Opportunity: Post-Doctoral Resident (Clinical Psychology PhD)
 Opportunity Details
Posted Start Date: ASAP
Specialty: Psychiatry, General
Other Specialties Considered: Psychologist
Location: Loma Linda, CA, USA
Job Position Code: 7401-03-2018  
Openings: 1
J1/H1B Visa? H1B Accepted
Location Overview:

Loma Linda is located between Los Angeles and Palm Springs. Nestled at the foot of the San Bernardino mountains, we have convenient access to beach cities, skiing, hiking and a variety of other outdoor activities. This region also has excellent private and public school systems.

 Offer Details
Other Benefits:

Competitive Benefit Package Provided.

 Job Description

This is a one-year post-doctoral training position, as part of the training program in Clinical Psychology. The Clinical Psychology Post-Doctoral Resident works under the clinical supervision of licensed clinical psychologists. The Psychology Resident is accountable to medical and administrative leaders of the site in which he/she is placed, as well as to his/her colleagues on the care team within the particular service, actively collaborating with them in the care of patients, and responding to behavioral health needs as they arise on a day-to-day basis.

The Psychology Resident is a specialized behavioral health clinician who works as a member of the Behavioral Health Team(s) within Riverside University Healthcare System (RUHS) ambulatory sites. The role of the Psychology Resident is to ensure that behavioral health needs of patients under the responsibility of the RUHS ambulatory care clinics are met.  Behavioral health needs in this context include but are not limited to specific behavioral health symptoms and suspected psychiatric illness; they also include behavioral and emotional factors influencing physical health. The Psychology Resident helps the care team to identify these needs by assisting in the administration of behavioral health screening instruments, helping in the interpretation of these screens, and providing brief clinical treatment. The Psychology Resident works alongside other members of the care team and informally consults with them regarding behavioral health questions arising in the context of routine patient care. For patients who have behavioral health needs that can be addressed in brief treatment, the Psychology Resident provides short-term, culturally competent, evidence-based therapeutic services, using individual, group, family, dyadic, and/or community-based modalities. For patients with the need for longer term, or higher level of care specialty mental health treatment, the Psychology Resident may educate patients regarding community mental health resources and facilitate these referrals.
 

The Psychology Resident will prepare treatment plans with measurable goals, monitor progress using standardized instruments, and update interventions based on those results. The Psychology Resident will administer, score and interpret validated psychological tests to determine diagnoses and clinical needs, and make referrals for special treatments and further evaluations.

The Psychology Resident will provide leadership, consultation and training to medical and clinical staff on empirically-based, outcome-oriented treatments, and relevant research findings. (S)he will also provide education to help staff identify, treat and monitor psychosocial problems and create comprehensive treatment plans that attend to psychological disorders, address substance abuse issues, and incorporate health behavior change.  The psychologist will play a leadership role in creating and implementing health psychology externship, internship, and post-doctoral training programs.

A Psychology Resident in this position has the potential for significant professional growth, as a leader in developing a comprehensive, integrated system of health care at the hospital, where “health” means a state of physical, psychological, and social wellbeing.  In the longer term, the Psychology Resident will develop programs that promote healthy lifestyles, prevent chronic health problems, and improve patients’ quality of life.  This effort will include developing screening programs to identify, provide early intervention for, and/or prevent behavioral health issues in medical patients.

This opportunity is not eligible for a J1 Waiver. 
 Job Requirements

A successful candidate (preferred requirements):

  • Supports the mission, vision and values of Loma Linda University Health Care by collaboratively developing and communicating the vision for behavioral health services, as well as participating in the development and maintenance of a department that provides excellent patient-centered treatment, care, and services in an integrated, whole person, team environment.

  • Consistently adheres and/or exceeds Loma Linda University Healthcare’s communication guidelines and expectations with patients and families, colleagues and supervisors.

  • Successfully establishes and maintains genuine relationships with patients and co-workers. Practices friendliness and is a good conversationalist; shows insightfulness, self-motivation and ability to be persuasive.

  • Models the principles and practices of behavioral health, including skillful listening, displaying a willingness and ability to acknowledge the needs, expectations and values of others through the use of reflective listening and empathy conveyance. 

  • Models and successfully communicates a vision for whole person care

  • Provides expertise on mental health and addictive disorders, other chronic diseases, as well as behavior change strategies to staff and providers at Riverside University Health Systems through informal conversations and consultations, as well as in-services and other more formal educational means.

  • Models empathy and compassion for patients and their families with historically stigmatized conditions, such as chronic pain, addictive disorders, severe mental health conditions, homelessness and maladaptive behaviors such as anger problems.

  • Successfully conveys empathy to patients, focuses on patient strengths, employs skillful listening and communication with patients.  Empowers patients to make effective changes in their health using evidenced based communication techniques.

  • Collaboratively works with medical providers and other healthcare team members to develop shared care plans for patients, engage in systematic case reviews and treatment team meetings.

  • Engages in developing clinical treatment pathways for conditions involving multi-disciplinary treatments, such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, obesity, addictive disorders, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
 Contact Information
Contact: The Physician Recruitment Team
Email: RecruitMD@llu.edu

 Practice Information
Practice Name: LLU Faculty Medical Group
Year Established: 1995
Number of physicians in group: 950+
Philosophy of the group:

Loma Linda has long been a leader in integrating a faith-based approach to whole person health care. As a Christian organization, our mission is to follow the healing and teaching ministry of Jesus Christ 'to make man whole.' Together, we strive for Compassion, Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork, and Wholeness.
Practice Description :

Additional responsibilities may include:

  • Assists primary/specialty care practice care team in the selection, administration, and interpretation of clinical screening instruments. 

  • Proactively interacts with healthcare team members. Informally consults with primary/specialty care providers and other clinical team members regarding suspected behavioral health needs and helps to identify strategies for further assessment.

  • Attends team meetings with other members of the care team, reviewing the care of complex patients and especially those who have been refractory to treatment.  Also participates in analysis of patient registries for chronic health problems, helping to identify strategies for identifying those patients for whom behavioral health needs are contributing to excess morbidity.

  • Provides brief clinical assessment of patients identified as having suspected behavioral health needs.

  • Provides brief, focused psychotherapeutic intervention, including individual and/or group psychotherapy for selected patients.  Preferred psychotherapeutic models include motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, cognitive/behavioral therapy, supportive therapy, and solution-focused therapy.  Other evidence-supported short-term psychotherapeutic models may also be used.  
  • Maintains excellent clinical documentation of all patient care activities in integrated medical record.
  • Meets productivity requirements as established by clinical supervisor.  Productivity is based on face to face encounters with patients, informal clinical contact with team members, as well as other non-billable activities.
If you are interested in learning more, or if you have knowledge of an individual who may be seeking an excellent practice opportunity, please contact us.