Post-Doctoral Fellowship Announcement

[edieb]

I have seen posts announcing PhD programs in clinical psychology, so I assume it is ok to post this here, too. If anybody has questions about prescribing or the area, you can IM me. As I am not affiliated with the fellowship or site, questions about the fellowship should go to Dr. Hoover whose e-mail is on the announcement.


Post-doctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychopharmacology (Prescribing Psychology) and Integrated Behavioral Care

The Southern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency Program is offering a two-year full time Fellowship which will provide the following experiential opportunities:
· Education, training and experience in the management of psychotropic medications in collaboration with family medicine physicians and residents.
· Experience in teaching psychological assessment and treatment techniques to family medicine residents, doctoral level graduate students in an APA-accredited counseling psychology program, and students in other health care professions.
· Experience in the supervision of service delivery by trainees in family medicine, primary care psychology, and other health specialties.
· Experience in the development and implementation of systems of integrated care in the primary care setting.
· An introduction to the duties and responsibilities of a Behavioral Science Faculty Member at a family medicine residency.
· Participation in research in quality improvement and public health service delivery in collaboration with graduate departments at New Mexico State University.
The most successful candidate will:
. Have completed an APA approved program in clinical or counseling psychology and an APA-approved internship
· Have two years experience as a licensed psychologist and be licensed or licensed eligible in the state of New Mexico.
· Have a demonstrated interest in completing the education leading to the receipt of a Prescription Certificate in the state of New Mexico.
· Have an interest in obtaining prescriptive authority.
· Have a dedication to Integrated Behavioral Care in a primary care setting.
· Be committed to providing services to underserved populations.
· Be interested in establishing a career as a Behavioral Science Faculty Person in a family medicine residency.
Compensation
· Salary Range - $65,000 annual salary depending on experience (40 hours/week)
· Benefits (health, disability etc.) associated with employment at Memorial Medical Center
· Reimbursement for moving expenses (limits available upon request)
· Flexibility in scheduling permitting the completion of Post-Doctoral Masters in Clinical Psychopharmacology
Sent a letter of interest and a CV as attached files to the email below:
[email protected]
Application Deadline: April 15, 2014
For information about the residency, see our web site at: http://www.nmfamilymedicine.com/article/home
Marlin Hoover, PhD, MS
Behavioral Science Faculty – Southern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency Program
Memorial Medical Center – Las Cruces, New Mexico
Cell: 708 717 9706

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[erg923]

That post doc pays 15k more than the highest paid post-doc I've ever seen posted? Is this simply ebcause it involves meds and using higher paying CPT codes, or is it being used a bait since the location is, well, Las Cruces NM?

 

[WisNeuro]

That post doc pays 15k more than the highest paid post-doc I've ever seen posted? Is this simply ebcause it involves meds and using higher paying CPT codes, or is it being used a bait since the location is, well, Las Cruces NM?

If I knew I was going to live in NM or LA and wanted to be a prescribing psychologist, I would definitely have done this post doc. And yeah, that is good pay, and I thought we were paid well down here in Houston.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

If I knew I was going to live in NM or LA and wanted to be a prescribing psychologist, I would definitely have done this post doc. And yeah, that is good pay, and I thought we were paid well down here in Houston.

Ditto

My guess as to the reason for the pay is that the post-doc requires that you be licensed, and as such they're probably going to be billing for your services. So in that respect, $65k might initially seem low as a salary for a licensed psychologist with 2+ years of experience. However, if the post-doc is essentially getting you the psychopharm training without having to pay for it (which, I believe, typically costs somewhere around $20k) in addition to the other mentioned resources (e.g., supervision and consultation with family med physicians), it sounds like a great setup. I'd be surprised if more such positions don't start popping up around NM and LA.

 

[erg923]

Ditto

My guess as to the reason for the pay is that the post-doc requires that you be licensed, and as such they're probably going to be billing for your services. So in that respect, $65k might initially seem low as a salary for a licensed psychologist with 2+ years of experience. However, if the post-doc is essentially getting you the psychopharm training without having to pay for it (which, I believe, typically costs somewhere around $20k) in addition to the other mentioned resources (e.g., supervision and consultation with family med physicians), it sounds like a great setup. I'd be surprised if more such positions don't start popping up around NM and LA.

Whoops, totally missed that.

I agree, but also agree that taking a hit in income to do it would be tough unless your spouse is the real breadwinner. Most people who do the MS in psychopharm keep their day jobs, no? So even though it costs 15-20k, they aren't having to sacrifice much income to do it?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Whoops, totally missed that.

I agree, but also agree that taking a hit in income to do it would be tough unless your spouse is the real breadwinner. Most people who do the MS in psychopharm keep their day jobs, no? So even though it costs 15-20k, they aren't having to sacrifice much income to do it?

Yeah, the psychopharm classes/programs I've seen are often distance-learning/teleconference based (to an extent), and occur largely on weekends and perhaps at night. Although I think being able to be immersed in that type of training and environment full-time would likely allow one to hit the ground running much more quickly (in addition to providing some awesome training).

There's certainly a give-and-take aspect versus taking the course in the more "traditional" manner, though, I agree.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

FWIW, I think it is a nice opportunity for the right person. The money is workable, particularly since it is NM and not NYC/BOS, etc. I looked at Las Cruzes briefly and it is a cute town, though not a ton going on there. The training should be pretty good (I know/were taught by some of the profs in the program) and for someone wanting to work in Primary Care the money from Year #3 and on will far outweigh any lost income for years #1 & #2. I'm not sure the market in Las Cruces, but there are *few if any* providers doing mental health in El Paso (45min away) so there will be no hurting for work being so close to TX.

 

[erg923]

FWIW, I think it is a nice opportunity for the right person. The money is workable, particularly since it is NM and not NYC/BOS, etc. I looked at Las Cruzes briefly and it is a cute town, though not a ton going on there. The training should be pretty good (I know/were taught by some of the profs in the program) and for someone wanting to work in Primary Care the money from Year #3 and on will far outweigh any lost income for years #1 & #2. I'm not sure the market in Las Cruces, but there are *few if any* providers doing mental health in El Paso (45min away) so there will be no hurting for work being so close to TX.

Do we have any updateds on legislation that would allow prescribing psychologists to function in the VA healthcare systems? I know there is one psychologist at my VA who is sitting on hers, basically. I would entertain this notion once my kids are a bit older.

The flip side to this is that, after working in primary care, although I am now more convinced that this is good for the profesion and for patients (I wasn't always convinced), I am also more convinced than ever that most psychiatric medications simply don't help patients all that much. I mean, VA patients are loaded up on psychotropics and yet they often present to me as complete messes. Most complain that that their medications dont work or simply "take the edge off."

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Not sure.

I'm sitting on my training too.

 

[WisNeuro]

Not sure.

I'm sitting on my training too.

If it were allowed by the VA, and training covered, I would do the training in a heartbeat. Already having quite a bit of neuro/anatomy and a good deal of psychopharm training/background, I think this would be an ideal complement to neuropsych training. Although, I wonder how the GS pay scale woudl work for such a position.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Do we have any updateds on legislation that would allow prescribing psychologists to function in the VA healthcare systems? I know there is one psychologist at mine sitting on hers, basically. I would entertain this notion once my kids are a bit older.
The flip side to this is that, after working in primary care, although I am now more convinced that this is good for the profesion and for patients (I wasn't always convinced), I am more convinced than ever that most psychiatric medications simply don't help patients all that much. I mean, VA patients are loaded up on psychotropics and yet they often present to me as complete messes. Most complain that that their medications dont work or simply "take the edge off."

My own anecdotal observations coincide with yours regarding the benefits of medications. The population I was working with for the past couple of years were adolescents, and it was amazing how much the medication was being used to treat primarily environmental issues and how ineffective or even harmful this approach can be. This is definitely an area that needs more research other than the clinical trials to gain FDA approval.

 

[erg923]

My own anecdotal observations coincide with yours regarding the benefits of medications. The population I was working with for the past couple of years were adolescents, and it was amazing how much the medication was being used to treat primarily environmental issues and how ineffective or even harmful this approach can be. This is definitely an area that needs more research other than the clinical trials to gain FDA approval.

There is little doubt that lithium is an effective agent for bipolar disorder control/maintainence and that antipsychotics attenuate psychosis, etc. I suppose what I am talking about is the massive polypharm I see for everything from depression, to panic, to PTSD, to anger. Most of it seems like a complete waste to me, frankly...

 

[WisNeuro]

There is little doubt that lithium is an effective agent for bipolar disorder control/maintainence and that antipsychotics attenuate psychosis, etc. I suppose what I am talking about is the massigve polypharmacey I see for everything from depression, to panic, to PTSD, to anger. Most of it seems like a complete waste to me, frankly...

IMO, if you give someone with panic attacks a benzo, you should lose your license. You're only exacerbating their condition.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

IMO, if you give someone with panic attacks a benzo, you should lose your license. You're only exacerbating their condition.

To be fair…an intermediate or long acting benzo can make sense (in certain circumstances).

 

[WisNeuro]

To be fair…an intermediate or long acting benzo can make sense (in certain circumstances).

True, I should have specified short-acting as the main culprit. Although, medium and long-lasting aren't much better, still acts to maintain their condition.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I think part of the difficulty is that patients also may not know to ask (or that they can ask) for treatment other than medication. If they meet with a provider and the provider's recommendation is, "ok, I'm going to start you on this antidepressant; the side-effects are XXX," relatively few people may feel comfortable disagreeing with that, and perhaps fewer still may know that other options are available. It's almost conditioned at this point--you go to the doctor, you ask for and get meds; that's just what happens.

 

[WisNeuro]

I think part of the difficulty is that patients also may not know to ask (or that they can ask) for treatment other than medication. If they meet with a provider and the provider's recommendation is, "ok, I'm going to start you on this antidepressant; the side-effects are XXX," relatively few people may feel comfortable disagreeing with that, and perhaps fewer still may know that other options are available. It's almost conditioned at this point--you go to the doctor, you ask for and get meds; that's just what happens.

It's a byproduct of the US way of thinking about healthcare. Just treat the symptoms rather than the underlying cause.

 

[CaliMac]

It's a byproduct of the US way of thinking about healthcare. Just treat the symptoms rather than the underlying cause.

 

[CaliMac]

Oops, first time on this platform.

The above also speaks to an issue I've read here recently: that mental health practitioners are addressing the problems as they appear in individuals (at which psychologists are expert, no question) but the issue may be also addressed from the front. Meaning, a systems-level approach to the problems before they manifest over years.

I rode along with a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team police officer yesterday in San Diego county. If the clinician had been with him that day (they only have two days weekly, currently), perhaps he would have taught some specific self-care to the client/citizen, in addition to referring to the relevant social services (or transporting, as needed).

Next month I train to volunteer with the Sexual Assault Response Team which operates in a local hospital. I am curious to see how the clinicians address new victims and prepare them for the next steps in their recovery process.

With the SDSU/UCSD joint doctoral program so near, I am hopeful that the local programs will be eye-opening, at least to my ignorant eyes

 

[IT514]

If it were allowed by the VA, and training covered, I would do the training in a heartbeat. Already having quite a bit of neuro/anatomy and a good deal of psychopharm training/background, I think this would be an ideal complement to neuropsych training. Although, I wonder how the GS pay scale woudl work for such a position.

I'm curious if you had that license, might you be nudged toward med management full-time? I agree that its an ideal complement to neuropsych training and having the license would have some benefits, but I would worry about being used as med management person rather than incorporating it into practice as I see fit.

 

[WisNeuro]

I'm curious if you had that license, might you be nudged toward med management full-time? I agree that its an ideal complement to neuropsych training and having the license would have some benefits, but I would worry about being used as med management person rather than incorporating it into practice as I see fit.

I agree that that would be a problem, although I imagine it would differ based on setting. I guess the good thing about it would be that if I were pressured into full-time med management, I could say no and go back to full time neuropsych.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I agree that that would be a problem, although I imagine it would differ based on setting. I guess the good thing about it would be that if I were pressured into full-time med management, I could say no and go back to full time neuropsych.

That is my exact rationale if I ever decide to utilize my pharma training for direct clinical services. I'd most likely do a 3 day per week neuropsych + med management practice for ADHD as the compromise. The system is not set up to encourage nor support this approach for most patient populations, but I've never been very conventional about things anyway.