Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship

Our program is academically based and meticulously structured to produce clinically and culturally competent child and adolescent psychiatrists who are well-equipped to practice independently across diverse youth populations and communities. Additionally, our fellowship prepares trainees for potential careers in academia, research, or administration, should they choose to pursue these paths.

1. To provide our trainees with an excellent clinical training experience that produces highly qualified child and adolescent psychiatrists who have a superior medical knowledge base, excellent clinical skills, and the ability to effectively apply those skills in the practice and administration of child and adolescent psychiatry in public, private, urban or rural settings.

2. To promote advocacy and education skills to become a leader and educator in public health in relation to care of children and adolescents in need.

3. To teach research methodology and expose trainees to various research/scholarly projects to develop critical eyes on the developing evidence based child and adolescent psychiatry.

Welcome to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at Rutgers Health Robert Wood Johnson Medical School!

Our goal is to train you to become outstanding child and adolescent psychiatrists within a warm and supportive environment. We offer unique training opportunities including specialized experiences in inpatient eating disorders and juvenile detention centers, strong school-based services, subspecialty outpatient clinics, and residential treatment facilities, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded training experience.

Nestled in a vibrant university setting within a suburban area, our program is an ideal place to both train and settle down. I myself completed both my training and settling down right here at Rutgers RWJMS. I am honored to be the Program Director and can personally attest to the exceptional quality and supportive nature of our program. We are excited to welcome you and help you grow into an outstanding child and adolescent psychiatrist. It is a privilege to be a part of your journey.

Shawen Ilaria, MD

Fellows receive training at renowned institutions affiliated with Rutgers Health Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, including:

University Behavioral Health Care

Rutgers Therapeutic Day School

Juvenile Justice Commission

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Children’s Transitional Residence

Bristol Meyers Squibb Children’s Hospital 

Gateway School/NuView Academy

Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center

Children Specialized Hospital

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows attend a comprehensive lecture and seminar series covering all aspects of the field. In the various rotations offered, fellows will also develop their teaching skills by supervising medical students and junior residents.

Case Conference

Our weekly Case Conference allows fellows to present psychotherapy cases using CBT, DBT, psychodynamic, or play therapy approaches, fostering a collaborative learning environment. Led individually by experienced attendings, these sessions provide an opportunity for fellows to discuss cases in a group setting, receive constructive feedback, and refine their psychotherapy skills

Psychiatric Literature

Held monthly from July through December, the Psychiatric Literature Course teaches fellows how to evaluate the strength of a research study. Each session involves a fellow selecting an article related to a case vignette and applying critical appraisal steps to assess the article's quality and relevance.

Research Seminar

In the Research Seminar, fellows learn essential techniques for conducting and evaluating research.

Journal Club

Held monthly from January through June, Journal Club focuses on the critical appraisal of research reports, helping fellows evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of studies. Utilizing knowledge and skills from the Research Seminar and Psychiatric Literature Course, fellows engage in in-depth discussions to enhance their understanding of psychiatric research.

Developmental Videos

In the Developmental Videos sessions, fellows watch videos of normal child development accompanied by notes that highlight various milestone achievements and aspects of development. These sessions provide a visual and comprehensive understanding of typical developmental progress.

Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds are weekly sessions featuring renowned psychiatrists from around the world as speakers. Covering a diverse range of topics in psychiatry, these sessions offer valuable insights and foster academic exchange among participants.

Seminal Thinkers

Monthly Seminal Thinkers sessions introduce fellows to renowned child psychiatrists and their influential theories in an engaging and scholarly manner. It gives the opportunity to explore the foundational ideas that have shaped the field of child psychiatry, fostering insightful discussions and deepening understanding of historical figures in the discipline.

Interview and Formulation

In the Interview and Formulation sessions, fellows observe attendings and second-year fellows conducting real patient interviews. Following the interview, fellows engage in the activity of developing a comprehensive case formulation. This unique opportunity allows fellows to observe diverse interviewing styles among their peers, enhancing their clinical skills and understanding of diagnostic processes.

Psychopharmacology Seminar

Led by fellows under the expert supervision of attending faculty, the Psychopharmacology Seminar spans six months and thoroughly covers all classes of psychiatric medications. This seminar critically examines diverse aspects of psychopharmacology, including essential considerations such as ethnic disparities in treatment approaches.

CBT/DBT Seminar

The weekly Cognitive Behavior Therapy Seminar, highly rated by fellows, covers a wide range of topics including exposure response prevention and other advanced techniques. The seminar also introduces fellows to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) models, providing a comprehensive exploration of evidence-based therapeutic approaches.

Nursery Supervision

During Nursery Supervision, fellows observe normal toddler development in a nursery setting and engage in discussions with an attending psychiatrist. This seminar also includes short presentations on development related topics, enriching fellows' understanding of early childhood development and its clinical implications.

Neuroscience

The Neuroscience Seminar provides fellows with an in-depth exploration of brain structure, function, and its relevance to psychiatric. Fellows gain a comprehensive understanding of how neuroscience informs our understanding and treatment of mental health conditions.

Family Therapy

The Family Therapy Seminar focuses on understanding and applying systemic approaches to therapy within family dynamics. Fellows learn practical techniques for addressing relational challenges and enhancing family communication. Fellows develop skills in fostering healthy familial interactions

Core Textbook

Fellows engage in discussions based on readings from Dulcan’s Textbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry during lectures led by various attendings.

Development Across the Lifespan

The Development across the Lifespan seminar explores human growth and development from conception through old age. Fellows examine key milestones, challenges, and adaptations that occur across different life stages, enhancing their understanding of psychological and emotional development throughout the lifespan.

Personal and Professional Development

Our comprehensive Personal and Professional Development Program is designed to equip participants with essential skills to thrive in both their personal and professional lives. The program includes a series of lectures and hands-on activities that cover a wide range of topics, including presentation skills, private practice, finance management, self-care and wellness, career planning, and communication skills

The fellows have the opportunity to partake in active research and are encouraged to initiate investigative endeavors. This includes a variety of clinical research project areas across various settings that provide hands-on experience in developing and implementing clinical research in child and adolescent mental health.

Our clinical rotations are designed to provide our trainees with an excellent clinical training experience that produces highly qualified child and adolescent psychiatrists who have a superior medical knowledge base, excellent clinical skills, and the ability to effectively apply those skills in the practice of child and adolescent psychiatry.

Fellows and residents in training provide care under the direct supervision of the attending physician/faculty member. The faculty and trainees also provide clinical services in various settings, inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, and pediatric consultation/liaison services .The services emphasize multimodal and multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment, and collaboration with the family, school and community.

Year 1

In year 1, fellows rotate through 2 month blocks of 6 rotations.

Inpatient Adolescent

The adolescent inpatient rotation takes place on the 24-bed Child and Adolescent Inpatient Unit of the University Behavioral Health Care at Piscataway. The population served includes youths aged 12-17 years, with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses, from a catchment area of roughly four counties in central New Jersey.

Inpatient Child

The child inpatient rotation takes place on the six-bed Child Inpatient service of the University Behavioral Health Care at Piscataway. The population served includes youths aged 5-12 years, with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses.

Consult Liaison

This includes providing consultation and liaison services to non-psychiatric medical inpatients. Consultations will take place on the pediatric floors of Bristol Meyers Squibb Children’s Hospital, serving pediatric patients, including adolescents up to age 21, as well as patients on the hematology/oncology floor and those with developmental disabilities.

Juvenile Justice Commission

Fellows develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the competent provision of adolescent psychiatric care for youth ages 13 to 20 years who are incarcerated and residing within the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission’s  secure care and residential community home facilities.

Acute Psychiatric Services/Pediatric Neurology

Acute Psychiatric Services provides 24-hour walk-in services to individuals of all ages who require an emergency level of triage/care. During this rotation the fellow will become familiar with screening of psychiatric emergencies in youth.  In this role, the fellow is responsible for evaluation, treatment and disposition of acute and emergency patients. Principles of emergency psychiatry and crisis intervention are emphasized.

The experience in pediatric neurology will include daily outpatient rounds and work-ups at RWJUH, outpatient evaluation at the division’s clinical setting at the Children’s Health Institute of New Jersey.

Eating Disorders

Fellows develop increased knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, nutritional principles as related to eating disorders and experience in medication and psychotherapy in treating eating disorders. The Eating Disorders Program of Somerset Medical Center houses up to 14 patients ranging in age from 12 years and older with diagnosis of bulimia or anorexia.  In addition to the inpatient unit, the program also has an active partial hospitalization program and an intensive outpatient program that has 20-25 patients at any given time.

Year 2

In year 2, fellows rotate through different services throughout the week. Fellows have options to choose from 3 tracks. Some of the rotations in different track can be done as electives. Major rotations are:

Children Specialized Hospital

During this rotation, fellows gain valuable experience in diagnosing and treating children and adolescents with complex presentations and medication regimens through outpatient clinic sessions at Children's Specialized Hospital.

The Children’s Transitional Residence

The Children’s Transitional Residence is a non-hospital Psychiatric Community Residence (PCR) setting for latency-aged children (aged 5-12 years) with psychiatric needs that require the special structure, treatment and education provided by a residential setting. In addition to treating the children, the fellows will participate in Child Family Team meetings including various systems of care including school, DCPP and Court appointed Advocates.

Rutgers Day School - Adolescent

This is a therapeutic school for up to 40 adolescents aged 13 – 21 years with serious and persistent emotional problems that require intensive therapeutic/psychiatric interventions, special structure and treatment within an educational setting. The fellow will serve as the primary psychiatric consultant to patients in the school program.

Rutgers Day School - Child 

The Rutgers Day School Child Division is an out-of-district special education school for 46 children between ages three to thirteen years. Fellows’ role is same as in adolescent division.

School Based Youth Services

Fellows participate in School Based Youth Services Programs at Gateway School and NuView Academy, providing consultations and psychopharmacologic management to elementary, middle, and high school students. They conduct comprehensive assessments, including classroom observations and interviews with students and the Child Study Team, with involvement of parents.

Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center

At the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center fellows observe and engage with children with autism spectrum disorders in a day program at Rutgers University. They learn Applied Behavior Analysis principles and behavioral teaching methodologies firsthand. Fellows participate in classroom interactions with early elementary learners.

Autism Clinic

The Autism Clinic is staffed by Child and Adolescent psychiatry fellows in conjunction with the attending, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who specializes in treating individuals on the Autism Spectrum.

Nursery Rotation

Fellows observe toddlers in a developmental nursery setting to learn about normal childhood development under supervision, gaining valuable clinical insights.

Psychiatric Evaluation of Adolescent and Child Experiences (P.E.A.C.E.) Program

Fellows participate in the P.E.A.C.E Program, gaining hands-on experience in early intervention and treatment for psychosis in youth ages 6-14 years old, enhancing their clinical skills and understanding of early psychiatric interventions.

Co-Located Child Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic

Fellows participate in the co-located specialty clinic embedded within Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Pediatric Neurology to familiarize themselves with psychiatric concerns in children with chronic illness such as cancer, sickle cell, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, etc.

Year 1 and 2:

Psychopharmacology Clinic

This is an outpatient clinic. Goal is to develop the skills necessary to evaluate, initiate pharmacotherapy and provide on-going management of patients requiring psychopharmacologic treatment.

Psychotherapy Clinic

Fellows provide long-term psychotherapy for 3-4 patients for up to 1.5 years. Each fellow is assigned a psychotherapy supervisor. Tailoring therapy to patient needs, fellows employ either Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, or Play Therapy to enhance clinical skills and therapeutic effectiveness.

Electives

Fellows have one and a half day of elective every week in 2nd year. There is a wide selection of electives to choose from. Fellows also have opportunities to develop electives of their choice. Some of the options include:

• First episode psychosis clinic
• Pediatric subspecialties clinic
• Adolescent Medicine
• Advocacy
• Research
• Occupational/speech/physical therapy
• Family therapy
• Group therapy on inpatient psychiatric unit
• PROUD Gender Center of New Jersey
• Partial Hospitalization Program
• Private Practice with volunteer faculty

Fellows are on call on about 4 Sundays in a year. It involves conducting rounds on the child and adolescent inpatient unit only with remote supervision from attending. This gives fellows a unique experience of autonomy while being supervised.

Program Director

Shawen Ilaria, MD

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry

Program Director, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Clinical Faculty

Coming Soon!

Fellows enjoy a wide variety of resources through Rutgers university including but not limited to

• Access to an extensive online library and databases
• Productivity apps including HIPAA-compliant Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Office, and OneDrive
• Access to 4 Rutgers gyms and the recreation center
• Educational allowance of $1300 per year for all residents and fellows
• Reimbursement for conference travel for first author on a workshop or poster
• The program will pay NJ State Licensing fees and DEA certificate fees
• Employee and dependent tuition remission at Rutgers University
• Vacation (20 days per year)
• Holidays (8 designated days per year)
• Float Days (4 per year)
• Sick Days (12 per year)

2nd Year Fellows

William “Jay” Furey, DO 

• Residency: Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE
• Medical School:  Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
• Masters: Saint Joseph's University- MBA in Healthcare Administration
• Undergraduate: University of Delaware- BA in Psychology
• Interests within psychiatry:  Consultation-Liaison psychiatry, ADHD, Autism
• Outside interests: Philadelphia sports (Go Birds!), travel, hiking, comedy, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, friends, family

Sung “Sunny” Kang, DO

• Residency: Rowan SOM
• Medical School:  University of North Texas Health Science Center - TCOM
• Undergraduate: Bryn Mawr College
• Interests within psychiatry:  Outpatient psychiatry, telepsychiatry, therapy
• Outside interests: Travel, fitness, spending time with family and friends

Sarah Meyers, DO

Chief Fellow

• Residency: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 
• Medical School:  Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine 
• Undergraduate: Cornell University 
• Interests within psychiatry:  Forensic psychiatry, play therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, first episode psychosis
• Outside interests: Knitting, crocheting, pottery, cinema, baking, spinning

Lauren Russo, DO

• Residency: AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center 
• Medical School:  Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine 
• Undergraduate: The College of New Jersey 
• Interests within psychiatry:  first episode psychosis, OCD, anxiety disorders, individual and family therapy, spirituality in medicine 
• Outside interests: tennis, trying new restaurants, NJ shore, studying my faith, binging reality TV 

Zed Shabbir, DO

• Residency: Nuvance Health
• Medical School:  NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Undergraduate: New York Institute of Technology
• Interests within psychiatry:  consultation-liaison psychiatry, eating disorders, first episode psychosis, interventional psychiatry
• Outside interests: sports, music, video games, books, travel, fitness

Darshini Vora, MD

• Residency: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Permian Basin
• Medical School:  Mahatma Gandhi Missions Medical College, Navi Mumbai
• Interests within psychiatry:  Outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry, play therapy, neurodevelopmental disorders 
• Outside interests:  Traveling, swimming, reading, catching up on latest TV shows and movies, spending time with friends and family

1st Year Fellows

Sezai Ustun Aydin, MD

• Residency: Pamukkale University, Turkey,  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 2013 - 2018, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School 2021 - 2024
• Medical School:  Pamukkale University, Turkey
• Undergraduate: Pamukkale University, Turkey
• Interests within psychiatry:  Psychotherapies, play therapy
• Outside interests: video games, dancing, yoga

Douglas Lee, DO

• Residency: NYMC at Saint Mary's and Saint Clare's
• Medical School:  NYITCOM
• Undergraduate: Case Western Reserve University
• Interests within psychiatry:  outpatient psychiatry, telepsychiatry, cross-cultural psychiatry, psychotherapy
• Outside interests: New York Knicks, pick-up basketball, golf, working out, hip-hop/indie/jazz concerts, good Twitter threads

Sek Eun "John" Lee, DO

• Residency: Hackensack Meridian JSUMC
• Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - New York
• Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
• Interests within psychiatry:  Psychotherapy for individual and families, collaborative and school-based care model, and mood/anxiety/neurodevelopmental disorders
• Outside interests: Watching and playing sports, exercising, and spending time with friends and family

Adam Malik, DO

• Residency: Penn Highlands
• Medical School:   LECOM
• Undergraduate: Siena College
• Interests within psychiatry:  Outpatient psychiatry, first episode psychosis, neurodevelopmental disorders
• Outside interests: Fitness, Soccer, Basketball, Snowboarding, Traveling, Studying my faith

Kathryn Montgomery. DO

• Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital 
• Medical School:  Rowan SOM 
• Undergraduate: Montclair State University 
• Interests within psychiatry:  Inpatient and outpatient care of children and adolescents, Collaborative Care, Integrative Psychiatry, Women's Mental Health
• Outside interests: Spending time with my husband, daughters, and 100lb rescue dog. I also enjoy watching Bravo and football (Go Birds)

Nikith "Nick" Shekar, DO

• Residency: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
• Medical School: NYITCOM
• Undergraduate: University of Maryland, College Park
• Interests within psychiatry:  child and adolescent psychiatry, sports psychiatry and a budding interest in neuromodulation techniques such as TMS
• Outside interests: I love playing basketball, swimming, tennis, listening to hip-hop music, cooking and exploring new restaurants. I am a passionate Philadelphia sports fan, and my favorite sports to watch are basketball and football!

Testimonials

Here's what our fellows have to say about their experience in the program:

"The fellowship at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has exceeded my expectations, providing me with valuable clinical skills and research opportunities.'"

“What stands out about this program is the collegial environment. I am thankful to the program for making accommodations in the schedule for maternity leave”

“I've appreciated the balance struck between autonomy and supervision in our clinical training. Faculty treat us as respected colleagues, guiding our exploration and application of therapeutic approaches like CBT and psychodynamic therapy. This collaborative environment supports our professional growth while ensuring we receive valuable mentorship and feedback along the way."

Life as a Fellow in NJ:

Life as a fellow at Rutgers offers an exceptional work-life balance, ensuring ample time for professional growth and personal well-being" Located in heart of New Jersey, fellows enjoy a vibrant community with diverse cultural and recreational activities. A rich culinary landscape and vibrant arts and cultural are offered throughout the state. There is easy Access to top-notch educational institutions and healthcare facilities. Safe neighborhoods and excellent schools, making it ideal for families.

Alumni

Many of our alumni have gone on to establish successful careers in academic medicine, clinical practice, and research. Their achievements reflect the strength and impact of our fellowship program.

Fellows are eligible for internal or external moonlighting in second year.