Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows

Ben Swanson, D.O.
Hometown: Pittsburgh
Undergraduate: Michigan State University
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine - Seton Hill
Residency: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Academic Interests: Consult/liaison, education, inpatient psychiatry, first episode psychosis, catatonia, play therapy
Hobbies: Reading, cello, movies, cooking, family time
Favorite Quote: “It’s still magic even if you know how it's done.” -Terry Pratchett
Comfort Foods: Pizza, popcorn, keema matar
Why Children's National? The staff and fellows were inviting, encouraging and interested in knowing what I wanted from a program and how we could best match each other. Children's National has delivered lots of support and collegiality while fostering a strong base in both therapy and pharmacology and letting me pursue my interests at a higher level.
Accolades: Dr. Swanson received Resident Teacher of the Year from Penn State Health Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. He has previously been awarded a grant to promote Faculty Wellness at Penn State Health. He has presented workshops at AADPRT and AACAP.

Alexandra Yoon, M.D.
Hometown: Korea
Undergraduate: College of William and Mary
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School
Residency: George Washington University 
Academic Interests: Family-based integrated care, medical education, psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, transitional age youth, college students, Asian American mental health, women's mental health, cross-cultural psychiatry, community psychiatry
Hobbies: Running, pilates, drawing
Favorite Quote: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” - Alan Alexander Milne
Comfort Foods: Cold brew and cookies
Why Children's National? As a resident at George Washington University, I rotated at Children’s National. Children’s National provides comprehensive education with warm support to promote both personal and professional growth. I believe that the program provides culturally sensitive training to care for people with diverse backgrounds and opportunities for my passion and interest. I am excited to serve as the outpatient chief fellow this year. At George Washington University, I developed an interest in cross-cultural and community psychiatry. I was an awardee and the Vice Chair of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Foundation/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Minority Fellowship Program for 2021-2023, where I worked with community leaders and Korean-American parents and youth to promote mental health literacy and youth suicide prevention. I have a strong interest in psychotherapy and its role in patient care and family-based integrated care. I have been working with Dr. Zlotnik, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) specialist, on improving DBT training at Children's National Hospital, and completed combined Child and Adolescent and Adult Psychoanalytic Fellowship Programs at the Washington Baltimore Center for Psychoanalysis.
Accolades: Dr. Yoon is passionate about medical education. She has presented and published papers, written journal/newspaper articles and presented posters at psychiatric conferences. She is actively engaged in various committee work at the APA, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and at Children’s National Hospital.  She has been working on developing a didactics curriculum, educational research and mentorship program. At her residency program, she was awarded the Resident Teaching Award of Excellence. Dr. Yoon won the 2023 APA Medical Student/Resident Poster Competition, a prestigious award given to five trainees for their significant contributions to the advancement of psychiatry. Dr. Yoon is appointed to serve as a corresponding member of the APA's Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning for 2023-2024.