The UBC Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Subspecialty Training Program
PROGRAM DIRECTOR'S WELCOME
Welcome to the UBC Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Subspecialty Residency Training Program website. We are excited to tell you more about our CAP Program. We are a distributed site program with training locations in Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, and Prince George. Residents may choose their training sites and often residents will choose to train at two sites during their two years. Each training site has unique strengths with dedicated and enthusiastic supervisors who provide a wide variety of training opportunities. Our program administration is based in Vancouver at BC Children’s Hospital.
We pride ourselves on being a flexible program that responds to each resident’s career goals and individual needs while ensuring that every resident has a well-rounded and rich training. At UBC, we believe you have spent enough time in general training on meeting requirements; now is the time to sculpt your education in the way most relevant to you.
Specific strengths include a diverse range of clinical experiences and specialized training opportunities across BC:
- Training electives in all subspecialty areas of child psychiatry, including forensics
- Numerous training sites for exposure to different models of care
- Inpatient opportunities in child, adolescent, emergency, consult-liaison, eating disorders, and concurrent disorders
- Extensive psychotherapy experiences - including (but not limited to) family therapy, play therapy, CBT (for OCD, selective mutism and other), DBT (comprehensive and skills groups), IPT-A, psychodynamic therapy, parent-child relationship
- Extensive group therapy experiences - including (but not limited to) OCD (weekly and intensive summer camp), Mind Body Connection (somatization), Mindfulness, CBT for Generalized Anxiety and for Social Anxiety, Circle of Security, Seeking Safety, ADHD Parent Group, Parenting Neurodiverse Children, Parenting Strong-Willed Children, Connect Parent
- Intensive psychopharmacology training – many residents also pursue a 5-week selective with the BCCH clinical pharmacist providing consultation to inpatient wards and complex patients
- Subspecialty training in OCD, selective mutism, somatic symptom disorders, and eating disorders, among others
- Outreach, telehealth, and indirect consultation services for primary care providers across BC
- Community electives within the school system, for at-risk youth, and in mental health teams
- Multi-disciplinary training
- Research opportunities – while research is not mandatory, there is much support to start your own project or join existing teams in a wide variety of research types based out of the BC Children’s Research Institute (see http://www.bcchr.ca/our-research/brain-behaviour-development).
- Formal advocacy, education, research, and leadership experiences
Our curriculum runs in the PGY6 year with a full academic day on Thursdays covering DSM5 disorders, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, ethics, research, professionalism, advocacy and special areas. Academic days are attended by both psychiatry fellows and psychology residents, an inter-disciplinary experience that has been highly rated by all participants.
Our program offers a good work-life balance - residents work hard, but the hours of work are reasonable. We encourage residents to spend quality time with friends and family, and to take advantage of the beautiful province. BC provides activities for everyone, including urban attractions and all the outdoor activities one could want (skiing, kayaking, hiking, sports… the list goes on). Each training city (Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, and Prince George) has scenic geography with easy access to biking and transit.
We will offer eight positions for the 2023 entrance year and are delighted to accept applicants from across the country.
Please contact me at JRussel4@cw.bc.ca for further questions. I am happy to discuss our program in more detail.
Dr. Jennifer Russel
Program Director, UBC CAP Subspecialty Program
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UBC has an excellent clinical and academic program and a strong commitment to teaching. The Division and Department Heads work closely with the CAP Program Committee. Our enthusiastic faculty have a broad range of expertise in child psychiatric disorders, psychotherapy, and research.
The UBC Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program (CAP) is an RCSPC accredited program that follows the RCPSC training requirements in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. There are four distributed sites across BC. Clinical training occurs in hospitals and community settings in Vancouver, Surrey, Vancouver Island (Victoria), and Prince George.
Training to become a child psychiatrist takes two years and occurs in the PGY5 and PGY6 year with entry into the CAP program at the start of the PGY5 year. Entry may occur in the PGY6 year if the Resident has already completed one year of child psychiatry training in a RCSPC accredited CAP program. Some residents choose to complete PGY5 rotations in the institution of their general psychiatry training.
CLINICAL AND ACADEMIC CURRICULUM
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) requires at least 18 months of clinical training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The program is transitioning to Competence by Design, which ensures mastery of core clinical skills while giving trainees considerable freedom and choice in rotations.
UBC CAP follows the RCPSC requirements for clinical training. In addition to these training requirements, UBC CAP residents usually complete a 3-month rotation in Consultation-Liaison in their PGY5 year. Psychotherapy training will include the opportunity for longitudinal therapy with children, adolescents, and families. A wide variety of training in individual and group therapy is available including mindfulness-bases therapies, CBT, DBT, IPT-A, play, psychodynamic, parent skill development, and family therapy.
An academic curriculum covering a range of topics including child development, child psychiatric disorders, special topics, psychopharmacology, and psychotherapy is provided during the PGY6 year.
All CAP residents complete a scholarly project which may include, but does not have to include, a research project. Prior CAP residents have done scholarly projects involving teaching and education, research, leadership, and clinical areas of interest. CAP residents meet with the research director regularly for journal club, seminars, and supervision of their scholarly project.
CLINICAL TRAINING SITES
There are four main training sites as described below. These sites offer inpatient and outpatient clinical services for children and adolescents with a broad range of psychiatric conditions (see below for more details). There are also a number of community-based clinical electives, including (but not limited to): child and youth mental health teams, school liaison service, residential programs, forensics consultations, and inner-city youth programs.
Vancouver - British Columbia Children’s Hospital (BCCH): There are a number of inpatient and outpatient clinics and services at BCCH. There are child, adolescent, crisis, and eating disorder inpatient units, as well as a consultation-liaison service. The outpatient clinic consists of the Teaching, Infant, Mood and Anxiety, ADHD, Neuropsychiatry, Reproductive Psychiatry, and Gender Clinics. There is a province-wide multi-disciplinary indirect consultation service at BCCH as well as telehealth. The psychotherapy program is very strong and runs a family therapy clinic as well as provides supervision for different psychotherapy modalities. There are a large number of group psychotherapies for children/youth and families at BCCH as well. Additionally, residents can rotate through the Carlile Youth Concurrent Disorders Centre in North Vancouver.
Surrey - Surrey Memorial Hospital: There are two inpatient psychiatric services that provide tertiary psychiatric assessments and treatment to children and adolescents throughout the Fraser Health Authority. The Outpatient Department consists of Teaching Clinic, Infant Clinic, Neuropsychiatric Clinic, Child and Youth Crisis Program, Family Therapy Clinic, and the Adolescent Day Treatment Program. The Outpatient Department has a number of experienced Child Psychiatrists providing direct supervision as well as teaching on a range of childhood disorders with provision of longer duration of follow up and therapy.
Prince George - University Hospital of Northern British Columbia (UHNBC): In Prince George, inpatient services for child psychiatry include APAU, Pediatrics, and a few other medical units. APAU is for mental health assessments and treatment of adolescents for Prince George and the region. The outpatient mental health services include Childhood Development Center, Private Office, and Intersect Youth and Family Services.
Vancouver Island - Ledger/Anscomb and Victoria General Hospital: The inpatient child and adolescent facilities in Victoria are located at Victoria General Hospital for the acute management of patients presenting with psychiatric issues and Ledger for those patients who require more than several days of inpatient hospitalization. There are a variety of outpatient experiences that are continuing to evolve over time. The primary outpatient experiences are at Anscomb, Developmental Disability and Mental Health Team (DDMHT), the Youth Clinic at the Foundry, and the Child and Youth Mental Health Teams.
PROCESS FOR APPLICATION
Eligibility for Residency Program in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP)
Candidates are eligible to start the Residency Program in Child Psychiatry after having completed a minimum of 4 years of postgraduate training in Psychiatry. Candidates may apply for their PGY6 year if they will have completed their PGY5 year at a Canadian University in an accredited CAP Program. All applicants must have a Canadian FRCPC or be eligible to write the psychiatry exam at the end of their PGY5 year. All candidates must be eligible for an educational license with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
The start date will be July 1st in the following calendar year.
The candidate’s application package will include:
- A completed UBC Child and Adolescent Psychiatry UBC Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Subspecialty Application Form
- A Letter of Intent, including
- interest in Child Psychiatry
- interest in the UBC program specifically,
- possible career interests or directions after concluding training
- A CV outlining educational background and experiences, scholarly and other accomplishments.
- Letter of Good Standing from the Residency Training Director.
- Three reference letters
Reference letters must follow specific guidelines. To review the guidelines, please click on the link below:
| LETTER OF REFERENCE GUIDELINES |
SELECTION OF CANDIDATES
We are looking for the following qualities from applicants:
- Clinical and communication skills
- Sense of responsibility
- Self-appraisal and Psychological mindedness
- Interpersonal relatedness
- Adaptability/Open mindedness
- Motivation to enter child psychiatry
- Diversity of experience
- Notable personal achievements
- Research, Teaching, Advocacy and Leadership
- Social mindedness/ awareness
Invitations to interview are extended following an initial screening of the completed applications by the Program Director and/or Selection Committee.
Invitations for interviews will be extended to the selected candidates.
Interviews will be conducted via zoom.
Applicants invited for interviews will meet several members on the Selection Committee including both staff and residents. Interviews will include predetermined questions and scenarios that will be consistent for all candidates with the goal of assessing the qualities listed above.
The Selection Committee will advise applicants of their decisions.
No candidates are offered a position without benefit of an interview. One objective of the interview is to evaluate their command of English and their ability to communicate effectively with patients and faculty.
Successful applicants must respond to UBC of their decision to enter the Residency Program.
For consideration of enrolment in this program, please submit the documents listed above to the attention of:Education Coordinator
Email: kyna.ng@ubc.ca
Subject Line: CAP Subspecialty
For questions and enquiries please contact:
Education Coordinator
Email: kyna.ng@ubc.ca
Subject Line: CAP Subspecialty
OR
Dr. Jennifer Russel
Program Director, UBC CAP Subspecialty Program
Email: JRussel4@cw.bc.ca
The UBC Forensic Psychiatry Subspecialty Training Program
The University of British Columbia offers a one-year PGY6 Forensic Psychiatry Training Program. The program is an accredited training program that follows the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada training requirements in Forensic Psychiatry. Psychiatrists who successfully complete the training program will be eligible to write the Royal College certification examination in Forensic Psychiatry.
The goal of the UBC PGY6 forensic psychiatry program is to train residents to achieve competency in applying the forensic psychiatric approach to assessment and treatment in criminal and civil legal contexts and adult and youth forensic and correctional settings.
Our training program provides exposure to all aspects of forensic psychiatry in inpatient, outpatient and correctional settings, including the assessment of fitness to stand trial, criminal responsibility, disability and personal injury, and risk for violence. Training includes the treatment and management of people who have been found Unfit to Stand Trial, Not Criminally Responsible on account of Mental Disorder (NCRMD), and youth and adult probationers and correctional inmates.
Our program follows the Royal College subspecialty requirements for Forensic Psychiatry training. There is six months of core training in criminal matters related to Forensic Psychiatry. The remaining six months of training are rotations in civil forensic psychiatry, youth forensic psychiatry, and correctional psychiatry. Sexual behaviours and risk assessment training is incorporated longitudinally throughout the twelve months of training. Forensic research is available as a selective training option. Our program recognizes the value of training diversification and encourages residents to consider a selective training rotation at another Canadian forensic psychiatry training program as part of the training year.
An academic curriculum covering a range of topics including expert witness work, criminal forensic psychiatry, violence risk assessment, youth forensic psychiatry, civil forensic psychiatry, correctional psychiatry, research, and special populations and topics is provided during the PGY6 year.
The training sites are a mix of inpatient and outpatient settings located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. There are opportunities for training in other locations beyond the Lower Mainland throughout British Columbia.
The core training site for Criminal Forensic Psychiatry is the 190-bed Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Port Coquitlam and the six regional forensic clinics. The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital is part of the BC Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission which is a service that provides forensic mental health care and specialized treatment throughout British Columbia. A network of regional forensic clinics provides outpatient care. The clinics are located in Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kamloops, and Prince George.
The Youth Forensic Psychiatry rotation is a mix of inpatient and outpatient settings. The main training site will be in Burnaby at the Inpatient Assessment Unit, outpatient clinic and Youth Custody Centre. These training sites are part of the BC Youth Forensic Psychiatric Services network that, like the adult forensic service, provides forensic mental health care and specialized treatment throughout British Columbia. There are eight regional youth forensic clinics located in Burnaby, Vancouver, Langley, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops, and Prince George.
The Civil Forensic Psychiatry rotation training sites are in a private forensic practice offices.
The Correctional Psychiatry rotation training site is with the Correctional Service of Canada at the 192-bed Regional Treatment Centre at Pacific Institution in Abbotsford. Other possible correctional training sites include federal medium and maximum security institutions, federal women’s institution, provincial correctional facilities and parole offices in the Lower Mainland.
The clinical faculty in the University of British Columbia Forensic Psychiatry Division are a diverse group. Trainees will have an opportunity to work with clinical faculty members with a broad range of forensic psychiatric practice. Some of our clinical faculty are forensic psychiatrists primarily engaged in forensic treatment and management work; others are in private practice doing a range of expert witness work; some engage in both forensic psychiatry and general psychiatry practice. The breadth of exposure to clinical faculty with different forensic practices is a principle ingredient in the PGY6’s development into a generalist in forensic psychiatry.
The PGY6 training position is funded through the University of British Columbia under the terms of the Collective Agreement for PAR-BC Professional Association of Residents of British Columbia.
PROCESS FOR APPLICATION
Eligibility for Residency Program in Forensic Psychiatry Subspecialty Program
Candidates are eligible to start the candidacy program in Forensic Psychiatry after having completed five years of post-graduate training in Psychiatry.
All applicants must have a Canadian FRCPC or be eligible to write the psychiatry exam at the end of their PGY5 year. All candidates must be eligible for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
The start date will be July 1st in the following calendar year.
The candidate application package must include:
-
- Completed UBC Forensic Psychiatry Subspecialty Application Form
- A letter of interest to address the following:
- The nature, or development of your interest in Forensic Psychiatry
- Your interest in the UBC program specifically
- Possible career interests after successful training in Forensic Psychiatry
- A current CV detailing educational background and experiences, scholarly and other accomplishments
- Letter of good standing from the Director, Postgraduate Education
- A minimum of two letters of reference.
Reference letters must follow specific guidelines. To review the guidelines, please click on the link below:
| LETTER OF REFERENCE GUIDELINES |
SELECTION OF CANDIDATES
Invitations to interview will be extended following an initial screening of the completed applications by the Program Director and the Selection Committee using a document scoring sheet.
We are looking for the following qualities from applicants:
-
- Motivation to enter Forensic Psychiatry
- Knowledge about Forensic Psychiatry as a career
- Self –appraisal
- Psychological mindedness
- Interpersonal skills
- Adaptability
- Scholarly activity / research / education
- Sense of responsibility
- Maturity
- Diversity of experience
- Notable personal achievements
Invitations to interview are extended following an initial screening of the completed applications by the Program Director and/or Selection Committee.
Invitations for interviews will be extended to the selected candidates’ mid-September.
Interviews will be conducted via zoom.
Applicants invited for interviews will meet several members on the Selection Committee including both staff and residents. Interviews will include predetermined questions and scenarios that will be consistent for all candidates with the goal of assessing the qualities listed above.
The Selection Committee will advise applicants of their decisions.
No candidates are offered a position without benefit of an interview. One objective of the interview is to evaluate their command of English and their ability to communicate effectively with patients and faculty.
Successful applicants must respond to UBC of their decision to enter the Residency Program.
For consideration of enrolment in this program, please submit the documents listed above to the attention of:
Education Coordinator
Email: kyna.ng@ubc.ca
Subject Line: Forensic Subspecialty
The UBC Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty Training Program
UBC was given official standing as a training site for Geriatric Psychiatry in 2012. This is a 24-month program to train residents in Geriatric Psychiatry to be able to write the Subspecialty Royal College Exam.Geriatric Psychiatry, a psychiatric subspecialty, focuses on the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of complex mental disorders uniquely occurring in late life.
Geriatric Psychiatry is focused on providing care for intensive need patients and their caregivers at the end of the life cycle, a time when many complex physical and mental health issues coalesce. Geriatric Psychiatry organizes service delivery of psychiatric care to the elderly in multidisciplinary teams and in locations that best serve the needs of this elderly population. Geriatric Psychiatry is engaged in advocacy and development of health policy and planning related to late life mental illness and mental health, caregiver and care provider support, and systems of care.
Goals: The goals of the program include creating a resident who is expected to be a competent specialist in Geriatric Psychiatry and capable of assuming a consultant’s role in the subspecialty. The residents must also acquire a working knowledge of the theoretical basis of the specialty and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Requirements for Geriatric Psychiatry Training.
The UBC Program follows the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons training requirements in Geriatric Psychiatry.
The Royal College requirements include 24 months of approved residency with eighteen to twenty-one months clinical training, which will include at least twelve months or equivalent devoted to clinical training in core Geriatric Psychiatry, with a minimum of two months or equivalent in each of the following settings: Inpatient (includes inpatient work on psychiatric units or consultation on other inpatient settings), Ambulatory Care (including outpatient or day hospital), or Outreach visits at patients’ places of residence, and this must include a long-term care component. It will also include at least three months devoted to developing expertise with medical problems commonly associated with psychiatric presentations in older adults. It will also include three months of electives related to the practice of Geriatric Psychiatry. Both the medical rotations and the electives must have a clear geriatric focus.
Finally, the Royal College requires 3-6 months of advanced training and/or scholarly activity in education, research, service development or administration, or another area of competency including advocacy or leadership according to individual career goals subject to approval by the Program Director. The Royal College will allow up to twelve months training at a PGY4 level, to be given credit for dedicated Geriatric Psychiatry at the Program Director’s approval.
The UBC requirements follow the Royal College requirements, but are slightly different. Within the twenty-four month program, UBC requires six months of secondary inpatient with ECT and outpatient or outreach or day hospital and this mix may include psychotherapy cases. It also requires 3-6 months of psychiatry electives, three months of medical rotations, three months of inpatients tertiary care, three months of acute care hospital consult liaison and some urgent care, along with 3-6 months of an advanced practice project. All medical rotations and electives must be approved by the Program Director, with specific Objectives of Training approved by the Subspecialty Geriatric Psychiatry Program. There will be one funded mandatory rural rotation outside of the main rotation sites in Lower Mainland and Victoria. This will be minimum one month to a maximum of 3 months.
UBC will allow up to three months of a PGY4 Program credited to the 24-month Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty Program at the discretion of the Program Director for Geriatric Psychiatry. This will not change the requirement of a 24-month Geriatric Psychiatry Program in PGY5 and 6; it will just allow for increased elective time. Training in B.C. can occur in Vancouver, Victoria, or the Fraser Health Authority according to local capacity. UBC can accept four subspecialty Geriatric Psychiatry residents as a maximum in a given year.
It is expected that most residents will be PGY5s and PGY6s, with the PGY5s funded through a general psychiatry program. During the PGY5 and 6 years there may be a half day allocated for an academic project and there will be a full day allocated for lectures and study time. All residents will follow UBC Department of Psychiatry policies and will have access to UBC Department of Psychiatry resources. The pay scale is according to the PARI contract at a PGY5 and PGY6 level. Moonlighting is allowed following the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Guidelines. As of July 13, 2013, firm funding has not been established.
PROCESS FOR APPLICATION
Eligibility for Residency Program in Geriatrics: Candidates are eligible to start the program after having completed a period of four years of postgraduate training in Psychiatry. All applicants must have their Canadian FRCP or be eligible to write it at the end of their PGY5 year. Candidates must be eligible for educational license with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. Only residents in an approved training program in Canada are eligible to apply.
The deadline for the application for the residency program in Geriatric Psychiatry is for a start date of July 1 in the following calendar year. UBC will accept PGY6 candidates from across Canada. Applications will be accepted by email only (PDF or Microsoft Word formats). The candidate’s application package will include:
-
- A completed UBC Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty Application Form.
- A Personal Statement including the candidate’s interest in Geriatric Psychiatry. The Personal Statement is to be no longer than three pages, and may include the following:
- The nature or development of their interest in geriatric psychiatry.
- Their interest in the UBC program specifically.
- Possible career interests or directions after concluding training in geriatric psychiatry.
- A CV outlining educational background and experiences, scholarly and other accomplishments.
- One letter of good standing is required from the General Residency Training Director indicating that the candidate has completed the PGY4 year or PGY5 year prior to starting the program.
- Three references are also required from other psychiatrists that the candidates have worked with.
Reference letters must follow specific guidelines. To review the guidelines, please click on the link below:
| LETTER OF REFERENCE GUIDELINES |
SELECTION OF CANDIDATES
Invitations to interview will be extended following an initial screening of the completed applications by the Program Director and Selection Committee. Invitations for interviews will be extended to the selected candidates by February 13th, 2023.
Interviews will be conducted on February 28th, 2023. Applicants invited for the interview typically meet 2-3 faculty members on the Selection Committee as well as a current resident. The Selection Committee reviews the complete file of all of the candidates. The application documents and interviews for each candidate will be evaluated on a number of dimensions. These dimensions include:
- motivation to enter geriatric psychiatry
- knowledge about geriatric psychiatry as a career
- self-appraisal
- psychological mindedness
- interpersonal relatedness
- adaptability
- scholarly activity/research/education
- sense of responsibility
- maturity
- diversity of experience
- notable personal achievements
The Selection Committee will advise applicants of their decisions by March 9th, 2023. No candidates will be offered a position without benefit of an interview. Successful applicants must respond to UBC of their decision to enter the Residency Program by March 16th, 2023.
For consideration of enrolment in this program, please submit the documents listed above to the attention of:
Education Coordinator
Email: kyna.ng@ubc.ca
Subject Line: Geriatric Subspecialty
For questions and enquiries please contact:
Education Coordinator
Email: kyna.ng@ubc.ca
Subject Line: Geriatric Subspecialty
OR
Dr. Ashok Krishnamoorthy
Program Director, Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty Residency Program
Email: Ashok.Krishnamoorthy@vch.ca
IMG FELLOWSHIPS
Program Lead: Dr Ashok Krishnamoorthy MD FRCPC
Duration: 24 months
Expected Outcome: Eligibility for Royal College Subspecialty exam and Subspecialty affiliate status (subjected to approval by Royal College)
Eligibility: Approval for eligibility to doe SEAP Subspecialty training by Royal College credentials unit
Funding: Self funded ‘Sponsored by parent organization/Ministry
Selection Process: Through an interview process with a selection panel - may also include mini clinical scenario / clinical stations
Program Structure / Clinical Rotations:
- Geriatric Psychiatry Outpatient /outreach /LTC- up to 9 months
- Geriatric Psychiatry inpatient unit -up to 6 months
- Geriatric psychiatry C-L - up to 4 months
- Research - Longitudinal one half day for 18 months
- Electives - Geriatric Medicine, Palliative care, Memory clinic, Movement disorders, sleep clinic
- Educational activities: one QI project, Teaching for medical students, one educational project, 6 - 8 journal club presentations
- Scholarly activities: one research project/scholarly activity /peer reviewed publication / conference poster presentation
Supervision: Weekly with preceptors, once every 3 months with Program Lead, once every 6 months with research lead.
Assessments: ITERS, assessment of teaching, EPAs, MSF (up to 2 in a 2 year period)
Target Evaluation of Progress: Every 6 months