Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship

Application Requirements

The application requirements for the Geropsychiatry Fellowship are as follows:

1. Curriculum vitae
2. Letter expressing personal interest in the fellowship
3. Three letters of reference
4. Visa status, if applicable
5. Completed application

Send all application materials and inquiries to:
Benjamin Braus, MD

Director, Geropsychiatry Program

Minneapolis VA Health Care System

One Veteran’s Drive

Minneapolis, MN 55417


Phone: 612-467-3966

benjamin.braus@va.gov

Application Deadline:
Now accepting applications for the 2025 - 2026 academic year.

We offer fellows a wide assortment of didactic experiences including addiction seminars, occupational therapy driving and ADL evaluations, sleep lectures, neuropsychological testing, ethics committee, family therapy training (with psychology trainees), ECT and many others.  In our weekly Reading Seminar,  fellows learn to present complex cases and critically analyze publications. Weekly psychotherapy supervision is available. Fellows are encouraged to use the many clinical and research opportunities at the VAMC to develop elective experiences of their own to match their interests or career objectives.

Fellows are involved in the education and clinical training of University of Minnesota psychiatry residents, who regularly rotate with the VA geriatric psychiatry team. Fellows also develop their teaching skills through opportunities to present to a wide range of audiences: medical students on their psychiatry clerkships, multidisciplinary VA mental health providers attending grand rounds, and patients attending dementia education classes with their caregivers.

Research and article-writing in geriatric psychiatry are encouraged but not required during the fellowship year. Many of our staff are engaged in research or writing projects, and welcome collaboration.

The primary site for the fellowship is the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The faculty includes five board-certified geriatric psychiatrists, as well as a team of professionals who specialize in the care of the elderly from many related disciplines:

• nursing,
• psychology,
• social work,
• occupational therapy,
• addiction therapy, and
• pharmacology.

We have an active outpatient clinic, a strong inpatient program and a consultation-liaison service to subacute extended care units. We offer a wide spectrum of training experiences and electives that include many opportunities to work individually with faculty members.

Dementia and Memory Disorders Clinic, Minneapolis Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Geriatric, Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC).

Geriatric Medicine Clinic, Hennepin County Medical Center, site of accredited fellowship in Geriatric Internal Medicine.

Struthers Movement Disorder Clinic/Day Program, Park Nicollet Clinic.

Long term care consultation, Minneapolis Veterans Home and Regions/Health Partners Sites.

United Hospital Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry
Training in inpatient psychiatry takes place over three months at United Hospital. The fellow will be directly supervised by Dr. Sarah Kottke, a subspecialty board-certified geriatric psychiatrist. During the rotation, the fellow assumes a primary role in providing direct care to the patients and adjunctive care to their families. Treatment modalities included in the psychiatric hospitalization include crisis management, initial psychiatric assessment, ECT, family intervention and psychopharmacology.