Medical Psychology Therapy Track

Individual inpatient and outpatient psychotherapeutic treatment with patients experiencing long term and terminal health conditions, such as cancer and HIV.

Mandatory Days/Times: Flexible, two days per week

Clientele and Services Provided by Students: Externs will conduct psychotherapeutic interventions with adult patients with comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions. Intervention targets include adherence to long-term medical treatment, adjustment to and coping with life-threatening illness and/or prolonged hospitalization, and addressing personal/interpersonal issues that arise with late/end-stage diseases. Externs will learn to communicate with medical treatment teams and integrate a broad range of information to formulate treatment plans and make recommendations.

Most Frequent Diagnostic Categories: Patients seen with the Consultation and Liaison Service will have psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., psychotic and personality disorders) that complicate medical treatment and hospitalization.

Location(s) of Services: Services are rendered in multiple locations in the main hospital building.

Supervision: Direct supervision will be provided by psychiatrists working in the corresponding specialty clinics. Students will typically get 1-2 hours of individual supervision per week depending on caseload.

Didactics: Externs attend didactic seminars that cover topics in the fields of psychology and psychiatry, including sub-specialty courses (e.g., consultation and liaison) with our psychiatric residents.