Rural Track Extension to the Medical College of Wisconsin Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
There is a severe shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists across the country, and Wisconsin is amongst the highest in this trend. Rural areas of Wisconsin, especially in the Northeast and Central part of the state, are in dire need of child and adolescent mental health services. The rural track extension of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship to Northeast Wisconsin was developed to address the mental health needs of youth in this part of the state. This rural pathway is an extension of the Milwaukee program. Both programs prepare competent physicians to be excellent child and adolescent psychiatrists for their work with children and families across the lifespan.
This ACGME-accredited program takes advantage of a rich community of resources to provide a broad training experience with patients of various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Fellows are immersed in multiple systems of care including public, private, medical, correctional, and behavioral health. Longitudinal experiences dedicated separately to therapy and medication management span the two years. The range and breadth of our patient-centered approach ensures fellows are well prepared to effectively treat and advocate for children and families and the profession.
Didactics and seminars enhance clinical experiences by emphasizing the biological, psychological, and sociocultural components that influence normal development.
Taught by faculty with varied backgrounds and educational experiences, the curriculum covers many topics critical to child and family work. Faculty leadership and involvement at the regional and national level enhances didactic and clinical experiences and provides fellows opportunities for mentorship and career guidance.
As an MCW Rural Track Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow you will...
- Learn to diagnose and treat youth mental health disorders through comprehensive clinical experience, developmental understanding, and evidence-based multidisciplinary care
- Develop expertise in diagnosing and managing a full spectrum of child/adolescent mental health disorders across diverse settings, such as outpatient clinics, inpatient units, emergency rooms, schools, and juvenile justice systems
- Cultivate skills in ethical, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based care, while preparing for leadership roles in mental health advocacy and academic medicine
- Master various treatment modalities, including psychopharmacology, individual psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic), family therapy, and parent guidance
- Build skills to critically evaluate literature and engage in scholarly pursuits to advance the field
- Integrate knowledge of normal and abnormal child development, family systems, and biological/social factors into clinical practice
Application Process
The rural track extension to the Child and Adolescent Fellowship Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin offers one (1) position annually for a total of two (2) fellows.
Candidates for the program apply via ERAS (Electronic Resident Application System).
Applications open with the ERAS Fellowship cycle beginning July 1, and we accept applications through November 30.
Interviews take place in the fall for the upcoming academic year.
Program Rotations
Meet the Team
Directors | Nisha Shah, MD, and Jennifer Fischer, MD
Nisha Shah, MD
Dr. Shah is an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine, as well as the program director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship, with an active outpatient practice at both the main Children's WI campus in Milwaukee, as well as at the Children's location in Mequon.
Dr. Shah grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL. She completed undergraduate studies at Valparaiso University in Indiana with a Bachelors in Chemistry, before attending medical school at the American University of Integrative Sciences (formerly known as University of St. Eustatius School of Medicine). She did general psychiatry residency at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, serving as chief resident, and completed a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Her clinical interests include mood disorders, anxiety, and ADHD. She is board certified in both general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry, and is a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as well as AADPRT.
Jennifer Fischer, MD
Dr. Jennifer Fischer is the associate program director for the Rural Track Extension Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship.
Fellowship Coordinator
Brenda Konczal
Education Program Coordinator III
Current Fellow
Courtney Semotink, MD
Fellow, Second Year
Medical School: University of Minnesota; Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin, Green Bay
Faculty
Amna Aziz, MD
Assistant Professor
Derek C. Carlson, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Chaz T. Johnson, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Mylan V. Kohler, DO
Assistant Clinical Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Althea Noukki, PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor; Clinical Director, Brown County Human Services
Kayla Pope, MD, JD
Medical Director of Winnebago Mental Health Institute, Assistant Clinical Professor
Laura Pulido, MD
Assistant Professor
Jennifer Zaspel, MD
Associate Professor
Contact Us
The Child and Adolescent Fellowship is accredited by the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Graduates of the two-year program are eligible for board certification in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Erica Arrington, MD
Program Director
earrington@mcw.edu
Jennifer Fischer, MD
Associate Program Director
jfischer@mcw.edu
Brenda Konczal
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Coordinator III
capfellowship@mcw.edu