The Dr. June Jackson Christmas Medical Student Program

Description

Director: Patrice K. Malone, MD PhD

Hosted by The Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University

The Phenomenal Career of Dr. June Jackson Christmas

The program has been named to honor the pioneering work of Dr. June Jackson Christmas, an African American Psychiatrist, who dedicated her life to the field of mental health. Dr. Christmas founded the Harlem Rehabilitation Center, an innovative community-based psychiatric program, which trained local Harlem residents to assist psychiatric in-patients’ with reentry into society. She worked as the Commissioner of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services of New York City and later as a member of Governor Mario Cuomo’s Advisory Committee on Black Affairs. Dr. Christmas taught at Columbia University and continues to be active in her community at 95 years young.

Opportunities

The Dr. June Jackson Christmas Medical Student Program (JJC) offers medical students who belong to historically underrepresented groups the opportunity to explore a career in psychiatry. These opportunities are:  a 5-week clinical experience during the summer after the first year of medical school, an 8-week research experience during the summer after the first year of medical school, and a 4-week fourth year elective.

First Year Summer Clinic Fellowship:

The first year summer clinical fellowship is a five-week experience for medical students in the summer after completing their first year of medical school. Students rotate through 5 psychiatric clinical services to develop a better understanding of what a career in psychiatry involves. The fellowship opportunity provides a $3,500 stipend for the 5 weeks of clinic exposure.

First Year Summer Research Fellowship:

The first year summer research fellowship is an eight-week experience where students are paired with a mentor whom they conduct research with related to the behavioral health science. The program provides a $5,600 stipend for the 8 weeks of research study.

Fourth Year Elective:

The fourth-year elective is a four-week sub-internship for medical students in their final year of medical school. Students will rotate on one of our institution’s outpatient clinics with a collaborative care-based model or on our inpatient units. To further support students’ education and development, each participant will receive academic textbooks on topics ranging from general psychiatry to social justice, as well as equipment to aid in preparation for board examinations, for a total value of up to $1,000. Participants will also have the option to receive either a $2000 stipend, or depending on availability, Columbia housing and an additional $500 for living expenses during their one-month rotation.