Overview
The Denver Health Physician Assistant Post-graduate Fellowship in Behavioral Health will provide an intense, well-rounded, 12 months of clinical and didactic training to facilitate a successful career as a behavioral health physician assistant. Fellows will engage in core training in behavioral health to achieve the fellowship’s mission to develop physician assistants with expertise in the clinic care of patients with psychiatric and substance use disorders. Upon completion of this program, PA fellows will have the knowledge and skills necessary to make them successful practitioners of behavioral health in a variety of clinical settings, and will be prepared to apply for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Psychiatry Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ).Curriculum Experience & Objectives
Inter-professional faculty designed an evidence-based curriculum for physician assistants who successfully complete an accredited physician assistant program. Behavioral health PA fellows will rotate through four core training areas, for three months in each rotation. At the conclusion of each rotation, PA fellows should be able to:
Rotation |
Learning Objectives |
|
Inpatient Psychiatry (Child/Adolescent, Adult Inpatient, Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison, Addiction Consults) |
|
| Psychiatric emergency services |
|
| Corrections |
|
| Outpatient behavioral health |
|
In addition to rotational experience, PA fellows will engage in a Didactic Curriculum including weekly lectures on psychiatric topics, journal club, faculty meetings, and grand rounds. Fellows will also have one half-day per week dedicated to developing an academic project related to advocacy, community engagement, quality improvement, or scholarly work.
Admission Requirements
Important Dates
- The program has the following start dates: Sept. 1, Dec. 1, March 1, and June 1. Application deadlines are four months prior to the start date.
- A DEA license must be obtained within the first 90 days of starting in the program.
Requirements & Eligibility
Criteria for admission include demonstration of empathy, compassion, and excellence in medicine. The fellowship values a diverse workforce. A competitive application process selects physician assistants based on the following:
- Graduation from a PA program approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
- Colorado PA licensure or eligibility
- Official transcripts from the PA program
- Current Curriculum Vitae
- Three professional letters of recommendation
- Personal interview
Additional Information
- Maximum class size of 4 fellows per year
- Stipend $60,000 for the one-year program
- To start the application process, please apply here.
Contact the Program
For general questions, please email BHPAFellowship@dhha.org.
Kenneth Novoa, MD
Medical Director
Kenneth.Novoa@dhha.org
Michelle Gaffaney, PA-C
Program Director
Michelle.Gaffaney@dhha.org
Shelby Bryant
Fellowship Administrative Support
Shelby.Bryant@dhha.org