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Psychiatry Education & Training
The Department of Psychiatry at SickKids offers a variety of educational experiences in child and adolescent psychiatry for interprofessional trainees, including students, residents and fellows, as well as social work students and psychology interns.
Through Ambulatory clinics, Consultation-Liaison, Inpatient and Day Hospital Programs, our department provides valuable learning opportunities within collaborative interdisciplinary teams. Options for clinical opportunities vary and include training in pharmacological interventions, as well as psychotherapy, with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) being a particular strength of our department. Training opportunities also involve virtual experiences, including virtual care and telepsychiatry.
Medical education
Undergraduate
Our department provides core child and adolescent psychiatry training for the University of Toronto Psychiatry clerkship block, which builds on the Foundations Curriculum.
The Department offers elective experiences for medical students from the University of Toronto and elsewhere. Electives are typically two to four weeks in length.
Postgraduate
Our department is a core training site for general Psychiatry Residents in the University of Toronto Residency Program as well as the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Subspecialty stream.
Given the diversity of clinics and expertise of our staff, we also regularly attract senior residents seeking further experiences such as electives in child and adolescent psychiatry as per the U of T Postgraduate Medical Education guidelines. We are also able to provide electives of two to four weeks for psychiatry residents across the province and country for elective opportunities.
Our department also provides training in child and adolescent psychiatry to paediatrics residents and fellows from the University of Toronto Paediatrics training program. These training opportunities allow for collaborative and interdisciplinary learning with a focus on ensuring that interested paediatric trainees obtain the necessary skills to assess and manage common paediatric mental health presentations. These opportunities are open to paediatric residents in the general paediatric program as well as subspecialty paediatric fellows in Community Paediatrics, Developmental Paediatrics, and Adolescent Medicine Fellows.
Review application details for electives via U of T PGME
Fellowships
Department of Psychiatry Fellowship Program
In affiliation with the University of Toronto’s Psychiatry Fellowship Program, clinical and/or research fellowships are typically one to two years. Graduate child and adolescent subspecialty residents or paediatric residents may apply.
The Department of Psychiatry also offers fellowship opportunities to both national and international candidates. Fellows work with a primary supervisor to obtain skills and expertise in one or two specific clinical or research areas within the department and report to the Fellowship Director.
All applicants must follow the application process through the Post-Graduate Medical Office (PGME) and they must meet SickKids application requirements as well.
Learn how to apply to the Department of Psychiatry Fellowship Program
Neurodevelopmental Child and Youth Psychiatry and Genetics – Clinical Research Fellowship Program
Under the supervision of Dr. Jacob Vorstman and Dr. Louise Gallagher, this clinical research fellowship program offers an opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary clinical and research environment and provides training in:
- Assessing children and youth with various degrees of intellectual disability and other neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., autism, language disorders, etc.) in the context of rare genetic disorders
- Diagnostic assessment of children at risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions
- Structured clinical interviewing and observational assessment (e.g., KSADS, ADI, DAWBA, ADOS)
- Clinical research methods (e.g., eye tracking and EEG data acquisition)
Read the full description of the program in our Neurodevelopment Child & Youth Psychiatry and Genetics – Clinical Research Fellowship Program Information Sheet (PDF).
We are seeking applications from physicians with at least 3 years of specialty training in any of the following areas:
- Child and adolescent psychiatry
- General adult psychiatry
- Other recognized subspecialties outside Canada (e.g., psychiatry of intellectual disability)
- Paediatrics with a strong interest in neurodisability
Email your cover letter and CV (including 1–2 recent references) to Jacob.vorstman@sickkids.ca and louise.gallagher@sickkids.ca by [insert updated date].
Tics and Tourette Syndrome – Clinical Research Fellowship Program
The program provides fellows with advanced training in Tourette syndrome (TS) and other tic disorders at the Tics and Tourette Clinic, a provincial clinic at SickKids. Training is one year, with an optional second year following successful completion of the first year.
The goal of the fellowship will be to gain expertise in TS and tic disorders, working within the multidisciplinary stepped care model of the clinic by collaborating with colleagues in psychiatry, psychology and neurology.
Read the full description of the program in Tics and Tourette Syndrome – Clinical Research Fellowship Program Information Sheet (PDF).
Fellowship training should start on July 1 annually, if possible, to align with the new academic year.
Alternative start dates may be negotiated in consultation with the fellowship supervisor, Dr. Elia Abi-Jaoude, and the Psychiatry Fellowship Program (psych.fellows@utoronto.ca).
Interested candidates must submit the following documents as part of their application:
- Updated CV
- Copies of their MD
- Copies of their certificate in psychiatry and/or child and adolescent psychiatry (or a letter of good standing, indiciated their anticipated graduation date)
- Letter of intent (detailing their interest in this opportunity and how it aligns with their career goals)
- Contact information for three references, one of whom should be their residency program director (references must be received before the end of the application period)
Applications for entry in the 2025–2026 year (July 1 academic session) will be accepted between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30, 2024 on the Psychiatry Fellowship Program’s application platform.
For any questions, contact Ashley Allen at ashley.allen@sickkids.ca
Depression and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk – Clinical Research Fellowship
This program provides advanced training in depression and associated increased risk of cardiometabolic/cardiovascular disease (CVD), within the Children’s Integrated Mood and Body (CLIMB) Clinical Research Program in the Department of Psychiatry at SickKids. Training is typically 1 year in duration with an optional second year following completion of a successful first year and will be clinical with research duties.
The goal of the fellowship will be to gain expertise in child and adolescent-onset of depression and the biopsychosocial factors that increase an adolescent’s risk for future CVD, with a specific interest in potential biomarkers and novel intervention targets. A key aim of the CLIMB program is to advance knowledge regarding the association between adolescent MDD and premature CVD risk, to improve the future cardiometabolic (e.g. obesity) and cardiovascular health of children and adolescents with depression.
In addition to direct clinical work, the fellow will participate in biweekly research team meetings in the SickKids Research Institute, together with trainees and junior scientists across levels and disciplines including public health and epidemiology, nutritional science, biostatistics, psychology, and neuroscience. The fellow will have the opportunity to participate in seminars and other learning opportunities within the Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, including those held by the Trainee Council, and within the Research Training Centre at the SickKids Research Institute more broadly.
The fellow will engage in quality improvement and/or research projects that have the potential for direct clinical impact. Fellows will have 1 day per week for academic activities (i.e. quality improvement and/or research project). Fellows will participate in department on call shifts. The CLIMB program is interested in making use of measurement-based care and ensuring equitable access to care, as well as contributing to knowledge that advances precision medicine in the management of depression and CVD.