Health Psychology, Behavioral Medicine

Health psychologists participate in health care in a multitude of settings including primary care programs, inpatient medical units, and specialized health care programs such as pain management, rehabilitation, women's health, oncology, smoking cessation, headache management, and various other programs. They also work in colleges and universities, corporations, and for governmental agencies.

Health Psychologist can focus their careers on either clinical activities or research.

Clinical Activities: Assessment approaches often include cognitive and behavioral assessment, psychophysiological assessment, clinical interviews, demographic surveys, objective and projective personality assessment, and various other clinical and research-oriented protocols. Interventions often include stress management, relaxation therapies, biofeedback, psychoeducation about normal and patho-physiological processes, ways to cope with disease, and cognitive-behavioral and other psychotherapeutic interventions. Healthy people are taught preventive health behaviors. Both individual and group interventions are utilized. Frequently, health psychology interventions focus upon buffering the effect of stress on health by promoting enhanced coping or improved social support utilization.

Research: Health psychologists are on the leading edge of research focusing on the biopsychosocial model in areas such as HIV, oncology, psychosomatic illness, compliance with medical regimens, health promotion, and the effect of psychological, social, and cultural factors on numerous specific disease processes (e.g., diabetes, cancer, hypertension and coronary artery disease, chronic pain, and sleep disorders). Research in health psychology examines: the causes and development of illness, methods to help individuals develop healthy lifestyles to promote good health and prevent illness, the treatment people get for their medical problems, the effectiveness with which people cope with and reduce stress and pain, biopsychosocial connections with immune functioning, and factors in the recovery, rehabilitation, and psychosocial adjustment of patients with serious health problems.

The opportunities for careers in health psychology in the United States are quite good. Medical settings, particularly medical centers, have greatly expanded their employment of psychologists. Aside from medical centers, health psychologists often work in colleges and universities, medical schools, health maintenance organizations, rehabilitation centers, pain management centers, public health agencies, hospitals, and private consultation/practice offices. In addition to the specific content skills which psychologists offer to patients and staff in the medical community, psychologists' unique training often makes the health psychologist an asset to the medical team with regard to quality assurance methods (making certain that health care is helpful and cost-effective), research, writing, grant-writing, statistical, communication, and team development skills.

Training for Health Psychology Careers: Health psychologists typically hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in psychology. Applied health psychologists are licensed for the independent practice of psychology in areas such as clinical and counseling psychology, and board certification is available in health psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. Often, psychologists preparing for a career in health psychology obtain general psychology training at the undergraduate and doctoral levels, but then receive specialty training at the postdoctoral or internship level. Some programs have been developed which offer specialized training in health psychology at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Health Psychology / Behavioral Medicine - Certificate
The purpose of this post-masters' certificate program is to understand the extent to which psychosocial and environmental factors contribute to the development and progression of medical conditions. These conditions can range from acute physical symptoms, such as headaches and constipation, to chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, to predicting the length of time a person lives. The 18-credit program will provide a major overview of the discipline and also examine specific types of illnesses and disorders and the mind-body connection.

Courses include: Clinical Survey of Substance Abuse and Dependence, Stress and Coping, Health Psychology, Eating Disorders, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Consultations and Intervention in Health Care Settings.

Health Psychology / Behavioral Medicine - MA
The objectives of the Master's Psychology specializations are to enable individuals to continue their formal professional education at the graduate level in the behavioral science of psychology at the doctoral level. Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine is a newly developed and important area of research, teaching, and clinical practice. It is the study of the total matrix of factors influencing the psychological and physical health of people and takes a biopsychosocial approach in accounting for illness and behavioral health. This specialization develops the essential knowledge and skills for this important area.

Core courses include: Health Psychology, Behavioral Nutrition, Stress and Coping, Coaching for Health and Wellness.

Health Psychology / Behavioral Medicine - PhD
Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine is a newly developed and important area of research, teaching, and clinical practice. It is the study of the total matrix of factors influencing the psychological and physical health of people and takes a biopsychosocial approach in accounting for illness and behavioral health. This specialization develops the essential knowledge and skills for this important area.

Core courses include: Health Psychology, Behavioral Nutrition, Stress and Coping, Coaching for Health and Wellness, Psychosocial Factors in Health, Research Methods, Tests and Measurements.

Psychology / Health - MS
A Master's degree in Health Psychology will provide you with a multidisciplinary background spanning the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence health. The breadth of topics covered will allow you to gain a broad understanding of the field of psychology, along with a focus on the knowledge and skills required to work in the fields of illness prevention and health promotion. Apply psychology and public health theories and principles to your work as you increase your understanding of the effects of illness and stress. Upon graduation, you can pursue positions such as a research assistant, project manager, or behavior specialist in a variety of healthcare organizations, from primary care settings and inpatient medical units to community agencies.

Courses in this program include: Biopsychology; Health Psychology; Stress and Coping; Social, Behavioral, and Cultural Factors in Health; Research Design.

Psychology / Health - PhD
This non-licensure-orientated Health Psychology specialization is designed for students who plan to practice in a variety of healthcare settings and academic institutions. Many health psychology professionals work in medical centers, medical research settings, business and industry, government and military, as well as sports and fitness settings. Others teach and engage in research at colleges and universities.

Courses in this program include: Biopsychology; Health Psychology; Clinical Neuropsychology; Psychology and Change; Behavioral Nutrition; Psychoneuroimmunology; Stress and Coping; Psychopharmacology; Research Design; Tests and Measurements.