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MIRECC/CoE VA Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment

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VA Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment

Updated: 06 April 2023

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 are listed on the tabs MIRECC contacts and COE contacts. VISN links take you to the homepage of the VISN. Other links in the lists let you jump to director information for that site.

These sites participate in the program. 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 and value the wide range of diversity and intersectionality 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 emphasize 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 twice monthly multi-site videoconference workshops on manuscript and 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 sherry.beaudreau@va.gov.

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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 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 diverse Veterans.

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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).

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MIRECC/CoE Contacts

VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT (VISN 1)/
Yale University School of Medicine
VISN 1 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)
Steven Southwick MD
Phone: 203-932-5711 x2464
Email: Steven.Southwick@va.gov
Ilan Harpaz-Rotem PhD
Phone: 203-932-5711 x8642
Email: Ilan.Harpaz-Rotem@va.gov
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VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA (VISN 1)/
University of Massachusetts Medical School
VISN 1 New England MIRECC
Megan Kelly PhD
Phone: 781-687-3317
Email: Megan.Kelly1@va.gov
Victoria Ameral PhD
Phone: 781-687-3015
Email: Victoria.Ameral@va.gov
Dongchan Park MD
Phone: 781-687-4564
Email: Dongchan.Park@va.gov
Chris Streeter MD
Phone: 781-687-2580
Email: streeter@bu.edu
 
VA Western New York Healthcare System at Buffalo, NY (VISN 2 )/
State University of New York at Bufffao
VISN 2 Center for Integrated Healthcare
Paul King PhD
Phone: 716 862-6038
Email: Paul.King2@va.gov
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Canandaigua VA Medical Center, NY (VISN 2 )/
University of Rochester Medical Center
VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention
Stephanie Gamble PhD
Phone: 585-369-7320
Email: stephanie.gamble@va.gov
Todd Bishop PhD
Phone: 585-393-7126
Email: Todd.Bishop@va.gov
Susan Gillespie MD
Phone: 585-393-7763
Email: Suzanne.Gillespie@va.gov
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James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY (VISN 2 )/
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
VISN 2 New York/New Jersey MIRECC
Chi Chan PhD
Email: chi.chan@mssm.edu
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Philadelphia VA Medical Center (VISN 4)
University of Pennsylvania
VISN 4 MIRECC Fellowship Website
Henry Kranzler, M.D.
Phone: (215) 386-6662
Email: Henry.Kranzler@va.gov
Steven Sayers, Ph.D.
Phone: (215) 823-5196
Email: Steven.Sayers@va.gov
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VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, PA (VISN 4)/
University of Pittsburgh
VISN 4 Pittsburgh MIRECC Fellowship Website
Gretchen L. Haas, Ph.D.
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
Email: sorecai@upmc.edu
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VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD (VISN 5 )/
University of Maryland
VISN 5 Capitol MIRECC
Melanie Bennett, Ph.D.
Phone: (410) 637-1852
Email: Melanie.Bennett@va.gov
Beth Klingaman PhD
Phone: (410) 637-1875
Email: elizabeth.klingaman@va.gov
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Durham VA Medical Center, NC (VISN 6 )/
Duke University School of Medicine
VISN 6 Mid-Atlantic MIRECC
Patrick Calhoun, Ph.D.
Phone: (919) 286-0411 x7970
Email: Patrick.Calhoun2@va.gov
Christine Marx, M.D.
Phone: (919) 286-0411 x5112
Email: Christine.Marx@va.gov
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Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA (VISN 6 )/
Virginia Commonwealth University
VISN 6 Mid-Atlantic MIRECC
Scott McDonald, Ph.D.
Phone: (804) 675-5000 x3633
Email: Scott.McDonald@va.gov
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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 x-3175
Email: Robert.Shura2@va.gov
Holly Miskey PhD
Email: Holly.Miskey@va.gov
Robin A. Hurley, M.D., FANPA
Email: Robin.Hurley@va.gov
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VA Ann Arbor Health Care System, MI (VISN 11 )/
University of Michgan, Ann Arbor
VISN 11 Serious 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
Email: Pfeiff@med.umich.edu
Rebecca Sripada PhD
Phone: 734-222-7432
Email: rekaufma@med.umich.edu
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Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX(VISN 16 )/
Baylor College of Medicine
VISN 16 South Central MIRECC/Houston Fellowship Website
Natalie Hundt, Ph.D.
Phone: 713-791-1414 x10315
Email: Natalie.Hundt@va.gov
Mark Kunik, M.D.
Phone: 713-794-8639
Email: kunik.marke@va.gov
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Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR (VISN 16 )/
University of Arkansas Medical School
VISN 16 South Central MIRECC / Little Rock Fellowship Website
Michael A. Cucciare, Ph.D.
Email:Michael.Cucciare@va.gov
Sara Landes PhD
Phone: 501-257-3385
Email: Sara.Landes@va.gov
Erica Hiett MD
Phone: 501-257-5300
Email: Erica.Hiett1@va.gov
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Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Waco, TX (VISN 17)/
Texas A&M College of Medicine
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
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VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO (VISN 19 )/
University of Colorado, Denver
VISN 19 Rocky Mountain MIRECC - Denver Fellowship Website
Edgar Villarreal PhD
Phone: 720-723-6476
Email: Edgar.Villarreal@va.gov
Hal Wortzel, M.D.
Phone: (303) 399-8020 x5644
Email: Hal.Wortzel@va.gov
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VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, UT (VISN 19 )/
University of Utah School of Medicine
VISN 19 Rocky Mountain MIRECC / Salt Lake City Psychology Fellowship Website
Erin McGlade, Ph.D.
Phone: (801) 587-1412
Email: Erin.McGlade@va.gov
Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, Ph.D.
Phone: (801) 582-1565 x2707
Email: Deborah.YurgelunTodd@va.gov
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VA Portland Healthcare System, OR (VISN 20 )/
Oregon Health Sciences University
VISN 20 Northwest MIRECC
James Boehnlein, M.D.
Phone: (503) 220-8262 x56200
Email: james.boehnlein@va.gov
Ruth Ann Tskuda, Ed.D., MPH, R.N.
Phone: (503) 273-5227
Email: Ruth.Tskuda@va.gov
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VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, WA (VISN 20 )/
University of Washington School of Medicine
VISN 20 Northwest MIRECC
Elaine Peskind, M.D.
Phone: (206) 277-3965
Email: Elaine.Peskind@va.gov
Tracy Simpson, Ph.D.
Phone: (206) 277-3337
Email: tracy.simpson@va.gov
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VA Palo Alto Health Care System, CA (VISN 21)/
Stanford University School of Medicine
VISN 21 Sierra Pacific MIRECC
Jennifer Kaci Fairchild, Ph.D.
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, M.D.
Phone: 650-849-0494
Email: Michael.Ostacher@va.gov
Makoto Kawai MD
Email: mkawai71@stanford.edu
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VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA (VISN 21)/
Stanford University School of Medicine
National Center for PTSD
Sarra Nazem PhD
Phone: 650-614-9997 x25909
Email: Sarra.Nazem@va.gov
Steven Lindley MD, PhD
Phone: (650) 493-5000 X 2-25189
Email: Steven.Lindley@va.gov
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San Francisco VA Healthcare System, CA (VISN 21 )/
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
VISN 21 Sierra Pacific MIRECC
Kaela Joseph PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x23956
Email: Kaela.Joseph@va.gov
Brian Borsari PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x6344
Email: Brian.Borsari@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
R. Scott Makin PhD
Phone: 415-221-4810 x22463
Email: Scott.Mackin@va.gov
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West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, CA (VISN 22 )/
University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine
VISN 22 Desert Pacific MIRECC
Michael Green PhD
Email: mgreen@ucla.edu
Robert Kern PhD
Email: rkern@ucla.edu
Stephen Marder MD
Phone: (310) 268-3647
Email: Stephen.Marder@va.gov
Alexander Young MD
Phone: 310-268-3416
Email: Alexander.Young@va.gov
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VA San Diego Health Care System (VISN 22 )/
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
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
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VA San Diego Health Care System (VISN 22 )/
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
VISN 22 Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH)
Laurie Lindamer PhD
Phone: (858) 642-3870
Email: Laurie.Lindamer@va.gov
Dewleen Baker MD
Phone: (858) 552-8585 x2230
Email: Dewleen.Baker@va.gov
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