Overview: The postdoctoral year is one in which the fellow is transitioning from the status of “student-in-training” to that of licensed professional. The UCC training staff recognizes this important developmental transition and seeks to provide a training experience that both supports and challenges fellows to make meaningful contributions through their direct clinical service, as well as through consultation, weekly staff meetings, and case conference discussions. While postdoctoral fellows function within a training capacity, they are viewed and approached as valuable members of the clinical staff. From this perspective, fellows are seen as being early in their career, but at an advanced level in terms of training. Thus, emphasis is placed on assisting fellows in continuing to cultivate their knowledge, skill, and overall professional identity, while meeting hours towards licensure. Trainees are expected to serve as colleagues to the clinical and administrative staff, and also serve as models of professionalism for the practicum students and doctoral interns who train at the UCC. 

Training Philosophy: The UCC utilizes the biopsychosocial model in conceptualizing and attending to clinical work. Staff consider the intersection between these three areas and the larger cultural context in which they unfold to be of key importance when approaching assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning. The emphasis placed on diagnosis and treatment planning, combined with the many services located at the UCC requires that staff and trainees fully invest in a team approach to serving our students. To this end, the training philosophy of the UCC is also grounded in the spirit of thoughtful collaboration and communication.   

While the foundation of what we do at the UCC is grounded in a generalist model, postdocs are able to adjust their roles to maximize their interests, strengths, and talents while also assuming the shared responsibilities of being part of a collaborative team. 

Primary Responsibilities: The primary responsibilities associated with the postdoctoral fellowship position are as follows: 

• Individual and group psychotherapy 
• Two hours of weekly individual supervision by a licensed psychologist 
• One hour of group supervision facilitated by a licensed mental health provider 
• Coverage of Urgent Care services 
• Participation in weekly staff meetings and case conference discussions 
• Assistance with the training of practicum students by assuming responsibility for Practicum Seminar during the spring semester 
• Fellowship project 

Positions available: 1-2 postdoctoral fellowship positions are available

While all UCC clinical providers, including postdoctoral fellows, are expected to function as generalist practitioners who effectively manage the mental health needs of students presenting with a range clinical concerns and intersecting identities, the fellowship training program offers two training areas of emphasis: a generalist track and an athletics track. Fellows in both tracks engage in similar learning activities that include individual and group therapy, urgent care support, campus outreach presentations, didactic seminars, case conferences, participation in individual and group supervision, and completion of a fellowship project. However, the primary office location, student populations, outreach initiatives, and supervisory and assessment opportunities, will vary depending on the area of focus.

• Generalist Track (2 positions available):
  • The generalist track postdoctoral fellowship is intended for an individual pursuing licensure as a psychologist and seeking advanced training to build a career and assume leadership positions within a university counseling center setting. Fellows in the generalist track will be primarily located at the UCC and will gain experience working in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary team environment with a wide range of university students and presenting concerns, as the UCC has a high utilization rate (~25%) among university students. Fellows in this track will also have an opportunity to provide group supervision for practicum trainees and participate in optional advanced training opportunities based on availability.
• Athletics Track (1 position available):
  • The athletics track postdoctoral fellow is intended for an individual pursuing licensure as a psychologist and seeking specialized experience providing sport psychology and mental health services to NCAA student-athletes. The fellow will spend 60% of the week working alongside the Sport Psychology team, which is fully embedded within the Vanderbilt Athletic department and provides comprehensive mental health and performance psychology services to approximately 400+ student-athletes within an integrated, multidisciplinary team-based model of care. Fellows in this area of emphasis will provide confidential individual counseling, mental health screenings, crisis work, outreach programming, and team/group interventions under the supervision of UCC Sport Psychologists and Certified Mental Performance Consultants (CMPC). Additional training opportunities include consulting with sports medicine staff and coaches, and participation interdisciplinary treatment teams. Specific responsibilities will be based on interest, availability, and training needs.
  • The fellow in the Athletics Track will spend the other 40% of the week at the UCC providing comprehensive mental health services to university students and working alongside the large, multidisciplinary staff. Given that the fellow in this track will be located in the Vanderbilt Athletic department for 60% of the fellowship and at the UCC for 40% of the fellowship, some of the learning activities below, which are primarily located at the UCC, may be adjusted to support the individual professional goals of the fellow.

As staff members at the UCC, we strive to offer culturally responsive and empirically supported services in a space that feels welcoming, safe, and affirming to all students. Given this center-wide value, we are committed to engaging in ongoing dialogue about the intersection of identity and the work we do, with awareness that these opportunities contribute to students receiving more effective care. Our therapeutic, assessment, and outreach services are delivered in a caring and compassionate manner that recognizes the unique characteristics, experiences, and identities of the individual student. As a collective, we make space to support, challenge each other, and grow in understanding of our own biases during monthly Affinity Group meetings and in other staff trainings that are often organized by the Diversity Alliance, which is a group of staff members who hold the UCC accountable for taking steps to cultivate systemic equity. 

Given the diverse nature of the Vanderbilt student population, postdoctoral fellows are expected to approach their work from a multicultural perspective. Knowledge of and sensitivity to individual and cultural diversity is essential in all areas of practice, including individual and group therapy, assessment, individual supervision, group supervision, campus outreach, and training seminars. The UCC Solidarity Statement can be found here: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/ucc/solidarity-statement/.  

Postdoctoral fellows are expected to contribute to the center through the completion of a fellowship project. Like the clinical training at the UCC, this project is considered to be flexible enough to allow the fellow to pursue particular areas of interest. The ideal project will be grounded in, or informed by, existing research/literature and will be undertaken with the aim of enhancing the clinical, administrative, and/or organizational goals of the center. Group therapy initiatives, outreach presentations, organizational assessment, and comprehensive literature reviews of pertinent clinical phenomena are only some examples of possible fellowship projects. Fellows will be able to discuss their project ideas with their supervisor, followed by the creation of a more formal and comprehensive outline of the plan, which is ultimately reviewed by the UCC training director before the project is initiated. There is no set timeline for project completion, but the postdoctoral training year will not be considered successfully completed until the project is brought to fruition. 

In addition to the core experiences associated with the postdoctoral fellowship position, additional experiences exist that will allow postdoctoral fellows to pursue particular areas of interest, such as: 

• Acting as liaison/consultant to specific departments
• Providing psychological testing/assessment 
• The provision of supervision (based on availability of supervisees) 

The diversity of UCC clientele represents an additional opportunity to pursue specific clinical interests. Our clients present with a wide range of concerns and cultural backgrounds. As such, postdoctoral fellows can expect to develop rich caseloads that vary in terms of complexity, presenting concerns, and student identities. Postdoctoral fellows are challenged to consider the full complexity of the clients they serve and identify not only their clinical needs, but also appropriate resources within and outside of the UCC that will assist them in achieving their goals. To this end, postdoctoral fellows work closely with members of the UCC’s multidisciplinary staff, which consists of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, licensed professional counselors, and licensed clinical social workers, as well as campus partners. Collaboration is a hallmark of the UCC, and postdoctoral fellows can expect ongoing opportunities to cultivate their knowledge and skill in this area. 

• The UCC is an APPIC postdoctoral program member
• Applications will be accepted for the 2025-2026 training year beginning on November 18, 2024, to December 20, 2024, or until filled (August start date preferred)
• To apply for any of the three Postdoctoral Fellowship positions, please send an email to Ruth Howard, Ph.D., HSP, Associate Director for Training (ruth.howard@vanderbilt.edu) with the following application materials attached:
  • CV
  • Letter of interest
  • Two Letters of Recommendation (at least one from the applicant’s internship site)
• Virtual interviews will take place in January and/or February 2025
• Current salary for 2024-2025 Postdoctoral Fellows: $61,008
• Please contact Ruth Howard, Ph.D., HSP at ruth.howard@vanderbilt.edu for any questions.