Clinician-Scientist Fellowship to Advance Sports and Performance Psychiatry
OVERVIEW
The Sports and Performance Psychiatry Fellowship at Stanford provides one year of advanced psychiatry fellowship training for graduates of psychiatry residency programs. It is a one-of-a-kind program and the first in the U.S. that offers specialized training in the mental health care of athletes and performance-based psychiatry.
Fellows work at Stanford Hospital and Clinics as well as within Stanford Athletics, providing care to student-athletes in both outpatient psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy and consultative roles. Advocacy and research are woven into the fellowship program to enhance the quality of care delivered to athletes.
The Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance is partnering with Stanford’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science to provide a second fellowship year. This second year offers fellows significant protected time dedicated to research activities, ideal for those with a strong interest in developing and contributing to high-impact longitudinal research.
RESEARCH AT STANFORD
At Stanford, there is a broad range of sports and psychiatry research from basic science to clinical interventions. Explore examples of our research.
Dr. Yetsa Adebodunde Tuakli-Wosornu, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the Sports Equity Lab, examined differences in abusive/supportive coach supervision experienced by collegiate athletes through a cross-sectional analysis of the 2021-2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) myPlaybook survey on 3317 athletes.
Dr. Craig Heller, Professor of Biology, and Dr. Laura Carstensen, Professor of Public Policy and Professor, by courtesy, of Health Policy, are collaborating on a Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Agility Project to quantitatively compare the physiological and psychological contributions to fatigue using virtual reality during physical exercise. They hypothesize that virtual reality environments will alter psychological aspects of fatigue, unlocking the ability to extend performance and work capacity in endurance exercise.
Dr. Alia Crum, Associate Professor of Psychology and, by courtesy, of Medicine, is leading a Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Agility Project to develop a “Mindset Yoga” intervention which is a blend of mindset education fortified by the self-awareness and regulation techniques fostered in yoga. Dr. Crum and her team will rigorously assess the combined approach against single approaches in hopes to develop effective methods to bolster health, well-being, and performance during critical high-stress periods.
PROGRAM
This two-year program will provide a comprehensive blend of clinical and research practice. In the first year, the focus will be primarily on clinical experience, with an 80% clinical and 20% research split. During the second year, the clinical-research ratio will be adjusted to provide significantly more protected research time. The specific breakdown will be tailored to each fellow’s individual needs and determined in collaboration with their mentor team. Our goal is to ensure that fellows remain proficient and fluent in both clinical and research domains throughout their training to maximize their impact.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
Eligible clinician scientists from within or outside Stanford are welcome to apply. International postdoctoral candidates are also welcome to apply.
Fellowships from the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance are contingent on applicants also being accepted into the Sports and Performance Psychiatry Fellowship at Stanford.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Candidates must apply with a mentor team consisting of a Stanford physician and scientific faculty member.
- Interested applicants should submit an application through the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Clinician-Scientist Fellowship program. Learn more about eligibility criteria, application requirements, and deadlines.
- Candidates must simultaneously apply to and be accepted into the Sports and Performance Psychiatry Fellowship program at Stanford. Learn more and apply
Get Engaged
We invite faculty, students, staff, alumni, friends, and external organizations to participate in the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Stanford.