MDs
MD applicants must have completed ACGME-accredited training, be board eligible or board certified, and have an active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice. International medical graduates must also have a current visa and an ECFMG certificate that is valid indefinitely. Applicants on a J-1 visa must also have current ECFMG sponsorship. Stipends will be based on years of previously completed residency training accredited by the Accrediting Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and index rates approved at the respective VA facility and affiliated university.
Allied Health Professionals
Eligible psychologists and allied health professionals must be U.S. citizens. Psychologists must have graduated from an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited doctoral program in clinical or counseling psychology. Completion of an APA accredited internship in clinical or counseling psychology also is required. Allied health professionals must have graduated from an APA accredited doctoral program. For the eligibility requirements for other Allied Health disciplines, please contact sherry.beaudreau@va.gov. Stipend rates are currently $48,334 to $56,519 per annum for the first year of the program with a stipend increase in the second year. These stipends are reviewed biannually and are adjusted according to rates paid by comparable non-VA postdoctoral fellowship programs.
Applications
Interested MDs, psychologists, and allied health professionals who meet the eligibility requirements should send a cover letter and curriculum vita to the MIRECC, SMITREC, NCPTSD, or COE Fellowship site/s of their choice.
The VA Office of Academic Affiliations has more information at https://www.va.gov/OAA/Advanced_Fellowships/Fellowship_Overview.asp. Towards the bottom of that page click on: Nomination, Submission, and Application Instructions for VA Advanced Fellowships in Mental Illness Research and Education (Advanced Psychiatry and Psychology).
MIRECC/CoE Contacts
VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT (VISN 1)/
Yale University School of Medicine
VISN 1 New England MIRECC
Suzanne Decker PhD
Phone: 203-932-5711 x 3153
Email: Suzanne.Decker@va.gov
Mehmet Sofuoglu MD
Phone: 203-932-5711 x4809
Email: Mehmet.Sofuoglu@va.gov
National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD)
Ismene Petrakis MD
Phone: 203-932-5711 x2244
Email: Ismene.Petrakis@va.gov
Ilan Harpaz-Rotem PhD
Phone: 203-932-5711 x8642
Email: Ilan.Harpaz-Rotem@va.gov
VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA (VISN 1)/
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Areas of emphasis: substance use disorders, addiction, mental health, co-occurring disorders, recovery, rehabilitation
VISN 1 New England MIRECC
Brian Stevenson, PhD
Phone: 781-687-3919
Email: Brian.Stevenson4@va.gov
Victoria Ameral PhD
Phone: 781-687-3015
Email: Victoria.Ameral@va.gov
Eric G Smith, MD, PhD, MPH
Phone: 781-687-2766
Email: Eric.Smith5@va.gov
Dongchan Park MD
Phone: 781-687-4564
Email: Dongchan.Park@va.gov
VA Western New York Healthcare System at Buffalo, NY (VISN 2)/
State University of New York at Buffalo
Areas of Emphasis: primary care mental health integration; primary care behavioral health; co-located collaborative care; brief behavioral intervention
VISN 2 Center for Integrated Healthcare
Paul King PhD
Phone: 716-862-6038
Email: Paul.King2@va.gov
Canandaigua VA Medical Center, NY (VISN 2)/
University of Rochester Medical Center
Areas of Emphasis: Suicide; Public Health Messaging; Crisis Lines; Pain; Sleep; Treatment Engagement
VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention
Todd Bishop PhD
Phone: 585-393-7126
Email: Todd.Bishop@va.gov
James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY (VISN 2)/
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: suicide, serious mental illness, neuroimaging, psychophysiology, clinical trials, psychosocial treatments, telehealth
VISN 2 New York/New Jersey MIRECC
Chi Chan PhD
Email: chi.chan@mssm.edu
Philadelphia VA Medical Center (VISN 4)
University of Pennsylvania
VISN 4 Philadelphia MIRECC Fellowship Website
Henry Kranzler MD
Phone: 215-386-6662
Email: Henry.Kranzler@va.gov
Steven Sayers PhD
Phone: 215-823-5196
Email: Steven.Sayers@va.gov
VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, PA (VISN 4)/
University of Pittsburgh
Areas of Emphasis: Precision Mental Health; Sleep; Clinical Trials; Psychotic Disorders; Suicide Prevention; Big Data Science; Peer Support
VISN 4 Pittsburgh MIRECC Fellowship Website
Gretchen L. Haas PhD
Phone: 412-360-2662
Email: gretchen.haas@va.gov
Adam Bramoweth PhD
Phone: 412-360-2806
Email: Adam.Bramoweth@va.gov
David Volk MD PhD
Phone: 412-648-9617
Email: David.Volk@va.gov
Isabella Soreca MD
Phone: 412-360-6823
Email: sorecai@upmc.edu
VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD (VISN 5)/
University of Maryland
Areas of Emphasis: serious mental illness; psychiatric recovery; applied research
VISN 5 Capitol MIRECC
Melanie Bennett PhD
Phone: 410-637-1852
Email: Melanie.Bennett@va.gov
Beth Klingaman PhD
Phone: 410-637-1875
Email: elizabeth.klingaman@va.gov
VA Charleston Healthcare System, Charleston, SC
Medical University of South Carolina
Areas of Emphasis: PTSD, emotional disorders; substance use disorders; psychosocial/behavioral trials; pharmacologic treatment trials; laboratory-based and neuroimaging studies
Elizabeth Santa Ana, PhD
Phone: 843-789-7168
Email: Elizabeth.SantaAna2@va.gov
Daniel Gros, PhD
Phone: 843-789-6225
Email: Daniel.Gros@va.gov
Durham VA Medical Center, NC (VISN 6)/
Duke University School of Medicine
VISN 6 Mid-Atlantic MIRECC
Patrick Calhoun PhD
Phone: 919-286-0411 x7970
Email: Patrick.Calhoun2@va.gov
Christine Marx MD
Phone: 919-286-0411 x5112
Email: Christine.Marx@va.gov
Central Virginia VA Health Care System, Richmond, VA (VISN 6 )/
Virginia Commonwealth University
Areas of Emphasis: posttraumatic stress disorder; substance use disorders; traumatic brain injury; spinal cord injury; rehabilitation; resilience; health disparities
VISN 6 Mid-Atlantic MIRECC
Scott McDonald PhD
Phone: 804-675-5000 x13633
Email: Scott.McDonald@va.gov
W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, NC (VISN 6)/
Wake Forest School of Medicine
VISN 6 Mid-Atlantic MIRECC
Robert Shura PhD
Phone: 704-638-9000 x3175
Email: Robert.Shura2@va.gov
Holly Miskey PhD
Email: Holly.Miskey@va.gov
Phone: 704-638-9000 x 14570
Robin A. Hurley MD, FANPA
Phone: 704-638-9000 x 14455
Email: Robin.Hurley@va.gov
VA Ann Arbor Health Care System, MI (VISN 11)/
University of Michgan, Ann Arbor
VISN 11Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center
Nicholas Bowersox PhD
Phone: 734-222-7447
Email: Nicholas.Bowersox@va.gov
Paul Pfeiffer MD
Phone: 734-845-3649/4023
Email: Pfeiff@med.umich.edu
Rebecca Sripada PhD
Phone: 734-222-7432
Email: rekaufma@med.umich.edu
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX(VISN 16)/
Baylor College of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: Implementation; behavioral medicine; PTSD; SUD; disparities and equity; anxiety; access to care
VISN 16 South Central MIRECC / Houston Fellowship Website
Natalie Hundt PhD
Phone: 713-791-1414 x10315
Email: Natalie.Hundt@va.gov
Chadi Abdallah, MD
Phone: 713-791-1414 x 26829
Email: Chadi.Abdallah@va.gov
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR (VISN 16)/
University of Arkansas Medical School
Areas of Emphasis: rural; underserved; mental health care access/engagement
VISN 16 South Central MIRECC / Little Rock Fellowship Website
Michael A. Cucciare PhD
Phone: 501-257-1068
Email:Michael.Cucciare@va.gov
Sonia Singh, PhD
Phone: 501-257-1230
Email: Rajinder.Singh2@va.gov
Erica Hiett MD
Phone: 501-257-5300
Email: Erica.Hiett1@va.gov
Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Waco, TX (VISN 17)/
Texas A&M College of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: PTSD/trauma; Moral Injury; Positive Psychology; Brain-based interventions (TMS); biomarkers; program evaluation; re-integration and family functioning; web-based interventions
Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans
Richard Seim PhD
Phone: 254-297-5170
Email: richard.seim@va.gov
Laura Zambrano-Vazquez PhD
Phone: 254-297-5154
Email: Laura.zambrano-vazquez@va.gov
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO (VISN 19)/
University of Colorado, Denver
Areas of Emphasis: suicide risk, prevention, intervention
VISN 19 Rocky Mountain MIRECC - Denver Fellowship Website
Lauren Borges, PhD
Phone: 303-916-0128
Email: Lauren.Borges2@va.gov
VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, UT (VISN 19)/
University of Utah School of Medicine
VISN 19 Rocky Mountain MIRECC / Salt Lake City Fellowship Website
Erin McGlade PhD
Phone: 801-587-1412
Email: Erin.McGlade@va.gov
Deborah Yurgelun-Todd PhD
Phone: 801-582-1565 x2707
Email: Deborah.YurgelunTodd@va.gov
VA Portland Healthcare System, OR (VISN 20)/
Oregon Health Sciences University
Areas of Emphasis: Systematic review; Meta-analysis; PTSD; TBI; Chronic pain; Sleep; Aging
VISN 20 Northwest MIRECC
Ben Morasco, PhD
Phone: 503-220-8262 x57625
Email: benjamin.morasco@va.gov
Maya O’Neil, PhD
Phone: 503-220-8262 x54522
Email: Maya.Oneil@va.gov
Miranda Lim, MD, PhD
Phone: 503-220-8262 x57404
Email: Miranda.Lim@va.gov
VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, WA (VISN 20)/
University of Washington School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: Blast mild traumatic brain injury, PTSD, Glymphatic function, mTBI and risk for neurodegeneration, Alcohol Use Disorder, Biofluid biomarkers for mTBI and neurodegeneration, Sleep disturbance in mTBI
VISN 20 Northwest MIRECC
Elaine Peskind MD
Phone: (206) 277-3965
Email: Elaine.Peskind@va.gov
Tracy Simpson PhD
Phone: (206) 277-3337
Email: tracy.simpson@va.gov
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, CA (VISN 21)/
Stanford University School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: Aging; Dementia; Geropsychology; PTSD; Precision Medicine; Neuromodulation; Neuropsychology
VISN 21 Sierra Pacific MIRECC
J, Kaci Fairchild PhD, ABPP
Phone: (650) 493-5000 x63432
Email: JenniferKaci.Fairchild@va.gov
Michelle Madore PhD
Phone: 650.493.5000 x64221
Email: Michelle.Madore@va.gov
Michael Ostacher MD
Phone: 650-849-0494
Email: Michael.Ostacher@va.gov
Laura Hack, MD
Phone: 650-493-5000 x63108
Email: Laura.Hack@va.gov
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA (VISN 21)/
Stanford University School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: PTSD; Digital Mental Health Interventions; Mobile Mental Health; Implementation Science; Healthcare Engagement and Health Literacy; Evidence-based Treatments (reach, access, fidelity, training); Sleep
National Center for PTSD
Sarra Nazem PhD
Email: Sarra.Nazem@va.gov
Phone: 650-614-9997 x25909
Steven Lindley MD, PhD
Phone: 650-493-5000 x2-25189
Email: Steven.Lindley@va.gov
San Francisco VA Healthcare System, CA (VISN 21)/
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: trauma/PTSD; schizophrenia; depression; late-life and dementia; suicidality; clinical trials and mechanistic clinical trials
VISN 21 Sierra Pacific MIRECC
Susanna Fryer, PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x26358
Email: Susanna.Fryer2@va.gov
Tom Neylan MD
Email: Thomas.Neylan@va.gov
Kristine Yaffe MD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x3790
Email: kristine.yaffe@va.gov
Shira Maguen PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x2511
Email: Shira.Maguen@va.gov
Judith Ford PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x4187
Email: Judith.Ford@va.gov
Daniel Mathalon MD, PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x3860
Email: Daniel.Mathalon@va.gov
R. Scott Mackin PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x22463
Email: Scott.Mackin@va.gov
West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, CA (VISN 22)/
University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: schizophrenia, psychosis, social cognition, clinical neuroscience, mobile technology, psychopharmacology, homelessness
VISN 22 Desert Pacific MIRECC
Michael Green PhD
Email: mgreen@ucla.edu
Amy Jimenez, PhD
Phone: 310-478-3711 x44820/43929
Email: amy.jimenez@va.gov
Stephen Marder MD
Phone: 310-268-3647
Email: Stephen.Marder@va.gov
VA San Diego Health Care System (VISN 22)/
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: Schizophrenia, Serious mental illness, Biomarkers, Cognitive remediation, EEG, Translational neuroscience, Functional outcomes
VISN 22 Desert Pacific MIRECC
Gregory Light PhD
Phone: 858-552-8585 x2517
Email: Gregory.Light@va.gov
Barton Palmer PhD
Phone: 858-246-0765
Email: bpalmer@ucsd.edu
VA San Diego Health Care System (VISN 22)/
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
Areas of Emphasis: Neuropsychology, Neuroimaging, Biomarkers, PTSD, TBI, Interventions (psychopharmacology and psychosocial), Complimentary and Integrative Health
VISN 22 Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH)
Laurie Lindamer PhD
Phone: 858-642-3870
Email: Laurie.Lindamer@va.gov
Dhakshin Ramanathan MD
Phone: (619) 887-1644
Mobile: (415) 990-7664
Email: Dhakshin.Ramanathan@va.gov
