Frequently asked questions

About the program

1. How many fellows do you accept?   We typically accept four fellows per year for a total of eight fellows altogether in our 2-year program.
2. What would my benefits be?  Our fellows are employees of the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University.  Benefits are outlined here (please see the sidebar for specifics on stipends, insurance, etc.). 
3. Do your fellows take call?  Yes, fellows take at-home call an average of once every ninth night (general psychiatry residents at Northwestern also take a limited number of calls in the program).  For more information about call, please see the Emergency Psychiatry Service description.

Program eligibility

1. Do you accept applicants with visas?  Northwestern University will sponsor a J1 or H1B visa.
2. Do you accept applicants outside the National Resident Match Program?   All matches are through the NRMP, with the exception of an occasional pre-match with an applicant completing general psychiatry training at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. No more than one pre-match is accepted per year.
3. I spent some time in private practice before deciding to pursue child and adolescent psychiatry training. Would you still be interested in me?  We are always interested in applicants with real-world experience in a variety of areas!
4. I am "off-cycle" and will not not be able to start a fellowship on July 1.  Should I still apply?  We may be able to accept applicants who are slightly off-cycle. Please call us to discuss the specifics of your individual situation.
5. Do I need to have passed all of my USMLE/COMLEX exams?  Yes, although we are happy to interview applicants who have not yet received their Step 3 results if they anticipate getting the results by early to mid-December (before the match closes). 

Application materials and mailings

1. May I apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service?   Child and adolescent psychiatry fellowships with our July start cycle are not currently supported by ERAS.
2. Does the application form have to be typed?   No, but we request legible handwriting!  
3. Will your program accept the universal application form?   We will accept either the Common Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Application form or the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University application form.  
4. Do my letters of recommendation have to be mailed directly by faculty members, or can they be included with the packet I send you?  Letters of recommendation, etc. can be sent to us directly from the faculty member or included in the materials you send us.  
5. Can my materials be faxed?  We prefer to receive materials by mail, but we will accept a fax under some urgent circumstances – please contact the program coordinator at 773.880.4833 if you need to fax materials to expedite your application.  
6. I want to send my materials by express mail, and I can’t send them to a P.O. box. Do you have another address?  We don’t need to receive materials by express mail unless you’re in a big hurry, but if you prefer to express them, you can still use our regular address. The “Box 10” is a physical location in our mail room, not a P.O. box.  

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