National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A.

Name and Brief Description of Learning Opportunity

Health Psychology and Neurobehavioral Research Group: Our group has a training program for students interested in psychology at many different levels, from graduate student externs to postdoctoral fellows. Trainees have the opportunity to gain valuable experience working with chronically ill populations and learning about all aspects of clinical research. A primary focus of our work involves conducting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help adolescents and adults cope with chronic pain and other illness-related stressors. Trainees participate in numerous didactic activities, such as weekly case conferences, monthly journal club discussions, individual and group supervision with a licensed psychologist, and educational seminars and symposiums sponsored by various NIH institutes.

Category (e.g., practica, internship, externship, post-doc, workshop, CE, computer-based learning module, etc.)

We take 1-2 part-time graduate student externs per year, and externships begin in July or August. Most years we also have funding for a full-time postdoctoral fellow.

Qualifications required (e.g., academic degree, level of licensure, position in graduate program sequence, amount/type of experience)

(A) Graduate student externs should have completed at least two years in an APA-approved graduate program in psychology and have experience with cognitive assessments.

(B) The post-doctoral fellow should have completed a PhD or PsyD from an APA-approved psychology program. Experience working with medical patients preferred. There is no requirement regarding licensure for the postdoc, and ample clinical hours will be provided.

How it relates to Contextual Medicine, or to what degree it integrates contextual behavioral science with medicine

Our group conducts ACT – both in research studies and clinically - with various medical populations, most of which involve chronic pain. In addition to conducting therapy, graduate student externs will also conduct comprehensive neuropsychological assessments and learn how test results can inform recommendations from a functional contextual perspective.

Contact information of either yourself or some other person/place to get more information or to apply

Staci Martin, PhD
Licensed Psychologist
Senior Associate Scientist, Behavioral Health Core
Clinical & Training Director, Health Psychology and Neurobehavioral Research
National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

martins@mail.nih.gov

 

(This page was updated November 2, 2022).