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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 diverse 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.

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 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

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Year 1

Bellin Health Psychiatric Center

  • Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Children’s Wisconsin

  • Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
  • Pediatric Emergency Psychiatry

Winnebago Mental Health Institute

  • Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Inpatient Substance Abuse Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Prevea Health

  • Psychopathology Clinic
  • Psychopharmacology Clinic

View a year 1 sample rotation schedule (PDF)

Year 2

Children’s Wisconsin

  • Pediatric Neurology

Brown County Health and Human Services

  • Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit
  • Comprehensive Community Services
  • Children’s Long-Term Services
  • Birth to Three Services

Oneida Nation Community Health Center

  • Psychopharmacology Clinic

Other experiences to be offered include:
Child Advocacy, School Based Mental Health, Residential Treatment, and Elective Rotations

View a Year 2 sample rotation schedule (PDF)

Seminars

The first and second-year fellows will join seminars virtually with the MKE program allowing for better program cohesion, maximizing faculty interaction and engagement, and providing all fellows with a rich learning experience. In addition to seminars, the fellows participate in Case Conferences, Journal Club, PRITE/board review, and Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds weekly.

Topics include:

  • Research
  • Practice and Professionalism
  • Normal Development
  • Therapy series that includes didactics on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Biofeedback, Group Therapy, Family Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Trauma Focused, Motivational Interviewing, Behavioral Therapy, Play Therapy, Solution Focused, and Parent-Child Interactional Therapy
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Integrative Psychiatry
  • Pharmacogenomics
  • Substance Abuse
  • Consultation to Community and Schools
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities
  • Consultation Liaison
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Neuropsychological Testing
  • Metabolism, Elimination, Interactions, and Side Effects (MEISE)
  • Psychopathology
  • Infant Mental Health
  • Medical Toxicology
  • Pediatric Sleep Disorders
  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues/Gender Health
  • Forensic Child Psychiatry
  • Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
  • Compassion Fatigue
  • E-Professionalism

View samples of the bi-yearly didactic schedules:

Academic year 2022-2023 schedule sample (PDF)

Academic year 2021-2022 schedule sample (PDF)

Meet the Team

Directors | Erica Arrington, MD, FAPA, and Jennifer Fischer, MD

Erica Arrington, MD, FAPADr. Erica Arrington has been the Program Director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin since May 2019. She is excited to be the Program Director for this competitive fellowship training program. Dr. Arrington brings enthusiasm and a wealth of experience in academics, administration, and community mental health. As a clinician educator, she is passionate about teaching and mentoring fellows, residents, and students.

Dr. Arrington is a member of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training; member of local and regional American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP); and a member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Dr. Arrington earned a Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina State University. She completed her general psychiatry residency and fellowship training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. She is board-certified in both General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Dr. Arrington is on the medical staff at Children's Wisconsin where she specializes in the treatment of children with mental health disorders across the diagnostic spectrum. Her areas of interest include the treatment of early onset childhood schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder. She also holds administrative positions in the Department of Psychiatry including Vice-Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement as well as Associate Vice-Chair of Child and Adolescent Services for Psychiatry.

Learn more about Dr. Arrington

 

Jennifer Fischer, MD

 

Jennifer Fischer, MD

Dr. Jennifer Fischer is the Associate Program Director for the Rural Track Extension Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship.

Learn more about Dr. Fischer

Fellowship Coordinator

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Brenda Konczal

Education Program Coordinator III

Current Fellow

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Julie George-Grosskopf, MD

Fellow

Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin, Green Bay; Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin, Green Bay

Faculty

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Colleen Manak, MD

Assistant Professor

cmanak@mcw.edu

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Althea Noukki, PhD

Assistant Clinical Professor; Clinical Director, Brown County Human Services

althea.noukki@browncountywi.gov

(920) 448-6000

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Scott Sandage, DO

Associate Professor

(414) 266-2932

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Jennifer Zaspel, MD

Assistant 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 II
capfellowship@mcw.edu