Psychiatry Clinical Research Training-NIMH Office of the Clinical Director

National Institute Of Mental Health

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Clinical Fellowship Programs: During FY25, there were eight NIMH IRP residents/fellows. The academic year generally starts in July so this number can include new, current and departing trainees from our programs. Seven of these eight trainees entered through the PGY-4 ACGME accredited psychiatry residency program. Additional training in statistics, imaging methodology, and transcranial magnetic stimulation was offered. Several clinical fellows have transitioned to new positions in industry, academia and the Food and Drug Administration. Program Director and Associate Program Director Administrative Duties: Program Director and Associate Program Director duties for the PGY4 residency and clinical fellowship program include dissemination of information about the training programs, recruitment of new residents and fellows, identification of NIMH Principal Investigators to serve as research mentors, clinical research curriculum development, and guidance on career development for trainees at all levels. Other Affiliated Training Programs: NIH Clinical Center Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) fellowship program: this one-year ACGME- accredited subspecialty program is sponsored under the NIMH PGY4 psychiatry residency program and hosts two fellows annually. NIMH Faculty meet weekly with HPM Faculty and trainees to review clinical cases and to offer cross-collaborative training including formal didactics and mentorship Research Electives for Psychiatry Residents and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows: The NIMH OCD offers elective rotations to residents/fellows from local psychiatry training programs to gain exposure to neuroscience-based research. During FY2024–25, two PGY-2 residents and one PGY-3 resident from MedStar Georgetown University, as well as one PGY-4 resident from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, participated in clinical rotations at our institution. Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry Fellowship Program: This one-year ACGME-accredited subspecialty fellowship is conducted in partnership with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center and has two fellowship positions per year. The CL fellows (2/year) rotate on the NIMH Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Service at the NIH Clinical Center, each for six months. Two joint program CL fellows were trained in FY 2024-25 and went onto faculty positions. Medical Student Programs: The Clinical Electives Program (CEP) at the NIH Clinical Center provides fourth year medical students opportunities to apply for 4–8 week clinical neuroscience research or psychiatry consultation-liaison rotations. The OCD helps coordinate medical student rotations in the NIMH IRP. In 2024-25, we hosted 7 medical students. In addition, NIMH faculty are called on to offer didactics once/year with the CEP program. Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP) at the NIH Clinical Center is a selective year-long elective research experience for medical students who live and work on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. NIMH IRP faculty have served as mentors or been on the MRSP Board of Advisors. Advisors interview and select students for the program and help them identify a research mentor. Postbaccalaureate Student Training: The OCD also accepts 1 to 3 Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Awardees (IRTAs) to work on OCD research-related projects and OCD staff participate in OFT career panels for IRTAs applying to medical school and clinical psychology programs. Clinical Neuroscience Initiatives: The OCD participates in NIMH national initiatives that promote psychiatrists-in-training to choose and succeed in research and academic careers. OCD staff also suggest and host mental health speakers to Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds, Clinical Center Grand Rounds, NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS) and other NIMH DIRP speaker series. The NIMH Outstanding Resident Award Program (ORAP) was started in 1988 and is a highly coveted and competitive annual award for promising young psychiatrists-in-training. ORAP awardees are top psychiatry residents with outstanding academic potential who are selected from among residencies across the U.S. and Puerto Rico and who have been nominated by their training directors as PGY2s. This award is given to a small number of residents each year for past achievements, current efforts, and future contributions to the field of psychiatry. In October 2024, a group of 10 ORAP awardees were selected for an in person visit to NIMH in Bethesda and 10 Honorable Mentions participated in the program virtually. Neuropsychology Training Opportunities: Up to four graduate students from neighboring university clinical psychology graduate programs (e.g., USUHS, American, Gallaudet, Howard, UMBC) are selected to come to NIH as part of the NIH-wide Clinical Psychology Practicum. These doctoral students assist with evaluations, while learning the practice of neuropsychology. Neuropsychology seminars, clinical interviewing, trainings on psychometric testing, test administration, scoring and interpretation (e.g., Wechsler tests of intelligence and memory, brief tests of intelligence, NIH Toolbox, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) and report writing are provided. Training is also given to NIMH IRP Intramural Research Training Awardees (IRTAs) on test administration (including NIH Toolbox, and Kaufman Brief Test of Intelligence 2). Staff counsel interested students and IRTAs on career options in psychology. Neuropsychology staff presented at the annual Mental Health Career Panel as part of the NIH Clinical Psychology Practicum Seminar Series. NIH-Wide Initiatives: Understanding the importance of the wellbeing of all NIH staff, including health care employees, staff, and trainees reached an inflection point during the pandemic. The NIMH continues to lead and support the Clinical Center Graduate Medical Education Committee Wellbeing Subcommittee, including through a co-chair role, in its work in the wellbeing space for all NIH residents, fellows and faculty by continuing to stand up new initiatives including tracking and intervening around resident and faculty burnout. In addition, NIMH faculty oversees a professional development program called Docside which features speakers whose aims are to further educate fellow and resident trainees across the NIH Institutes (intramural program) on a variety of curated, relevant topics. This year we offered five topics reaching 109 fellow participants. Agendas are driven by fellow interest with particular input from Clinical Fellow Executive Leadership Team. NIMH wellbeing co-chair facilitated a working retreat for the Clinical Fellows Executive Leadership team for the purpose of enhancing efficiency, communication and to establish goals/priorities during their tenure.