The Ph.D. Clinical
Psychology program of PSMHS aims at training clinicians to
approach the profession from a scientific perspective and to
become competent in the production of new knowledge using
scientific methods. PSMHS Ph.D. Clinical Psychology program
is based on the Scientist-Practitioner model of professional
psychology as articulated by the Boulder Conference of 1949
(Raimy, 1950). Further elaboration and updating of the model
was accomplished through the National Conference on
Scientist/Practitioner Education and Training for the
Professional Practice of Psychology (Belar & Perry, 1992).
The Scientist/Practitioner model aims at fostering the
development of both research and clinical competencies in
the training of Clinical Psychologists. Clinical
Psychologists trained within the Scientist/Practitioner
model use a scientific epistemology in their approach to the
discipline of Psychology and guide their clinical work by
the tenets of Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology (EBPP).
Mission of the Clinical Psychology PhD Program
Based upon its Scientist/Practitioner model, the Clinical
Psychology Ph.D. program of Ponce School of Medicine and
Health Sciences (PSMHS) is training a new generation of
Clinical Psychologists to contribute towards the development
of the psychological and behavioral sciences in Puerto Rico
and to provide high quality health services to persons and
communities of diverse sociocultural backgrounds and
lifestyles.
Program Goals
The program goals and objectives are based upon the Cube
Model for competency development in professional psychology
(Rodolfa, et al., 2005)
Goal #1: Prepare students to become competent clinical
psychologists capable of integrating the knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and values that serve as the foundation of
clinical practice and capable of assuming an evidence-based
scientific perspective of the profession.
Goal #2: Prepare clinical psychologists for the ethical
delivery of evidence-based psychological services when
assuming the contemporary roles of the profession in diverse
clinical situations.
Competency-Based Program Objectives
Content Area
(Foundational)
Competency
Reflective
Practice-self-assessment Competencies
Program graduates will conduct
themselves professionally within the boundaries of
competencies, with a commitment to lifelong
learning, engagement in scholarly work, critical
thinking, and a commitment to the development of the
profession.
Scientific knowledge-
methods Competencies
Program graduates will demonstrate
scientific mindedness and apply scientific
methodology in their professional practice.
Relationship
Competencies
Program graduates will demonstrate
ability to form and maintain professional
relationships with clients, colleagues, supervisors,
faculty, other multidisciplinary healthcare team
professionals, and community members in accordance
with the ethical standards and values of the
profession.
Ethical Competencies
Program graduates will demonstrate
independence and confidence in complex ethical
reasoning and decision making in their clinical
practice.
Individual- cultural
Diversity Competencies
Program graduates will demonstrate
awareness, attitudes of respect, and appropriate
responses regarding intersecting and complex
dimensions of diversity (e.g. gender, socioeconomic
status, affectional orientation, ethnicity, physical
and mental capacities, religion, spirituality, and
age) in their professional practice.
Interdisciplinary
Competencies
Program graduates will demonstrate
ability to recognize and engage in opportunities for
effective collaboration with other professionals
toward shared goals and actively enhance team
interdisciplinary functioning.
Content Area
(Functional)
Competency
Assessment & Testing
Competencies
Program graduates will demonstrate
understanding and solid command of clinical
assessment and use of psychometric and personality
tests.
Therapeutic Intervention Competencies
Program graduates will be able to
appropriately select and implement psychological
interventions and document therapeutic progress
accurately.
Consultation
Program graduates will effectively
articulate, implement, and evaluate consultation
services/ interventions, applying a variety of
intervention models appropriate for a broad range of
settings.
Education and
Supervision competencies
Program graduates will utilize
appropriate supervisory and teaching
strategies/skills in enhancing the professional
functioning of the more junior colleagues and
monitoring the quality of professional services.
Research Competencies
Program graduates will be able to
apply current research to their clinical practice,
to exercise command of different methods of
scientific inquiry and to develop new knowledge on
issues relevant to the understanding of the
psychological, neurobiological and psychosocial
determinants of human behavior.
Management and Administration Competencies
Program graduates will be able to
serve as competent managers and administrators by
applying a variety of models appropriate to lead
direct delivery of professional services in a broad
range of settings.
Contact
Information
Chairperson:
José
Pons Madera, Ph.D.
Administrative
Assistant:
Jean
Marie Schmidt, M.ED.
Telephone:
(787) 813-5700, (787) 844-5209
Location:
Psychoneurometric Resources and Educational Center
