Triple Board Program

Welcome to the Triple Board Program
at the University of Pittsburgh and the UPMC!

The Pittsburgh Triple Board Program brings together premier clinical, research, and training programs in pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child & adolescent psychiatry. The Triple Board Program offers a unique opportunity to train at the interface of pediatrics and psychiatry and prepares the physician to provide truly comprehensive child and family healthcare.

PGY1

PGY2

PGY3

PGY4

PGY5

PGY6, (optional)

"Pitt Program"

Special Opportunities

Application Procedure

Triple Board AI/4th Year Elective

Our Residents Discuss the Triple Board Program

Current Residents and Alumni

Links

Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) of UPMC have an excellent reputation for patient care, postgraduate teaching and academic excellence.

• CHP is consistently ranked among the top children's hospitals in the country.
• The Department of Pediatrics is ranked ninth in the country in terms of NIH funding.
• A state-of-the-art 296-bed children's hospital (opened in May 2009).
  • Over 13,000 admissions a year, half of which are treated primarily by medical services.
  • Over 400,000 outpatient encounters a year.
  • Over 60,000 emergency room visits a year where residents have first line responsibility for patient care.
• Robust and growing integrated Behavioral Health Services in multiple settings including:
  • Over 10 Children’s Community Pediatrics Primary Care Centers across Western Pennsylvania (account for over 12,000 visits per year).
  • Multidisciplinary outpatient center providing coordinated care including PT/OT, speech and developmental medicine services aimed at maximizing function of physically ill children and children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
  • Pediatric Behavioral Health Consult and Liaison Services providing over 2,200 visits/year to hospitalized children and their families.
  • Medical Coping Clinic for Children with Gastrointestinal Disorders.
  • Weight Management and Wellness Center.
  • The Brain Care Institute.
  • Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinics which provide integrated behavioral health care to children with highly specialized health care needs including embedded services in:
    • Oncology / Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapies
    • Headache and Movement Disorders
    • Diabetes
    • Disorders of Sexual Differentiation

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry and its clinical partner, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC (WPIC) are national leaders in education, research and clinical care. Their partnership forms one of the largest and most academically productive psychiatric programs in the nation, and offers advanced diagnosis and treatment for psychiatric disorders across the life span.

• The Department of Psychiatry has consistently received more NIMH extramural funding than any other Department of Psychiatry in the United States.
• WPIC is ranked among the Top Ten Psychiatric Hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
• WPIC has 310 inpatient beds that serve more than 11,000 patients per year.
• Approximately 12,000 psychiatric Emergency Room visits/year.
• WPIC outpatient care clinics provide over 400,000 outpatient visits/year.
• The Department of Psychiatry is home to over 200 full-time faculty specializing in a wide range of psychiatric disciplines, many of whom are acknowledged as leaders in their field.
• The Adult Consultation-Liaison Service provides psychiatric consultation to more than 2,000 patients annually to various clinical programs at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), one of the largest integrated health care delivery systems in the United States.
• WPIC is well-known and highly regarded for its inpatient and outpatient programs, community services and specialized programs including services in the following areas:
  • Autism
  • ADHD
  • UPMC Bipolar Institute
  • Child and Adolescent Crisis Team Intervention Services
  • Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions
  • Eating Disorders
  • Matilda Theiss Child Development Center
  • Merck Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic for Autism, Developmental Disabilities and Co-occurring Psychiatric or Behavioral Disorders
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Program--Pediatric
  • STAR-Center (Services for Teens at Risk)
  • Early Psychosis

Triple Board Program (TBP) Residents

• Each year, two TBP residents will join 28 categorical pediatric residents, four medicine/pediatric residents, two family practice/psychiatry residents and 13 general or combined adult/child psychiatry residents at the PGY1 level.
• At the end of five years of training, TBP residents will have completed 24 months of Pediatrics, 18 months of General Psychiatry and 18 months of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
• The program is designed to provide a planned and integrated educational experience, with graduated responsibility for patient care and teaching as residents advance. Interaction with pediatric and psychiatric resident colleagues is ongoing, both in the clinical settings and within didactics.
• The formal educational curriculum is ongoing throughout the five clinical years with - on average - a minimum of five to six hours a week of classroom or other formal instruction.
• Additionally, a pediatric and/or child psychiatry faculty supervisor will meet with a resident regularly throughout training to discuss clinical issues encountered in all training experiences.
• The Triple Board Program actively incorporates and integrates a combination of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child Psychiatry into each of the five years of training.

PGY1

The main focus of the PGY1 year is pediatric medicine.  Interns begin their training with 10 months of pediatric rotations in which they work on inpatient teams of general pediatrics and subspecialty teams including Hematology, Oncology, Neurology, Pulmonary Medicine, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Emergency Medicine and Neonatal Medicine. 

Pediatric Primary Care experience starts with two weeks of ambulatory medicine and a half day per week continuity clinic that continues for all five years of the program.  Continuity clinic gives residents the opportunity to learn outpatient pediatrics and childhood development while building relationships with patients and their families over time.

There is now a night float system in place during the week and interns have 6 weeks of nights as well as weekend calls while on inpatient rotations.

Interns also spend two months working in the Psychiatric Emergency Room (DEC) which provides the opportunity to learn acute diagnosis and management of a wide variety of psychiatric illness.  During this time interns work with psychiatric attending physicians with a variety of backgrounds. Two weeks of night shift will also allow for more independent development of skills under one-on-one guidance of psychiatric emergency medicine physicians.

Psychiatry didactics begin for one afternoon a week focusing on the fundamentals of psychiatry including pharmacology, dynamic and evidence-based therapies.

PGY2

Residents return to Pediatric Medicine for the first half of the second year. A variety of experiences include senior pediatric resident and night-team leadership, critical care medicine (Neonatal ICU and Pediatric ICU), adolescent medicine, developmental medicine and subspecialty elective time. 

There are several pediatric rotations that allow Triple Board residents to integrate psychiatric and pediatric skills by working closely with patients and their families, including Adolescent Medicine, PICU and developmental medicine. 

Halfway through second year, residents transition to psychiatry and spend a month each on subspecialty psychiatric inpatient units including Adult Mood Disorders, Psychosis and other chronic persistent severe mental illness, and Dual Diagnosis.  Six weeks are spent on Adult Consult/Liaison and four weeks are spent on Adult Neurology at the large tertiary care adult medicine hospital within the UPMC Health System. 

Rotations aimed at skills integration in the PGY2 year include four weeks of Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program and two weeks of Consult/Liaison at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC (CHP).  This allows residents to further develop their assessment skills and manage patients utilizing their knowledge from both pediatrics and psychiatry at their interface.

Residents continue to see patients in their pediatric continuity clinic every other week for a half day and attend psychiatric didactics a half day a week.  Second year also gives the first opportunity for residents to start adult longitudinal therapy with a focus on Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT).   

PGY3

In the beginning of the PGY3 year residents transition back to pediatrics with rotations as inpatient senior (six weeks), subspecialty electives (eight weeks), Night team senior (two weeks), NICU (two weeks), Child Neurology (four weeks), Emergency Department (two weeks), and ambulatory general pediatric clinic senior (two weeks).

The outpatient pediatric subspecialty clinics, in particular, allow residents to explore and develop knowledge in areas of personal interest.  In addition, the clinics provide valuable exposure to the psychological impact of chronic disease and aid in the development of skills to help patients and their families cope with both the psychiatric and medical aspects of their care. 

The second half of the year is devoted to outpatient psychiatry clinics. One of the highlights of the PGY3 year is working in the Triple Board clinic alongside the Triple Board 4th and 5th Year Residents.  This clinic provides psychiatric care to pediatric patients with complicated medical histories and is staffed by faculty who are interested in the integration of care.  Other clinics during this portion of training include adult psychiatry, including adult mood disorders, geriatric psychiatry, and the care of chronically psychiatrically ill. 

The residents’ adult psychotherapy training continues with emphasis on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and longitudinal psychodynamic psychotherapy. Didactics will also focus on dialectal behavioral therapy, group and family therapy and advanced psychopharmacology.

PGY4

In the PGY4 year, four months are spent on pediatric rotations. This will complete the required pediatric portion of training. 

The pediatric rotations are comprised of three months in subspecialty pediatrics and one month in the CHP Emergency Department.

This layout of rotations is particularly helpful in studying for the pediatric boards which are typically taken in the PGY5 year. 

The rest of the year is concentrated in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Experiences include four months on inpatient units including general child and adolescent psychiatry and a sub-specialized unit for the care of patients with autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Additional experiences include Adolescent Acute Partial Hospitalization Program and the Pediatric Behavioral Health Consultation/Liaison Service at CHP.

There is also one month of child psychiatry elective time.

During this academic year, residents take call from home for the Pediatric Behavioral Health Consultation/Liaison Service, an average of seven weeks throughout the academic year.

Fellows also begin pediatric longitudinal psychotherapy with a minimum of two child and adolescent patients (child CBT and child psychodynamic) during this year. The latter two experiences continue throughout the remainder of training.

PGY5

Child and adolescent psychiatry training is completed over the course of the remaining 12 months of this final obligatory training year. Two months focus on the Infancy/Early Childhood population at Matilda Theiss Center for Child Development and the inpatient unit of the Center for Overcoming the Problems of Eating (COPE).

Residents continue their child and adolescent outpatient continuity clinic half day per week and participate in multidisciplinary family therapy training half day per week for six months. This clinic is supervised live via one-way mirror by two instructors who provide immediate feedback and guidance for the development of family therapeutic skills.

The predominant focus of the remaining ten months is on outpatient experiences and elective training. Required outpatient experiences include forensics, school consultation and community psychiatry. A wide variety of outpatient subspecialty electives are available including: pediatric bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, adolescents at high risk for suicide and non-suicidal self-harm, attention and hyperactivity disorders, transition to college and early-adulthood and early-onset psychosis.

Residents are also encouraged to create elective experiences that are relevant to their career goals. These may be fully resident created or may include choosing from other available clinical experiences such as team leader electives in inpatient or outpatient services, alternative and complementary medicine, evidenced based psychotherapies in the care of medically ill children, amongst others. In addition, non-clinical experiences in systems of care, managed care, educational or administrative activities and research are available.

Interested residents may also pursue certification in Electro-Convulsive Therapy.

PGY6/Research Fellowships

Consistent with the guidelines developed by the ABP and ABPN, the University of Pittsburgh/WPIC Triple Board program seeks to prepare clinical physicians for the medical challenges of the 21st century by training them to critically evaluate new as well as established approaches to the assessment and treatment of mental and emotional disorders across the life span.  We also seek to recruit and train physicians who are likely to pursue academic and research careers and to make valuable contributions in the areas of scientific knowledge, education, program development and/or health and mental health care policy.

In an effort to encourage academic development in the pediatrics/psychiatry interface, we offer research fellowships to qualified candidates interested in pursuing a research career.  The Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry have faculty involved in research in all areas of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence, including developmental psychopathology, psychobiology of illnesses, neuroimaging, and the assessment and treatment of these and other conditions, as well as in the areas of health services and outcomes research. All Triple Board Program trainees will have a clinical and academic mentor throughout their training to assist them with career development strategies and decision making. 

We continue to be excited about this program, by the quality of applicants drawn to the challenge of triple board training, and the numerous training opportunities for individuals at the University of Pittsburgh and its UPMC clinical partners. The Triple Board Program also provides us with the opportunity to shape the future direction of healthcare by training tomorrow’s leaders in clinical care, research and education.

Our Residents Discuss the Triple Board Program

Special Opportunities

Residents in the Triple Board Program are encouraged to develop areas of interest and expertise, both professionally and personally.

There are a variety of opportunities during the program to participate in activities that will create well-rounded and balanced physicians. Current Triple Board Program trainees are participating in either previously established “tracks” or finding ways to expand their education in both pediatrics and psychiatry through special opportunities.

Advocacy and Community Oriented Resident Education (CORE) Track
Learning about the community in which we practice is an essential element of all medical care. Our Triple board residents participate in both informal and formal advocacy for our patients and communities. The Community Oriented Resident Education Track provides residents an opportunity to further know and engage in the Pittsburgh community. CORE residents visit community sites and learn about the resources available and barriers to care for our patients and families.

Scholarly Projects and Research Track
Throughout their residency, all trainees develop areas of expertise according to their interests. In order to further develop and formalize this expertise, all residents have the opportunity to participate in scholarly projects; these may vary from formal basic, translational, or clinic research projects to clinical or educational quality improvement. Recent projects have included presenting at journal club seminars and/or grand round lectures, developing mental health curricula for pediatricians, publishing a case report, and creating a research poster for the annual Department of Psychiatry Research Day or national meetings of professional organizations and medical societies.

Triple Board residents also have the opportunity to participate in weekly meetings of the WPIC Research Track, which provides support and didactics about the practical undertaking of research during residency and beyond.

Academic Administrator/Clinical Educator (AACE) Track
Many graduates of the Triple Board Program go on to be involved in other academic pursuits. The Academic Administrator/Clinical Educator track provides support and discussion about the variety of academic opportunities available. Additionally, the AACE track enables residents to better assist with teaching of medical students in both formal and informal settings.

Global Health Initiatives 
The University of Pittsburgh provides a variety of opportunities to get involved and network with other trainees and faculty engaged in global health initiatives. The Center for Global Health hosts a variety of events, including speakers, films, and grand rounds. Additionally, residents may participate in international rotations once they have discussed and prepared with a global health advisor. Currently, there are eight sites that have an established relationship with the University of Pittsburgh, and residents may also work with their advisors to create other international rotations.

Advanced Psychotherapy Training
WPIC provides core didactic courses in psychotherapy (including specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and group therapy) as well as supervised clinical experience in CBT, IPT, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Parent Management Training, and Family Therapy.

Residents also have the opportunity to participate in additional Psychodynamic Psychotherapy training through the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Center.

In addition, a year-long training course called the James T McLaughlin Program provides a blend of theory with literature reviews and clinical case presentations.

Psychotherapy is offered to residents for training purposes through the “Psychotherapy in Training” or PIT Program, which is open to trainees without a formal psychiatric diagnosis and utilizes off-campus volunteer clinical faculty (including psychiatrists and psychologists) as psychotherapists, placing no restrictions on the number of visits or types of therapies employed.

Additionally, residents who need to see a therapist/physician for reason other than the training experience provided by the PIT program, would either contact their Program Director or directly contact the Employee Assistance Program, (Resident and Fellows Assistance Program).

APPLICATION PROCEDURE & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Applicants for the Triple Board Residency Training Program must be a senior in an approved medical school or hold an MD degree.  Minority applicants are encouraged to apply.  Applicants with specialty training in other areas of medicine are also welcome.  

Applications are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).  We require a complete application form, personal statement (including a statement regarding areas of interest), medical school transcript and three letters of reference. Applications will be accepted till December 31, 2012. After completion of the review process by the Selection Committee, applicants will be notified by email or mail.  Dates for the interview will be determined at the time of the invitation.  We generally interview on Mondays from November through early January. 

Further information may be obtained by contacting:

Sansea L. Jacobson, MD 
Director, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training

Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic
3811 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 246-5320
Email: jacobsonsl@upmc.edu

Triple Board Acting Internship

The Triple Board (TB) Acting Internship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has been designed to provide the interested medical student with an exposure to the interface of Pediatrics and Child and Adolescent psychiatry.  This four-week acting internship will focus primarily on the Psychiatric Consult-Liaison service at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. 

The Consult-Liaison service provides inpatient consultation to a wide variety of general and specialty pediatric services within a large pediatric hospital. Acting interns will see patients and present them to one of a team of child psychiatrists and psychologists who work in this setting.  In addition to this primary focus, acting interns will also participate in clinical and educational activities specific to either pediatrics or psychiatry.  He/she will attend the Tuesday pediatric outpatient continuity clinic and the Thursday child psychiatry Triple Board outpatient continuity clinic focusing on evaluating psychiatric illness in children with chronic medical conditions.

We will try to arrange special opportunities for acting interns who have a particular area of interest such as neonatal or early development, developmental disabilities, child advocacy, adolescent medicine, child neurology, eating disorders or children with affective and anxiety disorders. Every effort will be made to accommodate that requests for Special Areas of Interest  Lastly, acting interns will participate in the daily pediatric noon conference, psychiatry didactics on Thursday afternoons, Pediatric Chairman’s Rounds (Friday mornings) and Psychiatry Grand Rounds (Friday late mornings).

This Acting Internship can prepare a medical student for combined Pediatrics/Adult Psychiatry/Child and Adolescent Psychiatry residency programs. During the rotation students will spend ample time with Triple Board trained faculty. We hope this broad exposure will pique one’s interest in Triple Board Training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, an exciting and diverse training program.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Develop psychiatric assessment and interviewing skills applicable to pediatric medical settings
2. Verbalize the complex interplay between subjective distress, physical disease, and psychiatric disorders
3. State modes of adaptation for children and families confronted with physical illness, including those struggling with medically unexplained physical symptoms
4. Management of pediatric psychiatric problems, including formulating initial treatment plans
5. Verbalize principles of consultation/liaison with healthcare professionals in pediatric medical setting
6. Develop an understanding of systems of care as they relate to the care of children along the biopsychosocial model of care.

Pre-requisites:

• Preferable In the fourth year of medical school
• Completed a psychiatry rotation
• Completed a pediatrics rotation

Further information may be obtained by contacting:

Sansea L. Jacobson, MD 
Director, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training

Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic
3811 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 246-5320
Email: jacobsonsl@upmc.edu

Current Residents

Cristen McDermott, MD
Education:  University of Connecticut School of Medicine, M.D. 2012, Georgetown University 2007, B.A. English
Hometown:  Westport, CT
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions:  New England Pediatric Society Award (2012);  James H. Foster M.D. Teaching Award (2012); eager to find new projects and activities in Pittsburgh

Interests/Fun facts:  A fan of all things active (caveat: hang-gliding could be a deal breaker) and a proud participant with regard to the random. To get a little more specific, I enjoy dodgeball, flag football, skiing, baking, soccer, bowling, tennis, rowing, basketball, eating, cooking, adventures, Modern Family, learning (on and off) to play the banjo, travel (both near and far), Downton Abbey, American expatriate writers, NikeID, and bright colors.

Sarah Homitsky, MD (Class of 2016)
Education: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine/Smith College - Physical Chemistry
Hometown:  Pittsburgh, PA 
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions:  Court Appointed Child Advocate during medical school, AOA, Currently working with ELECT Teen Parenting Program to begin a program focused on educating young mothers about newborn care and child development

Interests/Fun facts:  Enjoy spending time with my niece and nephew, ultimate frisbee

Justin Schreiber, DO, MPH (Class of 2016)
Education: UCLA Majored in Neuroscience and History; Medical School- Touro University Nevada; Master's degree in Public Health- Boston University
Hometown: San Clemente, CA (the OC)
 

Interests/Fun facts:  Proud cat owner and husband, loves health policy and politics and I want to be Secretary of Health and Human Services some day (let me know if you know anyone planning on being president), I love exploring the museums, outdoors and great dining options in Pittsburgh.

Katrina Fletcher, MD (Class of 2015)
Education: Thomas Jefferson University; Undergrad: Barnard College, Columbia University-Combined major in Women's Studies and Dance
Hometown:  Wynnewood, PA

Interests/Fun facts: I used to be a professional dancer in NYC before going to medical school. I'm married to the most wonderfully supportive man who also is a great cook!

Victoria (VIA) Winkeler, MD (Class of 2015)
Education:  Albany Medical College/Barnard College, Neuroscience
Hometown:  Albany, NY

Interests/Fun facts:  Food and cooking, traveling, movies, reading, exploring Pittsburgh with friends

Nasuh (NAS) Malas, MD, MPH  (Class of 2014)
Education:  University of Wisconsin- Madison (Major: Medical Microbiology and Immunology; Masters of Public Health); Waisman Center (University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disability: Certificate in Maternal Child Health. Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disability); University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (MD) Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions:  Pediatric Residency Recruitment Committee, Family Forum Resident Representative, Residency Council, WPIC Housestaff Leadership – Combined Programs Representative, AACE Track MI Curriculum for Pediatric Residents

Interests/Fun facts:  AVID Green Bay Packer fan; First concert I every went to was Destiny's Child; Stuck in Sweden during the Icelandic Ash cloud; Sang and provided stand up comedy at two large conferences in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; Was in New Orleans providing medical relief and gutting homes several months after Hurricane Katrina; Founder of the Famous (or Infamous) Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Mustache Movember Charity and Competition; Married with a little girl on the way

Briana Sacco, MD  (Class of 2014)
Education:  MD, Global Health Track, University of Texas Medical Branch, 2009
BA in Psychology with Honors, minor in Art, Austin College, 2005
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions:  CATCH grant for needs assessment for crisis nursery in Pittsburgh (ongoing work to establish crisis nursery - Jeremiah's Place), working with Nasuh Malas to establish MI curriculum for pediatric residents, 2011 AAP Resident Scholarship Award recipient, CORE resident, Pediatric Residency Council member since 2010, Triple Board Social Chair 2012

Interests/Fun facts: interest in global health with past travel to Nicaragua and Haiti, enjoys yoga and the arts

Jacquelyn (Jacquie) Collura, MD  (Class of 2013)
Current job/title: Current Triple Board Program Chief Resident
Education:  The George Washington University, Washington DC: Medicine, Biology, Music Hometown: Allentown, PA
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: Albert Schweitzer Fellowship (2012-13), Quality improvement project implementing paternal depression screening in a community pediatric clinic. Interests in psychosomatic medicine, parental depression/impact on childhood development. Flutist in East Winds Symphonic Band.

Interests/Fun facts: I am happily married with three cats and an aquarium-full of fish. I love everything ocean-related, particularly dolphins and one of my favorite summer jobs was assisting with rescue of stranded marine life. I also continue to love playing and listening to music, and travel whenever I can!

Amy Meadows, MD, MHS  (Class of 2013)
Current job/title: PGY V resident
Education:  Yale University School of Medicine (MD/MHS), Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Brain & Cognitive Science Hometown: Lexington, KY
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: Working on scholarly project in telepsychiatry

Interests/Fun facts: I am a happy mother of one and I grow heirloom tomatoes and valiantly battle deer and groundhogs through the summer. I am also a Kentucky Colonel and member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

TRIPLE BOARD PROGRAM ALUMNI

Tracy Schegg-Protell, MD (Class of 2012)
Current job/title:  Outpatient child and adolescent psychiatrist and supervising pediatrician for pediatric clinic at Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe
Education:  Med school- University of Nevada Scho of Medicine, undergrad- University of California San Diego, major in Biology
Hometown: Truckee, CA
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: Triple Board Chief for 2011-2012

Interests/Fun facts: Happily married to Peter Protell and very happy new mother to Piper Protell.  Love to travel and I have spent a month living in Thailand and Costa Rica during med school.

Sarah Wolfe, MD, MPH (Class of 2012)
Current job/title:  Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's Behavioral Health Consultation & Liaison Service, Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders - Merck Child Inpatient Unit, Medical Coping/VIP Clinics
Education: University of Iowa; University of Iowa College of Medicine
Hometown: Clinton, IA

Interests/Fun facts:  I read (books, magazines, cereal boxes, whatever); I play guitar badly and never in front of anyone; I like to cook (I’ve been a vegan for 13 years); and I am a devoted student of the popular culture (in other words, I watch too much TV, I see too many movies, and I know way more about the “American Idol” contestants than someone with a medical degree should).

Kristin Dalope, MD, Med (Class of 2011)
Current job/title:Clinical Assistant Professor Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's Behavioral Health Consultation & Liaison ServiceCenter for Autism and Developmental Disorders - Merck Child Outpatient Clinic
Education:  Cornell University, Boston College Graduate School of Education, Albany Medical College
Hometown:  Upstate NY
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: technology and media, teaching, autism +/- developmental disabilities, psychosomatic medicine

Interests/Fun facts:  Love(d) being a Triple Boarder here in Pittsburgh!  Loved it so much that I was a TB chief resident x2 years.  Started the program single, not knowing anyone, and renting.  Ended the program married, with a baby, and owning a house.  Contact me at any time with questions.

Marilyn Griffin, MD (Class of 2011)
Current job/title:  On faculty as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford and have appointments in the departments of Psychiatry and Family Medicine. Consultant for the Illinois DocAssist Program
Education:  Northwestern University, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: New Pittsburgh Courier’s Fab 40 Honoree, Dr. Assir Daniel DaSilva Award, American Academy of Pediatrics, Friends of Children Scholarship, AACAP 2009 Special Program Scholarship Recipient, Emancipation Scholarship, Illinois National Baptist State Convention, Inc., AACAP Education Opportunity Program Award Recipient

Interests/Fun facts: I enjoy ADHD, Mood and Anxiety disorders.  I have a fair amount of patients on the Autistic spectrum and I work pretty closely with The Autism Program (TAP) which has a local office at the medical school.  And I still have a love for collaborative care and medical home models.  

David Benhayon, MD PhD (Class of 2010)
Current job/title: T32-Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychiatry, Attending physician CHP/WPIC
Education:  Medical degree: University of Tennessee-Memphis, Graduate Work: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Undergraduate degree: Rice University
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: I study sleep and how it relates to inflammation in kids.  Received a fellowship from the American Psychiatric Institute for Research and Education (APIRE).

Interests/Fun facts: Home repair, Salt and Freshwater Aquarium-Keeping

Emily Harris, MD, MPH (Class of 2010)
Current job/title:  Pediatrician, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for Childrens Community Pediatrics, Clinical Instructor of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, UPitt SOM
Education:  Jefferson Medical College – MD, Bloomberg Sch Public Health, Johns Hopkins - MPH, Maternal Child Health certificate, Johns Hopkins University - BA Chemistry
Hometown: Kettering, OH (near Dayton)
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: Fellow of American Academy of Pediatrics

Interests/Fun facts: I still think of myself as a pediatrician who can handle the psychiatric issues. I love the random things to do in Pittsburgh - Arts Festival at the Point, then Afghan restaurant for dinner, followed by a Pirates game and post-game BoyzIIMen concert all in one day!

Alexis Fertig, MD (Class of 2009)
Current job/title:  Assistant Professor of Psychiatry – 50% at COPE (eating disorders) and 50% Friendship Academy (Approved Private School – partial hospital for kids who can’t manage in public school)
Education:  Tulane University School of Medicine and Public Health; Wellesley College – sociology major, chemistry minor
Hometown: Scotch Plains, NJ
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: interested in education at WPIC for residents and innovation in didactics.   Interested in Trauma.  

Interests/Fun facts: I gave a lecture on Anger Management to the rookies on the Steelers a few years ago. 

Jill McCulloch, MD  (Class of 2009)
Current job/title: Assistant Professor of Psychiatry: Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders - Merck Child Outpatient Clinic, CCP Pediatrics Clinic

Meredith Chapman, MD (Class of 2008)
Current job/title: Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Timberlawn Mental Helath System, Assistant Professor Texas A&M Health Science Center College of  Medicine, Dallas, TX
Education:  Undergraduate degree: Georgetown College, Georgetown KY (Sociology and Chemistry); Medical School: University of Louisville, Louisville KY
Hometown: Ashland, KY
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions:

Publications:    

• Chapman, MR, Vause HE. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis: diagnosis, psychiatric presentation, and treatment.  Am J Psychiatry. 2011 168:3.   
• Vause, HE, Chapman, MR. Irritability in the pediatric population: A common symptom related to multiple mental health diagnoses. The Nurse Practitioner. Accepted Jan. 2012

Leadership positions:  

• Senior Councilor, Colorado Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Society  2011-2012  
• Junior Councilor, Colorado Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Society  2010-2011   Advisory board member, Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc Rocky Mountain Region  2008-2011 
• Associate Residency Program Director General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training Programs- University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center 2009-2011

Interests/Fun facts:   Interests: Tourette's syndrome, medical student education, collaboration with schools and educators; Fun facts: I enjoy traveling and listening to live music. What I miss most about Pittsburgh: a fried bologna sandwich with an egg at Primanti's, the cheese counter at Pen Mac in the strip and of course all of my friends, colleagues, and mentors.

Katherine Fan, MD  (Class of 2008)
Current job/title: Pediatric and Adult Psychiatrist, Private Practice
Education:  Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine; Undergraduate degree:  University of California, Berkeley: Bioengineering Major, Chemical Engineering Minor
Hometown: Cupertino, CA 

Roberto Ortiz-Aguayo, MD, FAAP (Class of 2007)
Current job/title: Medical Director - Pediatric Behavioral Health Consult and Liaison Services
Associate Director - Residency Training - Triple Board Program: Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics - University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Education:  University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, 2002 - research track University of Puerto Rico - Biology focus in molecular biology
Hometown: Dorado, PR
Special Projects/Activities/Awards/Leadership Positions: Behavioral Health Services at CHP main campus with focus in psychosomatic medicine. Awards: WPIC Clinical excellence Award 2012 Physician of the Year. Member: AACAP Physically Ill Child Committee and Training and Education Committee. Current President - National Association for Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training Programs

Interests/Fun facts: Psychosomatic Medicine, systems of care, health administration. Have not swum with dolphins and manatees in the wild (not at the same time) and once assisted a giant sea turtle lay her eggs. I have religiously read comic books, weekly, since age 6. Most of the guiding principles in my life come from a combination of the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy and U2 song lyrics.

Extracurricular Activities and Things to Do in Pittsburgh

Triple Board Social Activities

• - Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium Trips
• - Monthly Happy Hours
• - The Big Lebowski Movie Night
• - Holiday Festivus
• - Summertime BBQs

Activities in and around Pittsburgh that we enjoy:

• - Frick House followed by afternoon tea at the Frick Cafe
• - Phipps Conservatory
• - Museums including the Carnegie Museums and the Andy Warhol
• - Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water & Kentuck Knob
• - Amusement Parks - Kennywood, Idlewild & Sandcastle
• - Sporting Events - the Penguins, Pirates and - of course - the Steelers!

Visit Cool Pittsburgh to learn more about what this terrific city has to offer in terms of its great neighborhoods, dining out, night life and tons of other stuff to do!

WE LOVE TRIPLE BOARD TRAINING IN PITTSBURGH AND ARE SURE YOU WILL TOO!

Links to Other Sites of Interest:

National Triple Board Residency Training Program Website

Pediatric Residency Program at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Allegheny County Re:Solve Crisis Network

American Academy of Pediatrics Resident Website

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry