Health Psychology Fellowship

Clinical Health Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Clinical Health Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship program offered within the Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine (GIM), at the University of Minnesota Medical School, is designed to provide training to prepare psychologists for careers in health psychology.

There is one position for a one-year, full-time postdoctoral fellow for the 2025-2026 training cycle with options for continuing for a second year.

Description of Training Experiences and Activities

​​The fellow will provide outpatient clinical services at the University of Minnesota Clinics and Surgery Center and via telehealth that will include diagnostic evaluations for patients with medical conditions, preoperative psychological evaluations, and psychotherapy for a range of medical and mental health conditions. Additionally, the fellow will provide care on the inpatient Health Psychology Consultation- Liaison Service at the University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC). The projected clinical care ratio will be an 80% outpatient/20% inpatient split. Outpatient and inpatient clinical services involve contact with diverse populations and include referrals from a wide range of medical specialties such as bariatrics, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general internal medicine, nephrology, neurology, oncology, otolaryngology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, pulmonology, surgery, and transplant. The fellow’s clinical time will be predominately outpatient to reflect the needs of the system. Clinical time also includes individual supervision, multidisciplinary medical team meetings, consultation, grand grounds, didactic seminars, case conferences, chart reviews, and more.

The position entails 90% clinical responsibilities and 10% time for research. In addition to clinical care, the fellow’s clinical time includes individual supervision, multidisciplinary medical team meetings, consultation, grand grounds, didactic seminars, case conferences, chart review, and participation in other professional activities.

Although this position is primarily clinical, opportunities for scholarship and education exist. There is an expectation that fellows produce one or more scholarly products by the end of the fellowship. Scholarship opportunities comprise conducting independent research, working on ongoing research projects relevant to adult health psychology populations, and/or other interprofessional research collaborations. Opportunities for presenting psychoeducational seminars for patients in various multidisciplinary clinics and/or for interprofessional audiences arise and are encouraged.

Training Sites

Outpatient training occurs at the MHealth Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center (CSC) on the University of Minnesota campus. The CSC opened in 2016 and is home to 37 adult medical specialty services as well as primary care. It features state-of-the-art technology, imaging services, 10 operating rooms, and a retail pharmacy. We receive referrals most commonly from internal medicine, as well as a wide variety of medical specialties. Virtual outpatient visits are conducted through the Amwell platform integrated into our electronic medical record (Epic) and may take place at the CSC or in remote locations such as office space in the AHC or the fellow’s home office.

Situated three blocks from the CSC, inpatient training opportunities are located at the University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC) East Bank Hospital. Health Psychology offers a consultation-liaison service supporting the internal medicine hospitalist and specialty medical teams providing patient care. This hospital is a level II trauma center and has over 800 hospital beds. We most commonly consult with internal medicine teams, but consultations are commonly placed from a wide range of medical specialties.

A virtual tour of these training locations and other buildings on the Medical School campus can be accessed here

Program Objectives

The Clinical Health Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Minnesota Medical School aims to prepare psychologists for careers in clinical health psychology, with a focus on preparation for work in academic health centers, by providing supervised clinical experiences as well as opportunities for research and education. The fellowship will also provide a strong basis for pursuing board certification in clinical health psychology upon completion of the program.  Graduates are strongly encouraged to pursue board certification.

Supervision & Additional Learning Activities

The fellow will participate in at least 2 hours of individual supervision per week with their primary clinical supervisor(s). There will be additional opportunities to participate in further educational activities, which may include, but are not limited to, health psychology team meetings, grand rounds, didactic seminars, and conferences relevant to fellows’ areas of specialization. Monthly mentoring meetings providing general support and addressing a range of professional development topics are also a feature of the fellowship.

Compensation and Benefits

The stipend for this position follows NIH salary guidelines for postdoctoral fellows. 

University benefits are offered and include health, dental, and life insurance, and personal and professional leave.

University benefits also include:

Eligibility

By the start of the fellowship, candidates must have completed their doctoral degree from an APA-accredited or CPA-accredited program in clinical or counseling psychology and completed an APA-accredited or CPA-accredited internship in a medical setting. An ideal candidate will have experience in providing psychological services with medical populations, research experience, and activity in professional organizations.

Application Process for the 2025-2026 Training Cycle

We are accepting applications for one fellowship position for a flexible start date between July and August 2025. The due date for applications is midnight, Sunday, December 15, 2024.

Application Materials:

  1. Cover letter that includes a statement of training experiences, goals for fellowship training, and career objectives
  2. Curriculum vitae
  3. Three letters of recommendation 
  4. Graduate transcripts

Please include information on the status of the dissertation in the cover letter. If an applicant has not yet completed their dissertation at the time of your application, please also submit a letter from the chair of the dissertation committee indicating the status of the dissertation and the anticipated date of completion.

To apply, please submit your application materials by email to Carol Kampa at hpfellowship@umn.edu or in the APPA CAS system (in process).

Applicants selected for further consideration will interview with faculty virtually via Zoom in January. This program subscribes to the APPIC Postdoctoral Selection Standards and Common Hold Date.

The University of Minnesota does not discriminate in its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, national origin, color, religion, sex, gender, age, caste, or disability. The University affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to University facilities. View the University's equal opportunity statement. For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action at 612-624-9547.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We seek and encourage a diverse range of candidates representative of all backgrounds, including gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity for this position. Candidates from backgrounds typically underrepresented in psychology training or higher education as well as those with clinical and research interests focused on underserved populations, health equity, or other areas of diversity are especially encouraged to apply.

The University of Minnesota Medical School is dedicated to providing excellence across our mission - high-quality education for students of all backgrounds, innovative and cutting-edge research, and exceptional clinical outcomes that promote health equity. Through a variety of services and programs, we aim to engage everyone in our collective work toward inclusive excellence, promote equity in access to learning, scientific inquiry, care delivery, and celebrate our diversity through cultural experiences and opportunities on and off campus. Additional information about diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at our institution is located here

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Fellowship Alumni

Brooke Palmer, PhD, LP
Clinical Health Psychologist
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School

Major accomplishments during fellowship:

  • Provided clinical services in outpatient and inpatient settings

Substantially enhanced the organization,  functioning, and productivity of the Health Psychology inpatient consultation service

  • Co-led Professional Development Conference for the University of Minnesota Medical School Psychology Internship
  • Made multiple professional presentations, including at national conferences
  • Engaged in research that yielded multiple publications during the fellowship
  • Awarded the 2021 Society for Health Psychology (APA Division 38) Award for Postdoctoral Fellows in Clinical Excellence 
  • Provided peer reviews for three journals

Tyler Kuhn, PhD
Clinical Health Psychology Fellow 2023-2025
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School


Major Accomplishments During Fellowship

  • Provided clinical services in outpatient and inpatient settings
  • Contributed to the development of new clinical services and relationships with cardiology and contributed to the continuation and expansion of current clinical services with gastroenterology
  • Completed multiple collaborative research projects that led to peer-reviewed publications
  • Presented research findings at Hebbel Research Day
  • Co-led Professional Development Conference for the University of Minnesota Medical School Psychology Internship
  • Engaged in the Division of General Internal Medicine DEI committee and was elected to the Society of Behavioral Medicine's Cardiovascular Diseases SIG board
  • Took EPPP and became licensed in the State of Minnesota

Health Psychology Faculty

William Robiner, PhD, ABPP, LP
Director of Health Psychology
Professor, Department of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
robin005@umn.edu

Rachel Barnes, PhD, LP
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
rdbarnes@umn.edu

Brooke Palmer, PhD, LP
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
palme604@umn.edu

Janet Thomas, PhD, LP
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
jthomas@umn.edu

Kristi White, PhD, ABPP, LP
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
whit2318@umn.edu

Carol Kampa
Fellowship Coordinator
hpfellowship@umn.edu

Working at the University of Minnesota Medical School

The University of Minnesota Medical School is a world-class leader in medical education, research, and patient care. The University of Minnesota Medical School’s mission is to provide innovative education and training, research that advances medicine, and clinical care that improves the lives of our patients. Our 3,000 outstanding faculty members are committed to achieving excellence in research, clinical care, and developing the next generation of health professionals. 

See here for additional information about postdoctoral training at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

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Contact Information

Mailing Address
University of Minnesota
General Internal Medicine
MMC 741
420 Delaware Street SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455
hpfellowship@umn.edu