Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is accepting applications for postdoctoral fellowship at our academic inpatient hospital campus. The UTHealth John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Campus is the largest inpatient psychiatric hospital campus in the country, and is comprised of the Harris County Psychiatric Center (UTHealth-HCPC; 273 bed) and the Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center (BSC; 264 bed). Both neighboring psychiatric facilities are a training home for students, residents and fellows in medicine, psychiatry, social work, nursing, pharmacy and psychology. The mean length of stay for most patients is approximately 9 days on acute units, and up to 90 days on the sub-acute units. Patients served are diverse with regard to race/ethnicity, age, education, sociocultural background, and patients often present with serious mental illnesses, co-occurring conditions, suicidality, as well as intellectual and developmental disabilities, and personality disorders. The Psychology Service functions as a hospital-wide consultation service whereby electronic referrals are received from treatment teams/providers. Referral types include individual therapy, group therapy, and various types of assessments and screenings. The Psychology Service is also actively involved with clinical research at UTHealth-HCPC. 

In addition to clinical training responsibilities outlined below, each fellow will be involved in clinical research with 10% protected time for such. Additionally, fellows may assist in program development, provide supervision to psychology trainees and psychiatry residents, and/or facilitate and attend didactic presentations. The 2000-hour, 12-month postdoctoral fellowship training model is designed to prepare fellows for licensure and to function as competent professional psychologists. Please note, this fellowship does NOT offer telehealth service provision opportunities; all training opportunities are in-person Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm. 

Training: Fellows will be engaged in the adult inpatient psychology services at the hospital as their primary training rotation, and the fellow will also have a minor training rotation in Recovery-oriented Treatment Program (ROTP) as described below. 

Adult Inpatient Primary Rotation: Training responsibilities for the fellow will include training in evidence-based individual and group psychotherapies (CBT, DBT, MI, ACT, CBT-p) within a brief intervention model, as well as diagnostic, cognitive and response style assessments on acute and sub-acute adult inpatient units. Additionally, fellows provide individual and group therapy. Patients present with a range of conditions, most often including bipolar disorder, psychotic spectrum, affective disorders, co-occurring disorders, and personality disorders. In addition to the selected minor training rotation, opportunities to conduct child/adolescent services and/or services as part of an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) may also be made available. Clinical supervision training will also be provided, and supervision of junior trainees is an integrated component of this fellowship. 

Minor Rotation - Recovery-oriented Treatment Program (ROTP): The UTHealth HCPC Recovery-oriented Treatment Program (ROTP) is designed to provide intensive, multidisciplinary treatment and support for under- or uninsured adults experiencing psychosis. One of the main aims of the program is to provide individuals with various, cost-free, specialized psychosocial treatments to reduce the likelihood of rehospitalization. ROTP participants are able to remain in the hospital for an extended period (up to 90 days) during which they receive medication management, evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy, social services/case management, recreation therapy, outings into the community, and engage in discharge planning. In addition, the program engages family and community resources in order to prepare participants for discharge and successful reintegration into the community. The program is intended to reduce psychological distress, improve psychosocial functioning, curb over-utilization of crisis services and assist in improved long-term community outcomes for individuals living with serious mental illness. Since all service provision occurs at the same campus, the rotation will include weekdays divided up between ROTP cases and acute adult cases and/or relevant groups, based on training interests.