The Departments of Psychiatry and Surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has an opening for a one-year post-doctoral resident in Trauma Psychology for the training year 2022-2023. The fellowship start date is July – August 2022.
Description
The primary objectives of this training program are to produce clinician scientists who are qualified to: 1) provide direct care services for PTSD to underserved populations, 2) utilize clinical science to develop evidence-based healthcare programs that meet complex community needs, and/or 3) pursue a research career in clinical science that is informed by community needs and strengths. The fellow will divide their time approximately equally between clinical practice and research. The fellow will receive supervised experience providing trauma-focused treatments to adult outpatients with PTSD. This fellowship also offers a unique opportunity to provide preventative and early treatment interventions to patients who have experienced acute trauma related to traumatic injury and hospitalization in partnership with UAMS’ Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery. The fellow’s research time will be housed within the Health and the Legal System: Research, Practice, and Policy Lab directed by Dr. Melissa Zielinski. The fellow will work on research that sits at the intersection of trauma, PTSD, addiction, and incarceration. They will work primarily on ongoing research projects, conduct secondary analyses on existing data sets, develop manuscripts for publication, and have the opportunity to prepare applications to federal and other funding agencies for research support. Potential applicants can read more about HEALS Lab’s mission here and ongoing research studies here.
In the clinical arena, ideal candidates would have:
- Strong foundation in evidence-based trauma-focused treatments (e.g., CPT, PE) and can immediately begin providing treatment to outpatients
- Interest in developing competency in providing preventative and brief early treatment interventions for recent trauma survivors
- Demonstrated experience working with diverse, underserved and psychosocially complex patient populations with disproportionate exposure to traumatic experiences, poverty, community violence, and oppression
- Commitment to expanding and deepening awareness of the sociopolitical issues that contribute to risk for trauma exposure, addiction, victimization, incarceration, and other negative health outcomes
In the research arena, ideal candidates would have:
- Prior experience conducting research involving community participants and partnerships
- Significant experience working directly with research participants, including for research recruitment, enrollment, and assessment administration
- Experience administering structured or semi-structured diagnostic clinical interviews for research purposes, including the CAPS-5
- Strong qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Demonstrated ability working effectively on teams
- Relevant prior content experience is also desirable, but is not required (e.g., research and/or practice experience in correctional health and/or other legal service settings, research focused on trauma and/or PTSD, experience conducting and/or participating in randomized clinical trials).
Setting
UAMS Medical Center is Arkansas’ only academic health sciences center and a primary source for both general and specialty care for Arkansans living in Little Rock and across the state. Little Rock provides a unique opportunity to work with urban, suburban, and rural populations from across the state of Arkansas. UAMS is located in Little Rock, a scenic city sitting on the south bank of the Arkansas River in Central Arkansas. It is the capital and most populous city in Arkansas with a 2018 population estimate of 198,000. The size of Little Rock and surrounding area gives its residents city amenities without the pitfalls of a large metropolitan area (e.g., long commutes, high cost of living). In 2014, Little Rock was ranked #1 in “America’s 10 Great Places to Live” by Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine.
Benefits
The current salary is $48,000. Health insurance is available for family or single at a reasonable rate. All fees associated with EPPP and the licensure process (preparation materials, fees, etc.) is covered in full by the department. Vacation, sick leave, and professional leave are standard. The fellow will have their own office with up to date technology support.
Qualifications
Qualified applicants will have successfully completed a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in clinical or counseling psychology from an APA-accredited doctoral program including a one-year APA accredited internship by their start date. Experience working with traumatic stress is required. Dissertation must have been defended before start of fellowship.
Applications
The program strives to recruit and retain early career professionals who represent, and are passionate about, the communities served by UAMS. Applicants from diverse backgrounds with interest in social justice and underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply.
Required application materials include:
- Cover Letter
- Current CV
- List of three professional references, one of which must be from internship
- Letters will be requested if we advance a candidate to consideration
Application materials should be emailed to Drs. Sacha McBain at samcbain@uams.edu and Melissa Zielinski at mjzielinski@uams.edu. Please feel free to contact Drs. McBain or Zielinski with any questions. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Interviews will occur on a rolling basis in January and early February. Initial offers will be made on or before Feb. 22, 2022, to honor applicants who are considering programs who follow the APPIC timeline and adhere to the Uniform Notification date.
Sacha McBain, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Center for Trauma Prevention, Recovery, and Innovation
Assistant Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Surgery
Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
SAMcBain@uams.edu (she/her)
Jennifer L. Gess, Ph.D., ABPP/CN
Director, Psychology Training
Associate Professor, Neuropsychology
Department of Psychiatry
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
GessJenniferL@uams.edu (she/her)
Melissa J. Zielinski, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor | Clinical Psychologist
Director, Health and the Legal System (HEALS) Lab
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
MJZielinski@uams.edu (she/her)
David Miles
Psychology Training Programs Coordinator
Department of Psychiatry
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
DAMilesii@uams.edu