The Dr. June Jackson Christmas Medical Student Program

Description

Director: Patrice K. Malone, MD PhD

Hosted by The Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University

The Phenomenal Career of Dr. June Jackson Christmas

The program has been named to honor the pioneering work of Dr. June Jackson Christmas, an African American Psychiatrist, who dedicated her life to the field of mental health. Dr. Christmas founded the Harlem Rehabilitation Center, an innovative community-based psychiatric program, which trained local Harlem residents to assist psychiatric in-patients’ with reentry into society. She worked as the Commissioner of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services of New York City and later as a member of Governor Mario Cuomo’s Advisory Committee on Black Affairs. Dr. Christmas taught at Columbia University and was active in her community until her passing at 99 years old in 2023. 

Opportunities

The Dr. June Jackson Christmas Medical Student Program (JJC) offers medical students who belong to historically underrepresented groups the opportunity to explore a career in psychiatry. These opportunities are: a semester-long undergraduate education enrichment program, a 5-week clinical experience during the summer after the first year of medical school, an 8-week research experience during the summer after the first year of medical school, and a 4-week fourth year elective.

Undergraduate Enrichment Program:

The college clinical program is a four-month experience for undergraduate students, specifically sophomores, juniors, and seniors who attend a university in the city of New York. Students will rotate through two different psychiatric clinical services, a community outpatient psychiatric clinic and the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), to learn more about psychiatric illness and explore a career within psychiatry. 

First Year Summer Clinic Fellowship:

The first year summer clinical fellowship is a five-week experience for medical students in the summer after completing their first year of medical school. Students rotate through 5 psychiatric clinical services to develop a better understanding of what a career in psychiatry involves. The fellowship opportunity provides a $3,500 stipend for the 5 weeks of clinic exposure.

First Year Summer Research Fellowship:

The first year summer research fellowship is an eight-week experience where students are paired with a mentor whom they conduct research with related to the behavioral health science. The program provides a $5,600 stipend for the 8 weeks of research study.

Fourth Year Elective:

The fourth-year elective is a four-week sub-internship for medical students in their final year of medical school. Students will rotate on one of our inpatient units, with additional exposure to our community psychiatry clinics and/or psychiatric emergency room. Participants will receive a $2,500 stipend during their one-month rotation to offset housing, travel, and living expenses.