Fellowship  >  Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Rotations - First Year

Rotations - First Year

First Year Rotations:

Fellows’ rotations occur at three sites: Belmont Behavioral Health, Einstein Crisis Response Center at Germantown Campus and at Thomas Jefferson University Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Outpatient offices.

Child Unit

Each fellow will spend three or four months on the Child Unit at the Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment. The children’s unit can admit up to twelve children between the ages of five and twelve. The Fellow rounds with the team, which consists of the attending, resident, medical student, nurse, two social workers, psychologist, teacher and BRIDGE representative. Generally the fellows carry approximately eight patients. During the day, occupational therapy groups lead activities with the children that include constructive expression of emotion, creative activities and health education. Three to four nursing assistants also participate in the care of the children. A pediatric consultant is available regularly on weekdays. About once a month, “pet therapists” visit the unit with their trainers.

Adolescent Unit

Each fellow will spend three or four months on the Adolescent Unit at Belmont Behavioral Health. The adolescent unit can admit up to eighteen teens ages thirteen to eighteen. This team is led by Dr. El Gabalawi, and consists of two nurses per shift, three social workers, psychologist, four to five nursing assistants per shift, the teacher, residents, medical students, and BRIDGE representative. The fellow generally carries eight patients on this service and can oversee residents and medical students. In addition to activity groups, the teens also have group therapy, as well as unstructured free time. A pediatric consult is available regularly on weekdays.

Crisis Response Center

Einstein Crisis Response Center (CRC) at Gemantown is the only psychiatric emergency service for youth designated by the County Office of Mental Health for Philadelphia. Adjacent to the adult crisis response center, the children’s CRC has considerable expertise in issues specific to the population. Two full-time social workers collaborate with the child psychiatrists to assess and disposition patients. Family Advocates from the Parent’s Involved Network are available to meet with families and direct families in navigating the sometimes complicated public school system and mental health system.

At the CRC, you will work with an attending Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. The supervisory experience at the CRC will be individually tailored to the rotating fellow’s interests and requirements. At times, you may evaluate patients with the attending, or if the Crisis Response center is busy, work independently yet side-by-side with the attending. In 2004, there were 4,000 visits for children and teens to the Crisis Response Center. During this rotation, fellows’ exposure to city-wide referral base (and often referrals from out of county) builds extensive experience. The CRC rotation provides hands on experience with legal and educational systems and the children’s protective services that impact the family. This results in fellow’s being adept at managing a variety of emergencies with consistent supervision, and without sleep deprivation.