General Overview

Evaluations of a fellow are completed by faculty after each rotation and by supervisors yearly. The training director gathers this information and provides feedback to each fellow twice a year. In addition, trainees take the Adult and Child PRITE and complete clinical skills exams.

Fellows are entitled to a maximum of three weeks of paid vacation annually or a proportionate fraction thereof if the appointment period is for less than one year.

Fellows may request up to one week per year to attend conferences. The fellowship will cover up to $1,000 of expenses to attend the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Annual Meeting.

When a duly appointed fellow is off duty because of illness, they must notify the full-time attending. If the time exceeds three consecutive days, the Training Director must be notified. The Director must approve sick leave extending beyond one week and medical verification is required. Pay will be continued for a cumulative total of one month for a 12-month appointment or a fraction thereof if the fellow does not return to service.  Sick leave for appointments of less than a full year will be proportionally prorated. Sick leave pay in excess of one month during the appointment year will only be granted in exceptional instances, such as work-connected disability, and only upon agreement by the Chief of Service and the Training Director, in consultation with the Hospital Administration. Coverage of duties should be arranged as per orientation documentation.

If a duly appointed fellow has need to be off duty for health-related reasons, including pregnancy and childbirth, beyond the allotted vacation and sick leave, a disability leave of absence must be requested from the Training Director. Acceptable medical verification indicating the need for disability leave and the projected date of return from the leave is required at the time the request for leave is made. The Director, in consultation with the Department Chairman, shall have the authority and discretion to approve or deny a request for a disability leave of absence and to impose whatever conditions or restrictions on the leave that they deem appropriate under the circumstances. If the leave extends beyond cumulative vacation and sick leave, time must be made up. Before a fellow on disability leave may return to duty, a physician’s statement releasing the fellow to return to work will be required. The maximum disability leave, which a fellow may be granted, including extensions, is six months.

A fellow’s disability leave shall be with pay to the extent of the fellow’s accrued sick leave and vacation time. Once accrued sick leave and vacation time have been exhausted, the remainder of the disability leave shall be without pay. All decisions of the Training Director and the Department Chairman, with respect to any issues related to the disability, shall be made in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner.

If a duly appointed fellow needs time off in excess of their accrued vacation time for personal (non-health) reasons which may include child-rearing responsibilities or family problems, a personal leave of absence must be requested from the Training Director. The Director, in consultation with the Department Chairman, shall have the authority and discretion to approve or deny a request for a personal leave of absence based upon the individual circumstances of the fellow requesting the leave and the needs of the training program and to improve whatever conditions or restrictions. For example, it will be necessary to extend a fellow’s training to make up for time lost while on personal leave. Any approval of personal leave shall be documented in writing which sets forth the period of the leave, the conditions with respect to the fellow returning to full-time duty, and any other relevant factors. The maximum personal leave, which a fellow may be granted, including extensions, is two months. A fellow’s personal leave shall be without pay. All decisions of the Training Director and the Department Chairman with respect to personal leave issues shall be made in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner.

The fellowship will allow three (3) days of paid time off in the event of the death of a fellow’s or fellow’s spouse/partner’s first-degree relative. Requests for an extended bereavement leave should be submitted to the Training Director.