MGH McLean Adult Psychiatry Residency Program

Program Mission

Child and adolescent psychiatry training at MGH and McLean Hospital is based on the philosophy that no single conceptual framework is sufficient to understand human behavior. Residents are taught to approach patients and their families from a developmental perspective using five clinical orientations: psychodynamic, psychosocial, biologic, behavioral and cognitive. They are challenged to understand clinical issues in depth and to attempt formulations that integrate conceptual models. Beyond attaining essential knowledge, skills and attitudes, residents need to develop a sense of professional identity that includes being a secure physician, an advocate for children, a sensitive therapist and a thoughtful participant or consultant within team structures.

Program Overview

There are several ways to pursue training in child and adolescent psychiatry. MGH/McLean offers a unique five- or six-year Combined Adult-Child/Adolescent Program (Peds/Adult/Child Psychiatry, NRMP: 1261400C0). This program includes a pediatric internship at MGH with 6 months of pediatrics, one month of adult neurology and four months of psychiatry. Following completion of the internship, residents can choose to complete either two or three years in the adult psychiatry program before transitioning to the child/adolescent psychiatry program. Residents pursuing this track do not have to decide at the outset whether they wish to complete the program in five or six years, but can instead decide during the PGY-3 year. Alternatively, residents may match into the adult program and complete the four-year residency as usual prior to pursuing a child/adolescent fellowship. Finally, residents also have the option of matching into the adult program but transitioning to a child/adolescent fellowship after three years of training, often referred to as “fast-tracking.”