This is an exciting time for geriatric psychiatry! Our understanding of mental illness in elders grows each day, fueling an expansion in our ability to assess and treat conditions commonly seen in this population. With increases in the population of older adults both in the United States and worldwide, the need for psychiatrists specifically trained in the subspecialty of geriatric psychiatry has never been clearer.

The University of Connecticut/Hartford Hospital Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program offers a 12-month training program in geriatric psychiatry. The program has been crafted with several goals in mind: 1) to train psychiatrists in the assessment and treatment of elders suffering from mental illness and substance abuse; 2) to provide expert care to the aged; 3) to function as consultants to other physicians or facilities; 4) to develop skills in interpreting research findings; 5) to gain knowledge in health policy and economics related to geriatric mental health; 6) to serve as educators in the field of geriatric psychiatry; and 7) to supervise junior colleagues.

UConn Health and Hartford Hospital, the primary clinical teaching sites, are leading providers of medical and psychiatric care in Connecticut. They have been recognized nationally for their excellence. Both institutions have a long-standing mission to provide public health care of the highest quality, along with a commitment to public service, to the community, and to education.

Our program offers a personalized learning experience, complemented by small group case conferences, lectures, journal clubs, and one-on-one supervision and mentorship. The majority of our clinical experiences have been designed to maximize a fellow’s learning by creating many opportunities for direct supervision by an attending physician. As fellows progress through the program, they will be given greater opportunities for autonomous decision-making that will position them well for independent geriatric psychiatry practice.

We take pride in our teaching faculty's widely respected expertise in geriatric psychiatry. Our core faculty have won teaching and mentoring awards. They have cultivated a reputation for being excellent clinical educators, and they are highly desired as mentors. Our faculty have published in well-known journals in geriatric psychiatry and are nationally recognized leaders in the field.

We hope this website provides you with a broad overview of our fellowship program. We would also like to encourage you to go to the link above to learn more about the greater Hartford area and what makes it such an exciting place to live and work. Lastly, we hope we have piqued your interest enough to encourage you to apply to our program. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Kristina Zdanys, M.D.
Program Director
Email: zdanys@uchc.edu