Tuesday, December 20, 2011

the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA - 1 Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment

Department of Veterans Affairs Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Psychology and Associated Health Fellowship Program Director: Gretchen L. Haas, PhD Application Due Date: January 15, 2012 Overview: The Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) is recruiting clinical psychologists and other associated health clinicians for a 2-year fellowship program. The primary goal of the fellowship program is to train clinicians to become leading clinical researchers in the treatment and prevention of comorbid medical, mental health, and/or substance use disorders, with the aim of improving the mental and physical health, quality of life, and outcomes of healthcare services for veterans with mental illness.

Program Description: This interdisciplinary program aims to train clinical psychologists, nurses, and social workers to become outstanding clinical researchers in high priority areas of mental health. Individualized, mentored research and clinical training is combined with a state-of-the-art curriculum that emphasizes research methods, statistics, epidemiology, mental health systems, quality improvement methods, education, and service delivery. Training in professional skills includes manuscript preparation, grant writing, project management, and the responsible conduct of research. Fellowship sites across the national network of VA Advanced Fellowship training sites are linked electronically for didactic, academic, and research efforts. Fellows devote the majority of their time to patient oriented research and education activities and 25% to direct patient clinical care. In collaboration with their mentors, Fellows will develop and implement a research project, publish and present findings, participate in grant writing, and utilize the latest technology for educational activities and clinical service delivery. Psychology applicants must have obtained a doctorate from an APA accredited program in clinical or counseling psychology and have completed an APA accredited internship in clinical or counseling psychology. Fellows must be U.S. citizens. The VA funds the allied health professional stipends in amounts based on VA national standards with locality adjustments for cost-of-living in the area. Fellows will also receive a secondary appointment at the University of Pittsburgh.

Faculty: Fellowship faculty members (and their research interests) include: Gretchen Haas, PhD (schizophrenia, social cognition and cognitive intervention), Robert Sweet, MD (neurobiology of psychosis), Howard Aizenstein, MD (neuroimaging, late-life mood disorders), Charlotte Brown, PhD (implementation research, mood disorders, cultural barriers to treatment), Daniel Buysse, MD (sleep research training), Matthew Chinman, PhD (implementation research, peer interventions in SMI, recovery), Jack Cornelius, MD, MPH (pharmacotherapy of mood disorders and comorbid alcohol use), Steven Forman, MD, PhD (neurobehavioral studies, neuroimaging of addictive disorders), Ellen Frank, PhD (treatment development and clinical trials for mood disorders, implementation methods), Anne Germain, PhD (sleep research, cognitive-behavioral treatment and intervention for PTSD), Gerald Goldstein, PhD (neuropsychology, schizophrenia), Martica Hall, PhD (behavioral health assessment methods, sleep), John Kasckow, MD, PhD (interventions for suicidal behavior, schizophrenia, prevention of depression), Mary Phillips, PhD (neuroimaging), Charles Reynolds, MD (depression prevention and intervention in aging), Armando Rotondi, PhD (implementation), Judith Saxton, PhD (neuropsychology), Stuart Steinhauer, PhD (psychophysiology), and Jeffrey Yao, PhD (biochemical aspects of mental illness and neurological disorders).

Application Due Date: January 15, 2012 How to Apply: Interested psychologists and associated clinicians who meet the eligibility requirements should send a cover letter, curriculum vita, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation to Gretchen L. Haas, PhD (haasgl@upmc.edu) and Sara Chapman, MS, OTR/L (sara.chapman@va.gov). The cover letter should specify the reasons for your interest in this particular fellowship training program, a brief overview of your previous clinical and research experiences, and how you see this program promoting your professional and career goals. -- Adam Bramoweth, PhD Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow, MIRECC VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System 7180 Highland Drive, 151R-H Pittsburgh, PA 15206 Adam.Bramoweth@va.gov