Primary Care Psychology

Primary Care Physicians refer adult patients to this service when they believe these patients could benefit from seeing a psychologist.  Patients are seen immediately and in the same primary care setting familiar to the patient.  The physician often walks the patient to the psychologist’s office.  The psychologist quickly determines if the patient is suitable for brief psychotherapy or if the patient should be referred to the Bellevue Mental Hygiene Clinic.  Insomnia, stress, somatization, depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, and coping with illness are among the most typical reasons for referrals.  Children are also referred to this service.  Referrals from pediatricians are primarily for child behavior problems and the interventions usually involves parent training.  Parents and children are seen immediately and in the same primary care setting familiar to the family.  Common behavioral issues include sleeping problems, mealtime conflicts, toileting, temper tantrums, and fears and phobias.  The role of the extern is to conduct psychotherapy and/or engage in parent training.  The extern can choose to work in the adult clinic, the pediatric clinic, or both.  Supervision is immediate.  Sometimes the attending psychologist sits in and participates in the session; other times the extern can excuse him/herself during the session and find the attending waiting near by. Most commonly the extern will choose to wait until the end of the session for supervision. 

Training Period and Time Commitment:
Summer (June-August) and Academic Year (September-June) externships available.  A minimum of three mornings a week required.  For those working in the adult clinic, those mornings must be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Those working in the pediatric clinic must be available on Thursday mornings.

Qualifications:
Open to graduate students in Clinical, Clinical Health, School, and Forensic Psychology.  Spanish-speaking and other bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.  Externs with varied life experiences and previous careers are particularly welcome to apply.  Externs should have familiarity with behavioral and psychodynamic techniques.

Application Procedure:
E-mail letter of interest and c.v. to Lowell T. Anderson, Ph.D. at LTA1@NYU.EDU.  E-mail Dr. Anderson or call at (212) 263-6458.  Applications are preferred by February 1, but externs are accepted into the program on a rolling basis.