Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

Training focuses on delivering accessible community behavioral health care; integrated behavioral health in primary care; and application of empirically supported treatments with a focus on cognitive-behavioral (including third-wave cognitive-behavioral) interventions and trauma-specific treatment. The fellowship prepares the early-career psychologist for work in interdisciplinary health and behavioral health settings, and to serve as a leader in the integration of mental and physical health care. Upon completion, the psychologist is well prepared to work in diverse environments including primary care, outpatient behavioral health, and medical center-based care. A primary goal of postdoctoral psychology training at UNM Health is to develop highly flexible, social justice-focused psychologists who have the ability to rapidly adjust practice to the needs of various settings, which will make them highly sought-after in a variety of behavioral health service locations.

The fellowship offers a choice between two primary rotations and three elective rotations. The primary rotation is fixed throughout the fellowship, while elective rotations can remain fixed, or change at the 12-month midpoint. All sites feature multidisciplinary teams where fellows work collaboratively with primary care, psychiatry, clinical social work, counseling, nursing, and other disciplines.

Primary Rotations:

Two-year commitment starting in September of odd-numbered years (e.g. 2025) - Truman Health Services/Grande Primary Care: Truman Health Services is a Level 1 Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) providing primary and specialty care for persons living with HIV as they manage both acute and chronic medical issues and the behavioral, cognitive and emotional issues associated with these conditions. Truman also provides health and behavioral health care for persons seeking gender-affirming care. Grande Primary Care Clinic is a community clinic serving the west side of the Albuquerque metro area. Patient population is diverse with regards to culture, economic backgrounds, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

The behavioral health team is fully integrated into the primary care setting and has a strong role in consultation and collaboration with primary care staff. The fellow will develop the following competencies during their training year: effectively triage care for patients in a variety of settings, learn to treat sleep, chronic pain, medication adherence, and maladaptive eating behaviors, screen for autism and ADHD across the life span, develop skills to competently provide single session interventions, manage crises effectively, engage in patient-centered, trauma informed models of care, and continue to hone skills in delivering evidence based therapies.

Two-year commitment starting in September of even-numbered years (e.g. 2024) - UNM Behavioral Health Clinic - Rio Rancho: The clinic provides accessible behavioral health care across the life span to the diverse communities of Sandoval County and the west side of Albuquerque. Sandoval County encompasses 3,716 square miles; the clinic and adjacent Sandoval Regional Medical Center are strategically located to serve urban, rural, and frontier populations that represent the breadth of cultural diversity found in New Mexico. The clinic includes a specialized community team providing outreach to engage underserved and at-risk populations. The fellow works as a generalist with a diverse caseload in terms of presenting issue, age, gender and cultural identity, with opportunities to build a focused caseload based on specific interests of the learner. Brief assessment, group and individual therapy are the primary psychological services provided. Presenting issues include mood and anxiety disorders, trauma spectrum, substance use disorders, and living with chronic medical or disabling conditions.  

Elective Rotations:

Sandoval Regional Medical Center, Family and Community Medicine Clinic: SRMC is a community-based academic healthcare facility that includes 72 acute-care inpatient beds, and outpatient primary care and specialty care clinics. The fellow provides integrated behavioral health in primary care, including short-term consultation and intervention focused on patient needs related to health behavior and chronic disease prevention and management, as well as more intensive psychotherapy addressing specific mental health diagnoses. Assessment is time-effective, ongoing, and focused on improving patients’ functional abilities. Patients with specialized needs who are seen initially in primary care are seamlessly transitioned to the neighboring behavioral health clinic, and coordinated care continues as appropriate to patient needs.

UNM Center for Life: Providing conventional and complementary medicines and practices to focus on healing through acupuncture, touch therapies (massage and acupuncture) and integratively trained physician visits.

The fellow also develops an individualized training experience or special project, which for example could include development of a clinical pathway for a specific set of presenting problems; development and refinement of integrated care models; implementation of new assessment and treatment tools specific to the setting; community-based research. 

Note: across all settings providers work in-clinic, with approximately half of patient visits (varies by setting) conducted through the UNM virtual visits video telehealth platform. UNM Health has made a commitment to delivering care via telehealth as means of increasing healthcare equity and access. Precautions against COVID-19 are maintained in accordance with UNM Health System directives. All UNM Health providers and staff are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, subject to specific exemptions.