Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA - 1 Postdoctoral Fellowship position (clinical psychology)

Positions: Two one-year full-time positions in Clinical Psychology in the emphasis areas of:

• Assessment and Treatment of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Evidenced Based Practice (EBP) and Recovery Programming for Veterans with Severe Mental Illness (SMI). The postdoctoral training program is designed to be consistent with the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for six general competency areas in the traditional practice of Clinical Psychology which include:
• Theories and Effective Methods of Psychological Assessment, Diagnosis, and Interventions
• Consultation, Program Evaluation, Supervision, and/or Teaching
• Strategies of Scholarly Inquiry
• Organization, Management, and Administration Issues Pertinent to Psychological Service Delivery and Practice, Training, and Research
• Professional Conduct; Ethics and Law; and Other Standards for Providers of Psychological Services
• Issues of Cultural and Individual Diversity that are Relevant to All of the Above TBI / PTSD

Position will also include: Training in Neuropsychological Assessment, use of CAPS in PTSD assessment, and empirically supported treatment for PTSD, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for the TBI/PTSD position; Training in adapting existing EBTs for persons with TBI and performing outcome-evaluation research to guide practice. EBP / SMI Position will also include: Training in empirically based clinical service provision, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Behavioral Activation for Depression and Social Skills Training; Training in recovery-based program development, and outcome-evaluation research skills; Experience with program administration, and modeling of advocacy skills in promoting recovery-programming throughout the VA system and other public service venues.

Training Setting and Community: The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital (HSTMVH is a large, modern, teaching hospital with strong affiliations with the University of Missouri. It is located in Columbia, Missouri, (population 100,000), a small mid-western town with all the benefits of having the state's flagship university, in addition to two other colleges within the city limits. Located halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia boasts an extensive parks and hiking/biking trail systems. Columbia has been recognized both nationally and within the state as a “Best Town To Live In". Home to art fairs and music festivals with nationally recognized performers, Columbia is a progressive, international university community, with excellent accessibility for persons with mobility impairment, and offers diversity and high quality of life.

Training Model  and Philosophy: Our training model is scientist-practitioner. It is the philosophy of our program that clinical research is as vital to the psychological care of our patients as the therapy we provide. Clinical outcome research is essential to Evidenced Based Practice (EBP). As clinicians, we must adapt treatments to fit the needs of our patients and we must assess outcomes to determine whether the changes we make are effective. It is through this reciprocal process of clinical observation driving hypotheses for more effective treatments, and clinical outcome research providing data regarding treatment efficacy that moves psychological treatment, patient care, and the field as an applied science, forward.

Faculty interests: • Conducting neuropsychological evaluations on referred Veterans and developing integrated rehabilitation-oriented recommendations • Conducting PTSD evaluations using the "gold-standard" CAPS assessment as well as evaluative testing • Delivering individual and group EBT therapies • Clinical outcomes research on Psychosocial Recovery & Rehabilitation Programming • Clinical outcomes research on treatments for Veterans with PTSD with/ without co-morbid mtbi • Developing collaborative research with University of Missouri Multicultural Center for Research, Training and Consultation

Minimal Requirements: US citizenship, APA-accredited internship and doctoral degree in Psychology. Benefits: $42,239/year, healthcare benefits, 13 days paid vacation and up to 13 days of sick leave, additional authorized absence may be approved for educational opportunities. APA Accreditation Status: The HSTMVH Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program it not yet accredited by APA. We have submitted our program's self-study to APA for review. We anticipate a site visit will be scheduled for 2012. The Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation of the American Psychological Association can be reached at: Telephone: 202-336-5979 Fax: 202-336-5978. The Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation can be reached online at: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
 
To apply: Please send a:

• Cover letter, including statements about background experience with/interests in PTSD; TBI; neuropsychology or EBTs; Recovery Model and working with SMI population; and How this training program would fit your long term career goals;
• Vita
• Copy of graduate school transcript; Three (3) letters of recommendation (a) At least one from a therapy supervisor on internship; (b) One from Graduate Training Director re: expected date of completion of dissertation (if not already completed);
• Two (2) professional writing samples (1 neuropsychology report if applying to the PTSD/TBI position) 

To: Martha Brownlee-Duffeck, Ph.D., ABPP

Training Director, Post-Doctoral Programs Behavioral Health Service Line (BH) HSTM

Veteran's Hospital 800 Hospital Dr. Columbia, MO 65201

For Questions: Please contact Training Director at: Martha.Brownlee-Duffeck@VA.gov or

call 573-814-6486. Applications are still being accepted.

Notification of acceptance date is March 14, 2012.