Specialty Tracks

Adult Clinical Specialty

The Clinical Program provides intensive research training through close, collaborative mentorships in faculty research laboratories.

Presently, there is a wide variety of research opportunities. Faculty studies the role of cognition in emotional states; etiology and treatment of depression; etiology and treatment of anxiety; mechanisms of change in psychotherapy; cognitive therapy for depression; personality disorders; self-regulation; positive psychology; threat and stress; aging; and sexuality.

Through judicious selections from among third and fourth year clinical placements, students can specialize in areas they find particularly interesting in later stages of their training.

 

Health Psychology Specialty

This specialty prepares clinical psychologists for research careers in the biobehavioral and psychosocial factors involved in the etiology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disease processes. Didactic coverage of animal and human models of disease processes is provided. Research training is offered in biobehavioral models of health and illness, physiologic processes, psychophysiologic methods, and specific focus on major diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, pulmonary conditions and stress-related disorders.

Unique opportunities are available for advanced students to obtain supervised clinical experience with patient populations (e.g. cardiac, pulmonary, cancer or chronic pain patients). Research opportunities include involvement in funded grant projects, involvement with postdoctoral scholars and other staff, interdisciplinary collaborations with departments in the College of Medicine, and research and clinical experiences in the OSU Wexner Medical Center, the Clinical Research Center, and the James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute.

Students wishing information on Ph.D.-M.D. training should contact the Medical Scientist Program Office of the College of Medicine at OSU for application materials.

 

Clinical Neuropsychology Specialty

The Clinical Neuropsychology specialty follows the Houston Conference guidelines for doctoral training. Students interested in pursuing clinical neuropsychology as a major area of study will complete all required general clinical area requirements, and in addition will complete coursework in neuropsychology, attend seminars, complete clinical practica, and conduct research focused on neuropsychology. 

Supervised clinical experiences focused on neuropsychological assessment are available internally in the Psychological Services Center in the Department of Psychology and at external practicum sites at OSU Wexner Medical Center, the Columbus VA Hospital, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, among others.

Core clinical neuropsychology faculty include Drs. Jasmeet Hayes, Scott Hayes, and Ruchika Prakash. Current research focuses on topics including the cognitive neuroscience of aging, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress disorder.