CESAMH Fellowship
CESAMH Advanced Fellowship Program at VA San Diego Healthcare Systems (VASDHS), which is affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), trains early career clinical researchers (physicians and psychologists) in the areas of the neurobiology and treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and other trauma-related conditions. CESAMH’s scope of research ranges from basic science, psychophysiology, and genetics through pharmacological and psychosocial interventions and their implementation. With this strength in multidisciplinary, translational research, CESAMH provides an ideal setting in which to train talented physicians and psychologists to become highly productive clinical researchers and leaders in high priority areas of mental health.
The two-year, interprofessional CESAMH Advanced Fellowship is one of the 27 OAA-funded Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment that offers individualized, mentored research and clinical training. Fellows devote most of their time to patient-oriented research and education activities and 25% to direct patient clinical care. In collaboration with their mentors, Fellows will develop and implement a research project, publish and present findings, participate in grant writing, and utilize the latest technology for educational activities and clinical service delivery.Psychology Applicants
CESAMH Advanced Fellowship in psychology is an APA accredited program.
Qualifications for Psychologists: 1) U.S. citizenship; 2) Registration for the draft for males born after December 31, 1959 must have registered for the draft by age 26; 3) Completion of an APA-accredited doctorate in clinical or counseling psychology and an APA accredited professional psychology internship by September 1, 2023. Desirable qualifications include research experience and training in evidence-based practices, as well as career goals involving clinical, research, and leadership activities in VA or other medical center setting. Recruitment of men and women from diverse social and economic backgrounds and diverse cultural and demographic groups is a high priority. The stipend for all first-year positions is currently $51,586 plus benefits with co-pay.
Application Process for Psychologists: Please submit a letter of interest (maximum 2 pages), CV or resume, and 3 letters of recommendation (including one from a research mentor). The letter of interest should include: a statement of interest; a brief summary of educational, research, and clinical experiences relevant to the specific area of interest; a summary of your training needs and goals for the residency; and a statement of your career goals. Materials should be submitted via APPA CAS by 11:59 EDT (8:59 PDT) on November 14, 2022.
For more information please see: Psychology Internship And Fellowship Programs | VA San Diego Health Care | Veterans Affairs
Physician Applicants
Qualifications for MD applicants: 1) Must have completed ACGME accredited residency training; and 2) Be board eligible or board certified, and have an active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice. International medical graduates must also have a current visa and an ECFMG certificate that is valid indefinitely. Applicants on a J-1 visa must have current ECFMG sponsorship as well. The VA funds Fellows’ stipends in amounts based on previously completed ACGME accredited residency training.
Application Process for MD applicants: Please send letter of interest, CV, and three letters of recommendation to:
Laurie Lindamer, Ph.D.
CESAMH Fellowship Director
VA San Diego Healthcare System 116A
3350 La Jolla Village Drive
San Diego, CA 92161
CESAMH Advanced Post-Doctoral Fellows
CESAMH’s Administration and Operations Unit works together with the Center’s Executive Leadership Team, VA San Diego Healthcare System and other local and national VA agencies to ensure that CESAMH runs smoothly. These individuals track and record fiscal and productivity measures of CESAMH as a whole and manage the day-to-day functioning of the Center.
Matthew McCue, Ph.D.
Dr. McCue is a first-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Excellence in Stress and Mental Health. His research interests include guilt, posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and suicide.
Kimberly Savin, Ph.D.
Dr. Savin is a first-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Excellence in Stress and Mental Health.
Jonathan Mishler, M.D.
Dr. Mishler is a first-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Data Science Fellow in the Neural Engineering and Translation Labs at the University of California, San Diego. His research focuses on using rodent animal models to develop a greater mechanistic insight into common treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders such as neurofeedback and transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Joel Fishbein, Ph.D.
Dr. Fishbein is a second-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Excellence in Stress and Mental Health.
Francesca Lopez, Ph.D.
Dr. Lopez is a second-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Excellence in Stress and Mental Health.
Anaheed Shirazi, M.D.
Dr. Shirazi is a second-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral MD Fellow at the Center for Excellence in Stress and Mental Health.
Jennifer Adler, Ph.D.
Dr. Adler is a third-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Fellow in the CESAMH Psychology Fellowship working primarily with Dr. Dawn Schiehser and Dr. Lisa Delano-Wood. Dr. Adler’s research interests focus on traumatic brain injury (TBI), neurodegenerative disease, risk factors, design and implementation of evidence-based practices and alternative treatment interventions. Dr. Adler recently submitted a Career Development Award (CDA-1) examining the feasibility, acceptability, and adherence to a Mindfulness Based Intervention for Veterans with post-acute mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
Ashley Faytol, Ph.D.
Dr. Faytol is a third-year Advanced Clinical Research Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Excellence in Stress and Mental Health.
