Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory Entry

UTMB Child and Adolescent Psychology Fellowship (Clinical and Research Tracks)

The University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Galveston/Houston, Texas

This training experience will NOT follow the APPIC Selection Standards with Common Hold Date (CHD) and may not allow applicants to hold offers until the CHD. Applicants may need to respond to an offer for this position prior to completing interviews or knowing their standing with other positions.

This training experience is not an APPIC Member program and is not APA Accredited. Applicants should be aware that this training experience has not undergone a formal external quality review process.

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

This training experience is a planned and programmed sequence of training that aims to ensure preparation for advanced practice rather than one that is focused on providing supervised hours for licensure. Yes

This training experience ensures that training takes precedence over service delivery regarding the nature, content, volume, and quality of the postdoc’s activities. Yes

This training experience ensures that postdocs receive at least two hours of individual supervision per week for the duration oof the experience. Yes

This training experience is administered by a doctoral-level licensed psychologist who directs and organizes the training experience and its resources, is responsible for the selection of postdocs, and monitors and evaluates the goals and activities of the experience. Yes

This training experience has two or more doctoral-level licensed psychologists who have sufficient time to provide quality supervision and training.   Yes

This training experience includes regularly scheduled structured educational activities that help postdocs its defined goals. These activities may include didactics, seminars, case conferences, and/or research activities. Yes

This training experience has written Due Process and Grievance procedures. Yes

This training experience has the stable and necessary financial (e.g., stipend) and physical resources (e.g., computers, physical space) needed for effective training. Yes

The UTMB Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology offers advanced training in trauma-informed care, telepsychology, and evidence-based interventions for youth and families. The fellowship is designed to develop advanced competencies in clinical service, integrate research into practice, and foster meaningful scholarly contribution.

Fellows provide brief, evidence-based assessment and treatment to school-referred youth and families while expanding their skills through structured didactic training, regular professional development, and at least two hours of weekly individual supervision from licensed psychologists. Training includes cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, exposure, and parent management training, with opportunities for certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Prolonged Exposure for Adolescents (PE-A).

The fellowship offers two tracks:

Clinical Track (1 year): For fellows pursuing careers in clinical practice or academic medical settings. This track emphasizes intensive telehealth-based service delivery for youth and families, along with dedicated time to complete a mentored scholarly product such as a conference presentation, teaching module, or a research article.
Research Track (2 years): For fellows pursuing research-focused academic careers. Time is divided between clinical care and large-scale research in supervisors’ labs, including projects on childhood trauma, disruptive behavior, depression, and suicide. Fellows contribute to study design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, and grant-writing, and receive mentorship in study design, grant development, and other academic career skills.

Fellows are supervised and mentored by a collaborative team of licensed psychologists with expertise in trauma, disruptive behavior, anxiety, depression, suicide prevention, and family therapy:

Cody G. Dodd, PhD: Training Director. Specializes in youth trauma and PTSD, disruptive behavior problems, depression, suicide prevention, family-focused behavioral interventions, and TF-CBT.
Claire Kirk, PhD: Focuses on childhood trauma, recovery after mass violence and disasters, and disruptive behavior problems.
Kim Gushanas, PhD: Expertise in youth trauma and PTSD, disruptive behavior problems, anxiety disorders and OCD.
E’leyna Garcia, PhD: Expert in childhood trauma and PTSD, TF-CBT, and behavioral sleep interventions.

Applicants must have a PhD or PsyD from an APA-accredited clinical, counseling, or school psychology program and completion of an APA-accredited predoctoral internship. Clinical experience with youth and evidence-based interventions is required. Research track applicants should also have experience in scientific writing and statistical methods suitable for longitudinal, multi-site datasets.

https://https://www.utmb.edu/psychiatry/child-and-adolescent-psychiatry

Additional Information

Agency Type: Medical School/Health Science Center
APPIC Membership: No
APA Accredited: No
Recognized Specialty: Clinical Child Psychology
Emphasis or focus area: Child/Adolescent
Other Emphasis: PTSD/Trauma
Research Time: 26-50%
Training Director: Cody G Dodd, PhD
Contact Email: cododd@utmb.edu
Contact Phone: 409-266-6168
Virtual Interviews: Virtual Only
Duration in Months: 12
Hours Per Week: 40
# of Licensed Supervisors: 4
Number of Positions: 3
Applications recieved last year: 8
Accepts Int'l Students: Yes
International Application Details: Applicants must have the necessary visa/work authorization; UTMB does not sponsor visas for this program.
Stipend: $62232
Will follow APPIC Selection Standards: No
Estimated offer date: Monday, February 9 2026
Created Date: Monday, November 28 2022
Fringe Benefits: Fellows receive a competitive benefits package through UTMB, including medical, dental, and retirement coverage. They are granted 22 days of paid time off at the start of the fellowship and observe 10 paid holidays. Additional support includes professional development funds, a UTMB-issued laptop and tablet, scheduling assistance, care management and referral support, and the option to work remotely after onboarding, provided they reside in Texas.
Research opportunities: Faculty lead large-scale, multi-site longitudinal studies on childhood trauma, depression, and suicide, as well as related treatment projects. Fellows may participate in study design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, and grant-writing. Both tracks include dedicated time for scholarly work. Clinical Track (1 year) fellows spend about 10–20% of their time on a mentored scholarly project. Research Track (2 years) fellows spend approximately half of their time in research with the goal of producing publishable findings and developing academic career skills.
Additional Comments: The fellowship start date is flexible and can be adjusted to accommodate internship completion or graduation timelines, typically falling between late July and mid-September.
Application Instructions: Apply by November 30. Submit a cover letter (specify track), CV, and two letters of recommendation to Ashley Colangelo at alcolang@utmb.edu and cc Cody G. Dodd, PhD at cododd@utmb.edu and Katie Fickessen at kafickes@utmb.edu. Research track applicants should also include a writing sample from a project where they took a lead role in data analysis or manuscript writing. Letters of recommendation may be sent directly by the applicant or by the letter writers. Virtual interviews are scheduled in December and January. Offers are typically extended in early- to mid-February and include a 3–5 business day decision window. Please contact Cody G. Dodd, PhD at cododd@utmb.edu with any questions.

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