Birth to Three Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program

The goal of this post-doctoral training program is preparation for an academic career in the new area of clinical work and translational research: pediatric early mental health. Post-doctoral fellows will work within a longitudinal neurodevelopmental clinical-research program that aims to reduce the risk of toxic stress by providing early neurodevelopmental evaluations, support, and therapeutic interventions for young children and parents in a high-risk population. 

This program specifically focuses on children 0-3 years old with complex medical conditions. Many of these patients are identified prenatally, often placed in the NICU, and have multiple hospitalizations with complex surgeries or medical procedures throughout their early years. All these experiences put young children at high risk of experiencing toxic stress, which can further impede their health and brain development. With early identification and effective therapeutic intervention, however, risks may be mitigated or buffered through sensitive and supportive caregiver-child relationships. 

This fellowship will include working with multidisciplinary teams, conducting research, and engaging in clinical work in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Clinical training will focus on understanding and implementing diagnostic classification of mental health and developmental disorders of infancy and early childhood (DC:0-5), early developmental and relational assessment techniques, and evidence-based interventions that promote emotion regulation and secure attachment relationships. Potential research opportunities include designing clinic and scientific protocols, scientific writing, interpreting results, co-authoring manuscripts, and submitting research grants.