Welcome to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at The University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center (HSC)! We are a rapidly growing institution and we are proud to welcome this fellowship as one of the newest additions to our graduate medical education training programs. In addition to the recent merger between the health science center and The University of Texas at Tyler, we are expecting the opening of a new medical school in 2023. Our first fellowship class will join us in 2022.
As a part of the Texas Child Mental Health Consortium, our child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship is supported by legislative initiatives designed to improve access to mental health care for the young people of East Texas. Participation in the consortium also allows us to partner with the other Texas Medical Schools to provide consultation and direct services to primary care providers, school districts and local mental health authorities. We participate in the consortium’s two major research projects involving youth suicide and trauma. This is an unprecedented research effort that has engaged participants from across the state of Texas.
Our goal is to train the physician scientists and scholars of the future in a nurturing and supportive environment. Learning about evidence-based psychotherapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT), Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and others, is a major focus of training. In addition to inpatient experiences at Terrell State Hospital and outpatient experiences in community psychiatry, fellows will participate in a continuity clinic two afternoons a week where they can follow psychotherapy cases for the duration of their training. This will also allow the fellows to participate in group supervision with attendings in child psychiatry as well as child psychology. The Trauma and Abuse Services for Kids (TASK) program will provide opportunities to work with local child advocacy centers and to participate in forensic child abuse exams.
Our fellows will also have the opportunity to interact with other learners in psychology, pharmacy, nursing and social work. Our connection with The University of Tyler will enrich opportunities for students as well as for our patients. As we prepare for the medical school, our opportunities to add specialty care will vastly increase.
Diversity is a core value at HSC. The Department of Psychiatry has formed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee that is open to all faculty, staff and trainees. We had our inaugural event in June 2021 with plans for ongoing events and opportunities for interaction, dialogue and understanding. The committee is chaired by Dr. Crystal Frazier, Associate Professor of Psychology. Dr. Frazier is also an integral part of DEI activities across the institution. We are proud to have a diverse group of faculty members and trainees within our department and within all of the HSC training programs
Like the university, Tyler is a growing city with urban amenities and a small town feel. Tyler is known for its rose industry, parks and area lakes. We have our own symphony orchestra and a variety of venues for food and live music. The Texas Rose Horse Park and Caldwell Zoo provide plenty of opportunities for equestrians and animal lovers. Also, being an hour and a half away from Dallas, we have access to big events without the expense and traffic!