Transitional Age Youth Concentration

The Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Concentration allows residents an opportunity to focus their training on working with adolescents and young adults. Residents will learn about the unique developmental tasks, social considerations, and neurobiological changes that are vital to understand caring for this population. Over the course of this 2-year concentration, residents will develop expertise in development, family systems, and age-specific psychopathology.

Concentration Components  

Clinical Training

TAY Concentration residents will rotate among a variety of sites that serve children, adolescents, young adults, and college students. These sites include the TAY clinic at UT Southwestern Bass Clinic, Children’s Health outpatient psychiatry clinic, Children’s Health suicide prevention program, Paul Quinn College health and wellness clinic, UT Arlington counseling center, and UT Southwestern’s Student Wellness and Counseling. Residents will develop clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis, and management of eating disorders, first episode psychosis, autism spectrum disorders, developmental disorders, and adolescent substance use disorders. 

Psychotherapy 

Residents in the concentration will have the opportunity to work with young adults who are managing issues of transition to adulthood. Residents may also participate in the LAUNCH group at Children’s health (6-week skills-based group to help high school students transition to adulthood).

Didactics 

Residents in the concentration will participate in bimonthly meetings didactics, with topics such as the transitional age brain, addressing suicide on college campuses, college mental health developmental/learning disorders, and mental health issues for college students who are minorities.

Scholarly Project  

Residents will complete a scholarly project before the end of training that includes the topic of transitional age youth or college mental health.  

Mentorship

Residents will receive mentorship to provide support in developing and working toward career goals.  

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q. When do residents join the concentration? 

A. Residents will apply to the concentration at the end of their PGY2 year, and concentration activities will continue through the PGY3-4 years.

Q. Can residents join the concentration and still fast track in child and psychiatry (CAP) fellowship? 

Yes, residents who wish to pursue a CAP fellowship will need to declare their interest early, so we can ensure completion of program and concentration requirements.  

A. Do I have to complete child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship to complete the concentration?  

No, the TAY concentration is constructed such that residents will be prepared to work well with young adults and adolescents even if they do not pursue a fellowship. Residents will gain exposure to working with children and families during their time on the concentration. As such, they may be interested in pursing CAP fellowship, which would be fully supported.  

Q. How can I get more information?  

Please contact the concentration director, Jessica Moore, M.D. (Jessica.Moore@utsouthwestern.edu).