I am writing to ask you to share information about the Ph.D. Program in Clinical Geropsychology at The University of Alabama with your faculty and students. Our program offers specialty training in assessment and intervention with older adults and their families, as well as other applied research opportunities. Each of our five clinical geropsychologists are active in seeking federal, Veterans Administration, and other grant funding. Highlights of the program appear below. Additional information can be found on our website: http://psychology.ua.edu.
PROGRAM. Within UA’s Psychology Department, graduate training is seen as modeling and instruction in a variety of professional skills and roles, only some of which are acquired in the classroom. UA emphasizes and enacts the Scientist-Practitioner model of training in clinical psychology.
Students develop individualized plans of study. Contact among faculty and students outside the classroom is frequent and casual. Our program is recognized as emphasizing the Scientist-Practitioner model of clinical training wherein students conduct applied clinical research, often intervention / outcomes research. We are previous recipients of a Graduate Geropsychology Education and Training grant (GGE; F. Scogin, PI). We are interested in providing in-depth training to the next generation of clinical geropsychologists. Graduates are highly successful in obtaining employment and find positions in academia, government, medical centers, and applied settings.
A COMMITMENT TO BROAD TRAINING THROUGH RESEARCH AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES. The University of Alabama is committed to providing a broad training experience. Our clinical geropsychology concentration is one of four within our clinical program. The other concentrations are health, child and psychology/law.
Students and faculty collaborate in research within a primary mentorship model, wherein students work primarily with one faculty mentor but are encouraged to participate in interdisciplinary research. Such interdisciplinary research is facilitated by the Center for Mental Health and Aging, in which faculty and students from many colleges across the UA campus meet to discuss research ideas and potential collaborations.
Initially, faculty provide a high degree of structure and guidance that is tailored to the students’ entry-level research design and data analysis skills via the completion of a First Year Project. By the end of the first year, students will have participated in a research project with their faculty mentor and, potentially, other students that results in a submission for presentation at a national conference. By the dissertation or the end of training, students have developed a research specialty and can successfully design and execute all stages of a research project (e.g., idea generation, data collection, analysis, dissemination of findings). Students attend professional conferences and present their research to regional, national, and international audiences. Students submit their work for publication in scholarly journals and books. The department and college provide funds to support student research and travel to conferences. Funding via assistantships is often available.
TEACHING TRAINING. The University of Alabama Psychology Department proudly offers a course in the Teaching of Psychology. In this applied course, graduate students are mentored in the instruction of a small section of Psychology 100 consisting of approximately 35 undergraduate students. Students in Teaching of Psychology learn lecture strategies, best practices for encouraging active learning, leading discussions, classroom management, assessing student learning, and ethical issues. Students create a teaching portfolio and write a teaching philosophy statement. Advanced graduate students may design and deliver a course in their specialty area. Funding via teaching assistantships is always available.
OUR STUDENTS. We value a wide range of ages and cultural backgrounds among our students. All students receive 4 years of financial support via assistantships (3 years if entering with a Master’s degree), plus a tuition waiver.
CORE FACULTY INTERESTS AND CONTACT INFORMATION (in alphabetical order):
Rebecca S. Allen, Ph.D. (1994, Washington University in St. Louis). rsallen@bama.ua.edu
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and coordinator of the geropsychology concentration. Dr. Allen’s research and clinical interests are interventions to reduce the stress of family and professional caregivers for older adults with terminal and chronic illness and in the dynamics of healthcare decision making. She has published journal articles and book chapters on advance care planning, end-of-life issues, effective behavioral interventions in long-term care, and mental health among aging prisoners. Dr. Allen is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and is on the editorial board of The Gerontologist. She teaches Clinical Psychology of Aging, Lifespan Development, Beginning and Geropsychology Practicum, and undergraduate statistics.
Lou Burgio, Ph.D. (1981, University of Notre Dame). lburgio@sw.ua.edu
Distinguished Research Professor and on staff at the Center for Mental Health and Aging. Dr. Burgio has done extensive work in applied gerontology and has been the recipient of continued NIH funding since 1990. He was a recent member of NIH’s National Council for Nursing Research. He is presently examining environmental and behavioral interventions for reducing stress in dementia caregivers in community and nursing home settings. Dr. Burgio, a recent recipient of the M. Powell Lawton award from APA (Div. 20) has authored over 130 articles, is a Fellow of APA, and has served on the board of editors for several aging related journals, including Psychology and Aging, The Gerontologist, Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, and Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Martha Crowther, Ph.D., M.P.H. (1998, Duke University). mrcrowther@as.ua.edu
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Director of Clinical Training and coordinator of the PhD/MPH program. Dr. Crowther’s research and clinical interests are in geropsychology. Her primary research examines the nature, impact and consequences of custodial grandparenting as well as designing effective interventions to reduce stress in this population. Additionally, she has explored the relationship between spirituality, mental health, and well-being across the life span. She has published journal articles and book chapters on psychology and aging, cultural competency in research and clinical practice as well as caregiving. Dr. Crowther teaches Geropsychology Practicum and Cultural Competency.
Forrest Scogin, Ph.D. (1983, Washington University in St. Louis). fscogin@as.ua.edu
Professor. Dr. Scogin is a clinical psychologist with research interests in geropsychology, depression, and psychotherapy research. He has published many articles on these topics. Dr. Scogin is a Fellow of APA and GSA, and has served on several editorial boards. Dr. Scogin regularly teaches Principles of Psychotherapy and Geropsychology Practicum.
A. Lynn Snow, Ph.D. (1998, Texas A&M University). lsnow@bama.ua.edu
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology. Dr. Snow’s main research interests are in the area of improving quality of care in nursing home residents, particularly topics of the evaluation and management of pain in residents with dementia, and the process of nursing home organizational change. She is also interested in developing and evaluating assessments and treatments of other psychological disorders in persons with dementia (especially depression, agitation/aggression, and quality of life).
INFORMATION & APPLICATION: Applications forms available online at: http://graduate.ua.edu. Or contact: Mary Beth Hubbard at mbhubbard@as.ua.edu, (205) 348-1919. APPLICATIONS DUE December 1.
Best regards,
Rebecca S. Allen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
Center for Mental Health and Aging
The University of Alabama
"As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-- Nelson Mandela
