Frequently Asked Questions

 

When should I apply?

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis starting July 1st for the coming year. We typically begin receiving applications during July and August. For more information see the Application Process section of the website.

Is there a match process?

No, positions are offered directly from the program on a rolling basis.  

How many applicants are accepted each year?

We usually accept 4-5 fellows each year.

How do applicants select from various public psychiatry fellowship programs?

Applicants tend to interview based on geographic location and programs that have the strongest reputations. We encourage interviewing broadly. We want you to find a place that is the best fit for you.

Which residency training programs did fellows graduate from?

Fellows graduated from diverse and high-quality training programs across the country: 

California:

    • UCSF
    • UCLA
    • UCSD
    • UCD
    • San Mateo
    • Stanford

Out-of-State:

    • Columbia
    • Harvard
    • Indiana University School of Medicine
    • Northeast Ohio Medical University
    • NYU
    • University of Nevada
    • University of Wisconsin
    • UT Austin
    • Tufts
    • Tulane
    • Yale

What is the percentage of fellows that come from out of state?

Approximately 40% (19/47) of fellows came from out of state. Some came to live in the Bay Area, while others planned to go back to their home state. Many of those who planned to leave California, ended up staying. Several fellows currently live across the country: Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin. 

Can fellows concurrently work to fulfill their National Health Service Corps clinical obligations?

No previous fellow has had a service obligation with the National Health Service Corps. Three clinic placement sites (Chinatown North Beach Mental Health, Central City Older Adults, and SOMA Mental Health) have an HPSA score of 18. We are working to get other San Francisco Health Network Behavioral Health Services (SFHN-BHS) clinics designated by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). 

Can fellows receive Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits?

Public Psychiatry Fellowships are not accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Thus, didactics do not confer CME credits.

Does the fellowship allow me to get board certified?  

Currently ABPN doesn’t have a board certification for public psychiatry, though the American Association for Community Psychiatry (AACP) offers an optional certification exam to psychiatrists who have completed a Public Psychiatry Fellowship or worked in a community setting for more than two years.

Where did fellows go after the fellowship?

California: 

    • Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF
    • Division Director, UCSF/ZSFG Division of Citywide Case Management
    • Medical Director, Comprehensive Crisis Services, SFDPH
    • Private Practice, Comprehensive Psychiatric Services, Walnut Creek
    • Staff Psychiatrist, Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc., Richmond
    • Student, San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Program

Out-of-State:

    • Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
    • Interim Medical Director/Psychiatrist, Deschutes County Behavioral Health, Bend, OR
    • Inpatient Attending Psychiatrist, William S Middleton VA Hospital, Madison, WI
    • Medical Director, United States Air Force Addiction Program, Anchorage, AK
    • Outpatient Psychiatrist, Kaiser, Portland, OR
    • Private Practice, Faculty at Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, OR