Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Health Psychology

Henry Ford Health offers Postdoctoral Fellowships in Health Psychology, which prepare psychologists to practice independently in the assessment and treatment of medical patients with behavioral manifestations or etiology.

Program Overview

Fellows will gain advanced training in:

• Differential diagnosis and psychological assessment
• Behavioral health concerns commonly associated with medical conditions
• Consultation with referring physicians and medical teams
• Brief, evidence-based interventions
• Working effectively within multidisciplinary groups

Fellows develop liaison relationships with medical and surgical divisions, participate in collaborative rounding and multidisciplinary team meetings, and may supervise psychology practicum students and interns. Research opportunities are available, either independently or in collaboration with senior staff.

Educational activities include:

• Behavioral Health Grand Rounds (Thursdays)
• Fellowship teaching conferences, team meetings, and professional development seminars (Fridays)
• Rotation-specific seminars and learning opportunities
• Our graduates are well-prepared for careers in health psychology across clinical, academic, and research settings.

Program Details

• Flexible start date between July and September
• PhD or PsyD in Clinical or Counseling Psychology and completion of an APA-accredited internship are required
• Strong interest in health psychology expected
• Rotations selected based on fellow interest and program fit, fellows complete at least two

We typically recruit for 2-4 positions each academic year. The fellow will complete rotations based on interest and fit. Please see our listing on the Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory, as that description may be more up to date that this page. In case of discrepancy, please refer to that posting. Rotation options include:

Internal Medicine/Primary Care

Supervisors: Erin Tobin, PhD &  Michael Evitts, PhD

The Internal Medicine rotation will provide exposure to several experiences for psychology fellows working from the primary care behavioral health model. The Academic Internal Medicine clinic has a large multidisciplinary team, including physicians, over 100 internal medicine residents, a clinical pharmacist, nurses, medical assistants, social workers, and community health workers, to assist in the care of our patients. Fellows provide outpatient psychological evaluations and brief interventions in the Academic Internal Medicine Clinic, addressing concerns such as depression, anxiety, pain, insomnia, weight management, adjustment to life stressors, and medical regimen adherence. Most patients present with co-occurring chronic illnesses. Fellows work within a warm-handoff model alongside primary care physicians, engage in interdisciplinary meetings, lead psychotherapy groups (e.g., behavioral weight management), and supervise interns. Research focused on quality and outcomes is available.

Psych-Oncology

Supervisors: Marwa Ahmed, PsyD, Taisel Losada, PsyD, Kellie Martens, PhD, & Olga Slavin-Spenny, PhD

Our Psych-Oncology rotation is designed to provide comprehensive training in the assessment and management of a diverse and complex medical population with cancer. Each trainee will have the opportunity to care for, and engage with, patients and their families through all phases of the cancer journey, including diagnosis, active stages of treatment, post-treatment survivorship, recurrence, advanced illness, and end of life. Trainees will learn how to assess and manage common psychiatric concerns in the oncology population, help mediate complex psychosocial issues, gain knowledge regarding psychopharmacological interventions, evaluate medical decision making capacity, and work within interdisciplinary teams. Training experience occurs in both ambulatory clinic (including telemedicine) and inpatient consultation-liaison settings. Each trainee will work closely with a variety of complimentary and integrated disciplines, including Palliative Care and Hospice, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, and Surgical Oncology. Opportunities to train in a multidisciplinary specialty clinic are available based on interest. Opportunities for research and program development are also available.

Transplant Surgery

Supervisors: Kelly Bryce, PhD, Antu Segal, PhD, ABPP, and Megan Ramthun, PsyD

Transplant Surgery consists of performing inpatient and outpatient evaluations for suitability for transplants including liver, lung, heart, kidney, and intestinal transplants. Henry Ford Hospital is a high-volume provider of such transplants and requires a psychological evaluation to assure adherence with the rigorous self-care and follow-up needed for patients to survive and thrive following transplant. Fellows assess cognitive functioning, behavioral processes relevant to adherence including psychiatric status and stability, quality of social support, motivation for transplant and other factors relevant to decision making. They collaborate with the surgery staff to ensure optimal outcomes and participate in interdisciplinary team listing meetings. Fellows will also conduct consultations and brief interventions for both inpatients and outpatients who may be struggling with various psychosocial concerns either prior to or after transplant. In addition, fellows will have the opportunity to co-lead a group to improve coping skills and a group for relapse prevention. Supervision occurs regularly throughout the day. Fellows also have the opportunity to supervise psychology interns on the service as well as participate in ongoing research projects. 

Salary and Benefits

• $58,500 Stipend
• $1,000 Professional Development Allowance
• Malpractice Insurance
• Options for Medical, Vision, Dental Insurance for self and dependents
• 22 days vacation/personal time
• Up to 5 conference and/or interview days

Application Process

To apply, please email a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and 3 letters of recommendation to the training director Erin Tobin, PhD, (etobin1@hfhs.org). Your letters of recommendation can be emailed directly to Dr. Tobin from your references. Please have them include your name in the subject line.

The deadline for applications is December 15.

For any questions regarding our health psychology fellowship opportunities, please contact:

Erin Tobin, PhD
Health Psychology Fellowship Director

Henry Ford Hospital is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educator.