The San Francisco VA Health Care System is recruiting for a two-year postdoctoral advanced fellowship program in mental health research and treatment with a focus on PTSD. The fellowship is associated with the Sierra Pacific Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC; VISN 21) and affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco. It is funded by the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The primary goal of this fellowship program is to train psychologists, other allied health professionals, and MDs to become leading clinical researchers in high priority areas of mental health. Over the course of the two-year program, fellows are trained in academic and health systems research, advanced clinical care service delivery, and program administration in an interdisciplinary setting. The fellowship combines individual mentored research and clinical training with state-of-the-art educational experiences.
One highly successful aspect of training has been the video conference seminar series. Twice a month, a leading expert in the field presents to fellows at all sites through the video conferencing system. The didactics emphasize two main areas. One includes presentations on all aspects of career development from grant and manuscript preparation to the role of mentorship. The second emphasis is on the most recent advances in conducting specific components of clinical research in mental health, from genetics to designing the best interventions. There is also a strong emphasis on state-of-the-art methodological approaches to mental health research and practice. Seminar topics last year included VA career development, funding and resources, behavioral genetics, health informatics, and designing clinical trials of behavioral therapies. Ongoing multi-site workshops on manuscript and grant preparation are also provided to the fellows in addition to ongoing weekly biostatistical consultation through the coordinating center.
Fellows devote 75 percent of their time to research and educational activities and 25 percent to clinical training. 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.
Core faculty members
- Shira Maguen, PhD, fellowship director
- Sabra Inslicht, PhD
- Thomas Neylan, MD
- Aoife O’Donovan, PhD
- Anne Richards, MD
- Karen Seal, MD
- Irina Strigo, PhD
Application information
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025-2026 academic year. Application review will start December 1, 2024, and continue until position is filled.
Interested psychologists, MDs, and allied health professionals who meet the eligibility requirements should submit the following to [email protected]:
- A letter of interest detailing the applicant’s research experience, interests, career goals, and proposed faculty mentor(s) from list above
- CV
- Three letters of recommendation
Please include items #1 and #2 in a combined PDF file. Letters should be emailed directly by recommenders to [email protected].
