Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship
- Program Overview
- Training in C-L Psychiatry
- Rotations & Sample Schedule
- Professional Development & Benefits
- Application Information
- Program Alumni
- Contact
Program Overview
The Consultation-Liaison (C-L) Psychiatry Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the VA Boston Healthcare System is a one-year, ACGME-accredited fellowship affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Fellows develop expertise in caring for patients with complex medical and psychiatric needs through intensive clinical training, close faculty mentorship, and broad exposure to subspecialties across medicine, surgery, neurology, oncology, perinatal psychiatry, transplant psychiatry, critical care, and emergency psychiatry.
The program combines the strengths of a major academic medical center and a large VA system, offering rich experience in acute hospital-based consultation, longitudinal ambulatory care, and systems-level collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
Program at a Glance
| Duration | 1 year (July–June) |
| Sites | BIDMC & VA Boston (West Roxbury & Jamaica Plain), 6 months each |
| Accreditation | ACGME-accredited; Harvard Medical School–affiliated |
| Call | No overnight or weekend call |
| Vacation | 4 weeks total (2 weeks BIDMC, 2 weeks VA Boston) |
| Outpatient clinic | Longitudinal ½-day per week (subspecialty focus) |
| Board eligibility | Eligible for ABPN C-L Psychiatry subspecialty exam |
Mission
Our mission is to train future leaders in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry through:
- Extensive, hands-on clinical experience in diverse medical and psychiatric settings
- Interdisciplinary, team-based care that connects psychiatry with medicine, surgery, and subspecialty services
- Close mentorship from Harvard-affiliated faculty who model excellence in teaching, scholarship, and clinical care
- Person-centered, recovery-oriented practice that emphasizes dignity, equity, and whole-person care
- Expertise in systems-based care and decision-making within complex health systems
Who Thrives Here
- Residents who enjoy caring for medically and neurologically complex patients
- Clinicians interested in academic, hospital-based, or leadership careers in C-L Psychiatry
- Fellows who value interdisciplinary collaboration and teaching
Training in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
Fellows divide the year equally between BIDMC and the VA Boston Healthcare System, alternating in three-month blocks. This structure provides balanced exposure to tertiary-care medicine and the VA’s integrated system of care, with opportunities to work closely with internal medicine, surgery, neurology, oncology, obstetrics, and critical care teams.
Inpatient Training
On the inpatient services, fellows provide psychiatric consultation for patients admitted with complex medical and surgical conditions. Rotations span general medicine, neurology, surgery, oncology, obstetrics, critical care, and emergency psychiatry. A focused two-week block on the Addiction Psychiatry Consultation Service at BIDMC supplements this experience.
Outpatient Training
Each fellow maintains a longitudinal outpatient clinic (½ day per week) across the year, gaining subspecialty experience in:
- Reproductive Psychiatry & Women’s Mental Health (BIDMC)
- Psychosocial Oncology / Cancer Care Wellness Psychiatry (BIDMC)
- Memory Disorders Clinic (VA Boston)
- Movement Disorders Clinic (VA Boston)
Rotations & Sample Schedule
The fellowship year alternates three-month blocks at BIDMC and VA Boston (West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain). Fellows spend 6 months at each site, with outpatient clinics running longitudinally.
Inpatient Rotations
BIDMC
- Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry & Emergency Services – 5.5 months total
- Addiction Psychiatry Consultation Service – 2 weeks
VA Boston
- Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry – 6 months
Outpatient Clinics (½ day per week, year-round)
- Reproductive & Perinatal Psychiatry (BIDMC) – 3 months
- Cancer Wellness Psychiatry (BIDMC) – 3 months
- Memory Disorders Clinic (VA Boston) – 3 months
- Movement Disorders Clinic (VA Boston) – 3 months
Sample Yearly Schedule (Jul–Jun)
| Block | Site | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Jul–Sep | BIDMC | Inpatient C-L + outpatient clinic |
| Oct–Dec | VA Boston | Inpatient C-L + outpatient clinic |
| Jan–Mar | BIDMC | Inpatient C-L + Addiction Psychiatry rotation + clinic |
| Apr–Jun | VA Boston | Inpatient C-L + outpatient clinic |
Additional Details
- Vacation: 2 weeks during BIDMC rotations + 2 weeks during VA rotations
- Protected Time: Weekly didactics and supervision (year-round)
- Call: No overnight or weekend call required
- Moonlighting: Opportunities available, not required
Professional Development & Benefits
The fellowship provides a rigorous yet supportive environment where fellows are guided by faculty recognized nationally in C-L Psychiatry. Training emphasizes clinical depth, systems thinking, and professional growth, preparing graduates for academic, hospital-based, and leadership careers.
Highlights
- Didactics & Supervision: Weekly protected time for seminars, case conferences, and one-on-one mentorship
- Faculty Expertise: Collaboration with ~20 Harvard-affiliated faculty across neuropsychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, addiction, oncology, and perinatal psychiatry
- Board Certification Pathway: Graduates are eligible to sit for the ABPN C-L Psychiatry subspecialty exam
- Harvard Medical School Appointment: Clinical Fellow title with access to HMS academic resources
- Teaching & Mentorship: Opportunities to supervise residents and medical students
- Academic Community: Participation in seminars, workshops, and departmental activities at BIDMC and VA Boston
- Work–Life Balance: Four weeks of vacation, no overnight or weekend call, optional moonlighting
For details, visit the BIDMC trainee benefits and resources.
Application Information
Eligibility
- Completion of an ACGME-accredited psychiatry residency
- Passing USMLE Steps I–III (or COMLEX equivalents)
- Eligibility for Massachusetts license, MCSR, and DEA registration
Materials Requested
- ACLP Common Application Form
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Three letters of recommendation (including one from the residency Program Director)
- Personal statement (approximately 1 page)
How to Apply
Preferred: Submit your application through ERAS for Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.
Alternate: Email the ACLP application and supporting documents directly to the Program Director and Program Coordinator.
Application deadline: TBD 2026 (close of business)
Match Participation
- The fellowship participates in the NRMP fellowship match.
- NRMP Program Code: 1256409F0
Interview Timeline
- Virtual interviews via Thalamus, typically late September through early December
- Offers are extended on a rolling basis
Program Alumni
Graduates pursue careers in academic medicine, hospital-based psychiatry, and leadership roles across the country. Recent alumni include:
| Name & Year | Current Role | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Wei-Li Suen, MD (2025) | Attending, Interventional & Ambulatory Psychiatry; Senior Instructor in Psychiatry | University of Rochester Medical Center; University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry |
| Carlos Hallo Carrasco, MD (2025) | Attending, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry; Clinical Assistant Professor | NYU Langone Long Island; NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine |
| Rashad Alikhan, MD (2024) | Attending, C-L Psychiatry; Fellowship Site Director; Instructor in Psychiatry | VA Boston; Harvard Medical School |
| Haley Euting, MD (2024) | Attending, PCBHI & Perinatal Psychiatry; Instructor in Psychiatry | Cambridge Health Alliance; Harvard Medical School |
Contact
Program Director
Joshua R. Leo, MD, MPH
Email the Program Director
Program Coordinator
Renetta Johnson
Email the Program Coordinator
