Columbia Combined General Psychiatry / Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program

The Columbia Combined General Psychiatry / Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program is a five-year integrated training program for individuals applying for post-graduate psychiatric training who know that they wish to become child and adolescent psychiatrists. It reflects a partnership with the NewYork-Presbyterian Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program. By combining three years of ACGME-accredited General Psychiatry residency with two years of ACGME-accredited Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship, the Combined Program provides a seamless educational experience that prepares graduates for outstanding clinical practice with patients of all ages, as well as for scholarship, leadership, and academic careers.

The integrated structure allows residents in the Combined Program to develop a strong foundation in General Psychiatry while also providing them with early and sustained exposure to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. During the first three years, trainees in the Combined Program complete the same rigorous clinical rotations and didactics as all Columbia General Psychiatry residents. However, in addition to the core child psychiatry experiences required during General Psychiatry residency, trainees in this program have an additional child elective opportunity during the PGY1 year and additional outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry experiences during the PGY-2 and PGY-3 years. Furthermore, residents in the Combined Program start building meaningful connections with our Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Developmental Sciences from the beginning of training. During the final two years of the Combined Program, trainees are integrated within the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship training program.

Throughout the five years, residents benefit from sustained mentorship and peer support from current child fellows and faculty. This integrated program provides trainees with an intentional, longitudinal educational experience that supports the development of a professional identity as a child and adolescent psychiatrist from Day 1 of post-graduate training.

Six-Year Child Research Track

For applicants pursuing careers as child psychiatrist-investigators, Columbia also offers a research-focused variation on our five-year Combined General Psychiatry / Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program—a unique six-year Child Research Track. This track incorporates the Shaffer Scholars Program in Child Psychiatry Research, which is available through the NewYork-Presbyterian Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program. Recognizing the importance of clinically grounded research, the Shaffer Scholars Program optimizes both clinical child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training and research training by extending the traditional two-year child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship to three years. Shaffer Scholars split their second year of clinical child and adolescent psychiatry training across two academic years, receiving 50% protected time for research in both years. The research training is funded by a NIH R25 (research education program) grant and supplemental philanthropic support. This pathway’s structure provides the time and mentorship necessary to develop a meaningful research program while completing clinical fellowship training.

Graduates of the Child Research Track can be well-positioned to transition seamlessly into Columbia's NIH-funded Child Psychiatry T32 postdoctoral research training program, creating a continuous pathway from residency through fellowship with advanced research training and preparation for independent academic careers.

Why Choose the Combined General Psychiatry / Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program at Columbia?

  • An integrated five-year pathway from General Psychiatry residency through Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship.
  • Early immersion in child psychiatry, with additional PGY1 elective experiences and outpatient experiences during the PGY-2 and PGY-3 years.
  • Longitudinal mentorship from child psychiatry faculty beginning early in residency.
  • A supportive community, with ongoing connections to child psychiatry fellows, faculty, and peers throughout training.
  • A flexible application process, allowing applicants to apply to both the General Psychiatry Residency and the Combined General Psychiatry / Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program.
  • A unique six-year Child Research Track for trainees pursuing careers as child psychiatrist-scientists, including protected research time and the potential for a seamless transition to additional NIH-funded postdoctoral research training.

How to Apply:

Applicants interested in the Combined Program should complete an Interest Form during the residency application process. We do not require a separate ERAS application for the Research Track. The Combined General-Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program accommodates up to two residents per year. Applicants interested in the integrated pathway apply through a separate NRMP match number. Applicants are welcome to apply to both the General Psychiatry Residency and the Combined General Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program, allowing flexibility in the match process.

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