Clinical and Research Fellowship in Interventional Neuropsychiatry

The Interventional Psychiatry Program offers a Clinical and Research Fellowship in Interventional Neuropsychiatry through the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, based at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto.

This fellowship provides advanced training in interventional psychiatry, combining supervised clinical experience with structured research opportunities under the supervision of Dr. Venkat Bhat.

Clinical & Postdoctoral Fellowship Overview & Training

The Clinical IPP Fellowship is designed for psychiatrists seeking specialised training in the assessment and treatment of complex and treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions, alongside academic development in clinical and translational research. Fellows work within a multidisciplinary clinical and research environment that integrates psychiatry with neuroscience and related disciplines.

Fellows receive supervised exposure to evidence-based and emerging interventional treatments, including: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Intravenous Ketamine Therapy, Psychedelic-assisted therapies (research settings), Advanced neurostimulation approaches, Digital and technology-supported therapies (e.g., virtual reality, wearables)

Clinical experience includes patients with: Treatment-resistant mood and anxiety disorders, Trauma-related disorders (including PTSD), Neuropsychiatric conditions (e.g., traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke), Psychiatric symptoms associated with medical illness, Sleep-related disorders and other specialised populations.

The fellowship includes opportunities to participate in research focused on: Clinical trials in interventional psychiatry, Mechanisms of treatment response, Neurostimulation and psychopharmacology, digital, and artificial intellience for mental health.

Please review AI-M’s funding, collaborations, and knowledge translation to assess alignment with their academic and training goals at AI-M and IPP before submitting applications. Research involvement may be tailored to individual interests and career goals, with support for scholarly output and academic development.

Interdisciplinary Training Environment

The fellowship is embedded in an interdisciplinary program that brings together expertise from psychiatry, anaesthesia, neurology, neurosurgery, imaging, engineering, computer science, analytics, artificial intelligence, and the social sciences.

Fellows may engage with the program’s digital and computational psychiatry initiatives, including work associated with the Digital Interventions & Intelligence Group (DiiG).

Clinical Fellowship Program Structure, Eligibility & Applications

Applicants must have completed a psychiatry residency and meet the requirements of the University of Toronto Psychiatry Fellowship Program. International applicants are welcome and supported through established University of Toronto pathways.

Duration: Minimum of 1 year (longer durations negotiable).

Start date: July 1 annually (alternative start dates may be negotiated).

Training focus: Clinical, research, or combined pathways, customised to fellows’ interests.

Full details, eligibility criteria, and application instructions are available through the University of Toronto:

Clinical and Research Fellowship in Interventional Neuropsychiatry
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Interventional Psychiatry Program, St. Michael’s Hospital

Contact
For additional information or informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Venkat Bhat (venkat.bhat@utoronto.ca) and cc aim@unityhealth.to.

Graduate Pathways through the Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto

Graduate Training (MSc & PhD)

The AI-M Program at St. Michael’s Hospital (Unity Health Toronto) provides graduate research training for MSc and PhD students through the Institute of Medical Science (IMS), University of Toronto. IMS is a flagship graduate program designed to support interdisciplinary training in biomedical and clinical research. Graduate trainees in the AI-M Program are embedded within a clinically integrated research environment that bridges psychiatry, neuroscience, neurotechnology, and artificial intelligence.

Training Focus

Graduate trainees receive mentorship in: AI-driven approaches to psychiatric research and computational modelling, Interventional psychiatry and advanced neurostimulation methods. Multimodal neuroimaging (MRI, EEG, fNIRS) and data analytics, Clinical trial design, implementation, and ethics, Biomarker discovery and predictive modeling, Translational, precision, and systems neuroscience, Signal processing.

Training emphasizes methodological rigor, reproducible science, and clinically grounded research questions, preparing trainees for careers across academia, clinical research, and industry.

Collaborative Specialisations and Enrichment Opportunities

In addition to their core degree training through IMS, eligible students may pursue collaborative specializations that enrich their graduate experience:

Collaborative Program in Neuroscience (CPIN)
IMS students may enroll in CPIN to obtain a formal collaborative specialization in neuroscience. CPIN provides interdisciplinary coursework, seminars, and networking opportunities spanning systems, cognitive, and translational neuroscience across the University of Toronto.

CRANIA NeuroModulation Institute (CNMI)
Students whose research aligns with neuromodulation and neurotechnology may engage with the CNMI through its collaborative training initiatives. CNMI offers interdisciplinary exposure to engineering, neuroscience, and clinical applications of neuromodulation, including seminars, workshops, and a collaborative specialization pathway.

Participation in these collaborative programs is optional and subject to eligibility and supervisory approval.

Research Environment

Graduate trainees work closely with clinician-scientists, engineers, data scientists, and neuroscientists, with exposure to: Health Canada–regulated clinical trials, Advanced neurostimulation and neurotechnology platforms, Large-scale clinical and neuroimaging datasets, Ethical, regulatory, and implementation considerations in AI-enabled mental health care.

Academic & Professional Development

Graduate students are supported in: Peer-reviewed publications, Conference presentations, Fellowship and grant applications, and/or Interdisciplinary collaboration and leadership development.

Training is tailored to individual career goals, including academic, clinician-scientist, and industry-aligned pathways.

Eligibility & Applications

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Institute of Medical Science (IMS), University of Toronto, including degree-specific coursework and program milestones. Prospective students are encouraged to review current research themes within the AI-M Program and to reach out for informal inquiries prior to submitting an application through IMS. Interested applicants should email Dr. Venkat Bhat at venkat.bhat@utoronto.ca and cc aim@unityhealth.to with the following materials: 1) curriculum vitae, 2) academic transcripts, 3) brief statement of research interests (500 words max). Applicants are expected to meet the IMS minimum academic requirement of an A– GPA.

Biostatistics Practicum

The University of Toronto MSc Biostatistics program at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) includes a substantial practicum component, typically delivered as a required year-long course with weekly practical sessions hosted at a supervisor’s workplace. This hands-on training emphasizes real-world statistical study design and applied data analysis in health research settings, with student performance evaluated through presentations and written reports. Through our lab’s collaboration with Dr. Wendy Lou (Professor and Division Head of Biostatistics, DLSPH), biostatistics trainees also have opportunities to work with real clinical and survey datasets, strengthening their practical data analysis experience in a clinically grounded environment.

Full/Part-Time Research Team Roles (Graduate and Undergraduate Through Unity Health Toronto)

Research Assistant I – Interventional Psychiatry

The Interventional Psychiatry Program (IPP) at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, led by Dr. Venkat Bhat, offers a Research Assistant I position within an interdisciplinary program focused on psychiatric clinical trials, neurostimulation, and digital mental health.

This entry-level role provides integrated administrative and research support across clinical studies. Responsibilities include:

• Study coordination, scheduling, and regulatory documentation (e.g., REB/CTO)
• Participant recruitment, screening, consent, and follow-up
• Data collection, entry, and quality assurance
• Literature searches and support for reports and manuscripts
• Coordination with clinical teams and external partners

Research activities span clinical, community, and laboratory settings.

Training Environment

Research Assistants gain exposure to:

• Psychiatric clinical trials and emerging interventions
• Digital mental health and AI-enabled research
• Multidisciplinary collaboration across clinical and technical domains

This role serves as a foundation for progression to Research Assistant II and Research Coordinator positions.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks
• Minimum of A- (3.7) GPA

Additional Information

All staff are expected to maintain strict standards of patient confidentiality, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Full details are available in the job description. Occasional postings as needed are through Unity Health Toronto and can be found shared on our LinkedIn. Exceptional applications will be reviewed year-round on an annual basis for interview consideration.

Contact
For additional information or informal inquiries, please contact Dr. Venkat Bhat (venkat.bhat@utoronto.ca) and cc aim@unityhealth.to

Undergraduate and Volunteer Opportunities

The AI-M Program at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, offers structured undergraduate research opportunities for students interested in psychiatry, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and clinical research. These opportunities provide meaningful involvement in ongoing studies, skill development in research methods and data analysis, and pathways to academic credit or funded research experiences.

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

The NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) is a national program that provides competitive, paid summer research funding to support undergraduate students pursuing research experience in the natural sciences and engineering — including fields aligned with AI and computational aspects of mental health research. Under a USRA, students work full-time (typically 16 consecutive weeks over the summer) on a research project under the supervision of a faculty member. USRAs are intended to encourage students toward research careers or graduate studies by enabling them to gain substantive hands-on experience. 

Key features include: Financial support to undertake a period of research over the summer, Supervision by a faculty member with an approved research project, and Experience in methodological research, data analysis, and scientific communication.

Students applying for USRAs through the AI-M Program typically do so in collaboration with their research supervisor (Dr. Venkat Bhat) and may be supported in navigating the internal application process through the University of Toronto. 

Eligibility criteria for the NSERC USRA generally include being registered in a bachelor’s degree program, having completed at least one year (or two academic terms) of study, and being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Students must work full-time on the research project during the award period.

Keenan Research Summer Student (KRSS) Program 

The Keenan Research Summer Student (KRSS) Program at Unity Health Toronto offers summer research opportunities for undergraduate (and medical) students to engage in laboratory or clinical research under the supervision of a Principal Investigator. KRSS participants may conduct full-time research (typically 37.5 hours per week) and are often involved in supplementary educational components such as seminars, networking events, and poster competitions. 

Placement in KRSS may be paid or volunteer-based, depending on the availability of funding and the discretion of the supervising investigator. Applicants must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree at the time of application and work directly with a PI whose research aligns with their interests.

Research Courses for Academic Credit

Undergraduate students may integrate their research experience with for-credit research courses such as HMB496Y1: Research Project in Human Biology at the University of Toronto, or equivalent for-credit research courses in other academic institutions. These courses allow eligible students to undertake supervised independent research during the academic term, working on projects that may align with ongoing AI-M Program studies and earning academic credit upon completion.

How to Apply

We welcome applications from undergraduate students in health sciences, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, engineering, biostatistics, or related disciplines. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, subject to program capacity and funding availability. Short-listed applicants may be invited for an informal discussion prior to placement. Please email Dr. Venkat Bhat at venkat.bhat@utoronto.ca and cc aim@unityhealth.to the following materials:

1) Curriculum vitae (CV)

2) Unofficial academic transcripts

3) Brief statement of interest, outlining research interests, relevant experience (if any), availability, and the type of opportunity being sought (e.g., student volunteering, NSERC USRA, KRSS, or for-credit research course).