Postdoctoral Fellowships
Each year, the TREAT Lab accepts postdoctoral fellows who are interested in careers as clinician-researchers. Fellows in the TREAT Lab are involved in all aspects of the ongoing research process as they are interested. This includes study design, grant writing, providing direct care, analyzing results, and writing up findings for publication. TREAT Lab fellows get extensive training in massed Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and get to work with a variety of trauma-types and comorbidities as a part of our ongoing research. Since the TREAT Lab is part of the Road Home Program, fellows also get to investigate questions around the veteran population. More details about the Road Home Program can be found here.
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Following the American Psychological Association guidelines on post-doctoral training in psychology, we conceive of the post-doctoral year not as a time to further develop generalist skills, but rather as a time to refine specialized skills. This fellowship develops high-level competency in massed/intensive PTSD treatment and CPT for PTSD as well as other competencies necessary for functioning as a doctoral-level psychologist on an interdisciplinary team in an academic medical center. Fellows’ clinical training occurs mainly in the context of our treatment trials which provide massed CPT (1-2 sessions of CPT per day over 1-2 weeks).
Training in the TREAT Lab is tailored to compliment the goals of the fellow. In addition to clinical training, fellows can lead or assist on publications, hone grant writing skills, develop and answer unique study questions using a large data repository, receive mentoring in advanced statistical methods, and gain experience mentoring post-bacc research assistants.
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Although duties depend on the ongoing studies, in the typical week, fellows can expect to maintain a caseload of up to 2 individual CPT cases, equal to 4 CPT sessions per day (20 direct clinical hours). Fellows will also attend a weekly study meeting and individual and/or group supervision. Occasionally, fellows may have the opportunity to conduct clinical assessments. Fellows are encouraged and supported in pursing their own research projects if it is of interest and feasible.
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Individual Supervision All fellows receive one hour of weekly supervision from a licensed clinical psychologist, for ~50 hours over the year. All aspects of the fellow’s clinical work (CPT cases, assessments) will be discussed as appropriate. Fellows may rotate supervisors throughout the year to be exposed to different perspectives and styles. Supervision is generally done from a developmental perspective, with an emphasis on helping fellows gain more confidence and independence in their work over the training year with the goal of preparing them for independent practice by the end of fellowship. Methods of supervision depend on the supervisor, but case discussion, reading assignments, role play, and review of session recordings are used. Session recordings are used to provide comprehensive supervision and help fellows refine their skills. Supervision may attend to professional and personal development as appropriate. We also have an open-door supervision policy, so supervision can be provided on an as-needed basis.
Group Supervision Fellows meet weekly for group supervision. The format of group supervision includes consultation, review of recorded sessions, and discussion of relevant literature. Fellows gain experience in giving and receiving constructive feedback on their delivery of care. Overall, we estimate that fellows receive a total of ~30 hours of group supervision over the course of the year.
Didactics Fellows will engage in biweekly didactics focused on professional development and clinical topics relevant to TREAT Lab/Road Home. Although some topics are pre-determined (e.g., licensure preparation), others will be based on fellows’ interests.
Training Funds Fellows have access to over $5,000 in professional development funds which can be used to cover the cost of the EPPP, trainings, conference attendance, books, and other professional development expenses. Travel to at least one national conference is covered per academic year.
Subcommittees Road Home Program currently has three subcommittees (Substance Use Disorder, Employee Engagement, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Fellows can choose to join one or more subcommittees based on your interests and training goals.
Resident/Medical Student Teaching Medical students and psychiatry residents often rotate through RHP/TREAT Lab for exposure to the research process and psychotherapy. Occasionally, fellows have been able to present formal psychotherapy didactics to 2nd and 3rd year psychiatry residents.
Research Assistant Mentorship Fellows collaborate with Research Assistants through research, program execution, and in sharing knowledge related to professional development, research, and clinical practice.
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Postdoctoral psychology fellows train alongside psychiatry residents in their 2nd year (PGY-2), social work interns, counseling interns, psychology externs, and medical students. The staff at TREAT Lab consists of five research assistants, one data scientist, one statistician, one data analyst, several study therapists, one research manager, and one research director, as well as other staff who are peripherally involved in ongoing studies. The Road Home Program is interdisciplinary as well: psychiatrists, nurses, licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, mindfulness and yoga instructors, chaplains, an art therapist, and an acupuncturist all contribute to patient care. Supervision is provided by licensed clinical psychologists and will count toward licensure.
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The ideal candidate will have experience with trauma and the evidence-based treatment of PTSD, have a solid research background, and be interested in establishing a scientist-practitioner career. A desire for the fellow to enter a pure research career is not a requirement. Qualified candidates must have an APA approved doctorate in Clinical or Counseling Psychology.
For details on how to apply, contact Brianna Werner, PhD, Director of Clinical Training at Brianna_Werner@rush.edu.
Erin Walker, PsyD
“My time as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the TREAT Lab was an amazing experience. My role was primarily as a clinician providing 1-week CPT within two of the studies. I came into my fellowship with a lot of experience doing CPT, however, I’d never had such direct support and supervision on my CPT cases. Dr. Held provided daily supervision on my first few CPT cases and offered very helpful feedback for improving the way I do CPT and my clinical skills. As I became more experienced with 1-week CPT, supervision was titrated down, but still available to me. Across the year, I became much more confident in my CPT and clinical skills, which I attribute to the experience and also to Dr. Held’s expert guidance.
Throughout the year, I was also given the chance to obtain experience in many other areas of interest for me. For example, I expressed my interest in teaching and supervision, and I was given the opportunity to teach medical students and also train Research Assistants in clinical skills and assessments. Additionally, I was offered the opportunity to supervise an extern training with the Road Home Program, which was an invaluable experience for my development.
Overall, Dr. Held and Sarah were extremely supportive throughout the year and made sure I was able to obtain all of the training experiences that I asked for. This was my most valuable and enjoyable training experience yet. I was able to grow as a clinician and psychologist, while also not being overwhelmed with other duties and busy work that I didn’t find important to my development. They were incredibly flexible, making sure I prioritized important things like interviews over other duties. They also made sure to make it a fun experience which you don’t find too often during training years in this field! As you can see, my training year was wonderful and I highly recommend the TREAT Lab for future individuals looking for a postdoctoral fellowship.”
Daniel Szoke, PhD
“Working in the TREAT Lab as a postdoctoral fellow has been one of the most enriching experiences of my career. Dr. Held has supported my specific training goals every step of the way and shaped my day-to-day experiences to match my interests. I received my credentials as a Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) provider, conducted several complete CPT cases, wrote and submitted a first-author manuscript, and presented at International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) annual conference- all in the first few months in my role. After I shared my interest in writing grants, Dr. Held offered opportunities to function as a co-PI on upcoming grant submissions. He has always been respectful of work-life balance and frequently reminds me to take time off. While applying to various postdoc positions, I was curious about a research career or combined research/clinical role in my future. The postdoc position in the TREAT Lab allowed me to learn about the many ways to participate in research throughout my career, the parts of research I enjoy most (and least) and gave me clarity on my path forward. In short, Dr. Held provided the knowledge and guidance I needed at this pivotal time in my career. I highly recommend this postdoctoral experience.”
Erika Gustafson, PhD
“I had a wonderful experience as a postdoc with the TREAT Lab! I primarily worked as a clinician for Dr. Held’s 1-week massed CPT RCT. Having never delivered CPT before, I was somewhat nervous to be doing so for a clinic trial. However, I received excellent training, support, and supervision from Dr. Held and his team, and now feel comfortable delivering CPT independently.
This postdoc was a great learning experience for me both in terms of further developing my trauma treatment skillset, as well as on the research side getting to see the inner workings of clinical trials and having opportunities to work with the lab’s datasets. The TREAT lab has a multitude of ongoing studies and existing datasets, and Dr. Held is very encouraging of trainees to pursue any research questions that may interest them. So this is a great position for trainees who are interested in both clinical and research development during their postdoc year, as you will have opportunities in both.
On the whole, this was lovely team to work with. Everyone is kind, supportive, and really good at what they do. If you are considering this postdoc, know that you’ll receive great mentorship in whatever your goals are, whether it’s developing your trauma clinical skills, your program of research, or professional development as you navigate next steps in your career. As I transition from postdoc to a research faculty position, I feel very well equipped for this new role given the strong training I received this past year. I encourage folks to apply!”
Michelle Miller, PhD
“My time as a postdoctoral fellow in the TREAT lab provided me an invaluable training experience composed of unique clinical experiences, research training, and opportunities for scholarly productivity centered on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I received training in the gold standard methods for PTSD assessment and intervention, namely the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). I also participated as a study therapist and assessor in a trial of intensively delivered (1-week) CPT for PTSD and became competent in the intensive delivery of PTSD interventions. I was provided multiple opportunities to increase my scholarly productivity through collaborations on manuscripts and grant applications, resulting in several published peer-reviewed manuscripts. Importantly, I learned the necessary steps to conduct rigorous clinical research trials for PTSD, a valuable skill set that I utilize now in my current role as a tenure-track assistant professor. Dr. Philip Held, the lab Director, is a phenomenal researcher and mentor and the members of the TREAT lab are so helpful, welcoming, and hard-working. I give my highest recommendation to participate in the TREAT lab if you are interested in gaining critical experience in PTSD-focused clinical research.”
Research Assistants
Individuals seeking opportunities to gain postbacc research experience can apply to work as a clinical research assistant with the TREAT Lab and Road Home Program. Typically, research assistants stay with our team for about two years before attending a graduate program in Clinical Psychology or a related program. More details about the Road Home Program can be found here. Individuals seeking employment or volunteer research opportunities are asked to email a copy of their CV to Sarah Pridgen, Research Manager, at Sarah_Pridgen@rush.edu.