Thank you for your interest in our Program. Each year, we offer 8 first-year positions for residents who have successfully completed at least three years of an ACGME-accredited residency in Psychiatry. Applicants for the first-year positions must have successfully completed their PGY-3 year prior to entry into the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Residency.
Applications are only accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). All positions are filled through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). We start interviewing in mid to late August and usually finish prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Application Procedure
All applicants for 1st year (PGY-4 or 5) CAP positions should submit the following materials through ERAS:
- Completed ERAS application form.
- Personal statement regarding your interest in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Please include special areas of interest you may have so that if selected to interview we can schedule you to meet faculty and residents with similar interests.
- Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
All applicants for 1st year (PGY-4 or 5) CAP positions should arrange to have the following materials submitted through ERAS via the authorized parties as detailed on the ERAS website:
- One Letter of Recommendation from your General Psychiatry Training Director which includes:
- A completed Program Director’s Verification Form Attesting to Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Fellowship Eligibility
- A statement that the applicant has satisfied the training objectives for reaching the level of training indicated in the application; any deficiencies must be stated
- A statement regarding the residents performance (fund of knowledge, clinical judgment)
- A statement regarding professional integrity (empathy towards patients, professional interactions, motivation to learn)
(Note: Our Program Director or a member of our Admissions Committee may speak directly with the applicant’s Program Director. If any questions are raised, further verbal or written evaluation is requested.)
- Two to three Letters of Recommendation (LoRs) from Faculty in your program.
- A Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
- An official Medical School Transcript
- USMLE and/or COMLEX Transcripts. (Completion of USMLE Step 3 or COMLEX Level 3 is required prior to starting the CAP Residency program)
During our pre-interview application review, we assess fellowship applications holistically, with attention to areas that align with our program mission and the qualities we believe support success in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship. Applicants may demonstrate these strengths through their personal statement, CV, academic record, clinical experiences, and letters of recommendation.
Interest in UW Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
As part of our application review, we consider applicants’ interest in training at UW and the ways their goals align with our program’s mission and areas of strength. We also consider career interests that align with the clinical, educational, research, advocacy, or leadership opportunities available through our program. Applicants are free to comment upon connection to or interest in serving Washington state, the WWAMI region, or the broader Pacific Northwest though a prior regional connection is not required.
Pathway to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
As part of our screening process, we review the personal statement and CV for evidence of an applicant’s interest in working with children, adolescents, and families, reflections on personal and professional growth and connection between fellowship training and future goals. Relevant experiences may include CAP rotations, psychotherapy training, research, advocacy, education, leadership, community service, or other personal, clinical, and professional experiences related to the field. Applicants do not need to have followed a single path to CAP; we are interested in how their experiences have shaped their commitment and readiness for fellowship.
Academic and Clinical Capacity
Applications are reviewed for evidence of readiness for fellowship, including academic preparation, clinical performance, and professional development. This may be reflected in medical school and residency performance, relevant clinical experiences, honors or awards, board performance, scholarship, teaching, leadership, advocacy, and evidence of growth over time.
Letters of Recommendation
We value letters that provide specific, personalized examples of an applicant’s clinical skills, professionalism, communication, collaboration, growth, and potential as a CAP fellow. Letters of recommendation help us understand how an applicant works with patients, families, teams, and supervisors, and how they may contribute to our fellowship.
Selection for Interviews
- July-August: We will review applications to select applicants for interview. We strive to review applications holistically across the domains we outline in the Application Assessment section.
- August: We will send out invitations to interviews. We typically invite approximately 55 applicants to interview. All applicants that are not initially selected for interview are placed on the waitlist. Email: psychres@uw.edu
What to Expect for Interviews
- Interviews are held Fridays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. PST
- All interviews will be virtual. You will meet with the program director, four faculty interviewers and meet with our current fellows over lunch.
- Standardized Interview: Each interview will include two standardized questions, along with time for applicants to ask questions and share more about themselves. We use standardized interviews as a recommended best practice and as part of our commitment to a fair and equitable admissions process. Asking each applicant the same core questions helps ensure that all applicants have the opportunity to provide comparable information during the interview process.
- With the introduction of this new process, we are sharing examples of questions we may ask during interviews. These questions are not intended for applicants to memorize or over-prepare responses, but rather to provide guidance as they reflect on the new process.
- Describe a patient encounter in which the patient’s expressed beliefs, values, or communication needs influenced shared decision making or care planning.
- Walk me through a complex case you managed and describe your decision-making process.
- What resources or mentorship would you need here to pursue your research or scholarship interests?
- What motivates your areas of clinical or research interest?
- How has service work shaped your understanding of patient needs?
- Describe a time you faced a significant problem or adversity and how you responded.
- Describe an ethical dilemma you navigated in clinical care and how you resolved it.
- Describe feedback that was hard to hear but helped you–what changed afterward?
- What experiences led you to this specialty, and how does our program align with your career trajectory?
- What aspects of our curriculum, patient population, and clinical sites are most important to you and why?
- With the introduction of this new process, we are sharing examples of questions we may ask during interviews. These questions are not intended for applicants to memorize or over-prepare responses, but rather to provide guidance as they reflect on the new process.
Interview Dates
- August 2026 – 8/21, 8/28
- September 2026 – 9/4, 9/11, 9/18, 9/25
- October 2026 – 10/9, 10/16, 10/23
- November 2026 – 11/13, 11/20
Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Nondiscrimination in Employment
The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.
To request disability accommodation in the job application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.
The University of Washington also prohibits discrimination in all programs and activities, including education, employment, and patient care, based on an individual’s actual or perceived protected characteristics. Protected characteristics include but are not limited to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Upon learning of conduct that may constitute discrimination, the University will take prompt and effective action to address it, remedy its effects, and prevent recurrence.
Inquiries about Title VI, VII, IX, ADA and Section 504 may be referred to the University’s Civil Rights Compliance Office, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both.
To report information or make a complaint about conduct that may constitute discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct, make a Civil Rights &Title IX Report, or email or call the Civil Rights Compliance Office.
Civil Rights Compliance Office
Valery Richardson, AVP for Civil Rights Compliance & Title IX Coordinator
4320 Brooklynn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
206-221-7932 | Email
The University of Washington Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program is an ACGME-accredited, two-year training program that prepares physicians for the specialized practice of child and adolescent psychiatry. Each year, the program offers eight first-year fellowship positions to residents who have successfully completed at least three years of an ACGME-accredited psychiatry residency.
A child and adolescent psychiatry fellow provides supervised mental health care to youth and families, develops diagnostic and therapeutic expertise, collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, participates in education and research, and progressively gains independence while delivering safe, compassionate, culturally responsive treatment.
This Essential Functions document outlines the abilities, responsibilities, and professional expectations necessary for successful participation in the fellowship program. These functions are intended to reflect the core requirements of training and clinical practice in child and adolescent psychiatry and to guide applicants, fellows, faculty, and program leadership in understanding the standards associated with fellowship participation.