Undergrad and Postgrad Opportunities

Yale Child Study Center (YCSC), which serves as the Department of Child Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, is a leading institution for the study of human development. In addition to undergraduate classes covering a range of related topics and summer internships for undergrads from a wide range of institutions, we also collaborate with University College London (UCL) to offer a Master’s of Research in Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology. A variety of year-round job opportunities for bachelor’s level postgrads are also available in many labs and programs across the center. Learn more about these postgrad opportunities below.

Each year, many bachelor’s level postgrads join the department in a full-time work/training program as postgraduate associates (PGAs). Each program lasts This positions last at least one year, and many have an option to extend for a second year. The training combines elements of experiential learning with supervision, self-directed learning, and shadowing. PGAs attend weekly lab meetings, department grand rounds sessions, seminars, and other didactic opportunities.

A variety of programming is coordinated through the department’s Postgrad Committee, consisting of a voluntary group of YCSC staff and faculty who help integrate postgrad-related resources and educational offerings (workshops, training, mentoring, etc.) across the center.

The postgrad committee organizes several events to help first- and second-year postgrads with career planning, graduate school applications, and related topics in professional development. Sessions may include a panel discussion with postdocs and faculty members, guidance from the Office of Career Strategy on the nuts and bolts of graduate and medical school applications, and a leadership skills workshop.

The postgrad advising program provides an opportunity for PGAs to be paired with a YCSC clinician or researcher outside of their lab. The purpose of this program is to match any interested postgrads with an advisor to provide them with guidance around any issues that come up during their fellowship and to help with professional development (e.g., guidance in applying to grad/med school, etc.). PGAs will have the opportunity to sign up for this program when they start. Contact Julie Wolf for more information.

The YCSC Postgraduate Travel Award offers up to$500 towards the travel expenses of PGAs attending national or international scientific conferences. The goal of this travel award is three-fold: encourage PGAs to present their research at scientific conferences; facilitate interaction with leaders in fields of interest at these conferences; and support career development.

Applications are available on the YCSC Intranet. For more information contact Ellen Hoffman.