Psychiatry Residency Neuroscience Research Tracks

Olusola Ajilore, MD, PhD
Associate Professor and Director of the Psychiatry Residency Neuroscience Research Tracks

Within psychiatry there exists a need to train physicians capable of treating patients, understanding the manifestations of disease, and performing substantive clinical or basic science research. In order to facilitate the development of psychiatrists who excel as clinicians and scientists, the Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry have created specialized Psychiatry Residency Neuroscience Research Tracks. Through formal instruction, mentorship, and the completion of a research project, participants are afforded an opportunity to make meaningful scientific contributions while preparing themselves to succeed as academic psychiatrists. Candidates who wish to participate in the Psychiatry Residency Neuroscience Research Tracks can apply directly through the match or at any time during their first two years of residency.

The research tracks integrate post-doctoral fellowship research training with a psychiatry residency, thereby preparing research track scholars for careers in academic medicine. The Adult Track provides two years of protected research time over a five-year Adult Psychiatry Residency, while the six-year Adult-Child Research Track provides over two years of protected research time during the completion of an Adult Psychiatry Residency and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship. Research track scholars are also provided with funds for lab supplies and travel expenses to conferences. Upon acceptance, research track scholars are provided with adequate time during their first two years of residency to meet with potential mentors, design a project, and attend relevant meetings and seminars. Assistance in applying for NIH Loan Repayment and opportunities to attend lectures, journal clubs, and graduate level courses within the university are also available. Special arrangements can be made to enable residents to work towards an M.S. in neuroscience or Masters in Public Health (MPH) during the training period.

As the director of the research tracks I take it as my responsibility to facilitate the success of research track scholars. This is accomplished through individual and group meetings to discuss potential mentors, projects that could be successfully translated to grant applications, information regarding travel awards, career mentorship, and ongoing progress and satisfaction with the tracks.

Further information may be obtained by contacting:

Olusola Ajilore, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Director, Psychiatry Residency Research Tracks
Department of Psychiatry
University of Illinois Chicago
Phone: (312)413-4562
Email:oajiloreuic [dot] edu

Administrative Assistant: Virginia Quiroz
Phone: (312) 996-4981
Email: vqui2uic [dot] edu