The Samaritan Postdoctoral Residency Program allows residents to advance in clinical and professional skills as a psychologist-in-training practicing within an integrated medical setting. Our objective is to ensure competence and proficiency across the areas of clinical and health psychology including assessment, therapy, and consultation, at a deeper and more complex level of training than achieved at the end of internship, preparing residents to practice independently as licensed psychologists in medical / health settings.
We are recruiting two postdoctoral fellows for our Health Psychology residency program – with the option to specialize in Primary Care Behavioral Health or Cardiac Psychology.
Primary Care Behavioral Health Residents are highly valued within their home clinic and operate as anintegrated member of the primary care team.
Residents work as part of a multidisciplinary team with a focus on integrated behavioral health care within the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. The PCBH model emphasizes brief treatment of mental health and physical health related issues, consisting of 15–30-minute sessions, with focus on improving overall functioning in managing current difficulties. The purposes of the model are to improve access to mental health care, improve medical provider satisfaction and improve patient outcomes.
Residents also conduct warm handoffs to meet briefly with patients during regularly scheduled primary care appointments to introduce patients to behavioral health services. There is also an increasing focus on collaborative training with family medicine residents.
Opportunities to develop and co-lead group-based programs exist and are highly encouraged. Additionally, residents may have the opportunity to provide layered supervision to predoctoral interns within their clinic.
Residents also have the opportunity to gain additional health psychology skills through a minor rotation in a specialty clinic, such as cardiology, endocrinology, or OBGYN, dependent on provider availability and residents’ interests. Recent residents, for example, have completed a minor rotation in our outpatient cardiology clinic.
The primary supervisors for the PCBH track include Dr. Terra Bennett-Reeves and Dr. JoAnna Elmquist.
Behavioral health residents operate as an integrated member of Samaritan’s Heart Center. In this large outpatient clinic, residents provide behavioral health services to adult patients with CVD with the objective of managing cardiovascular behavioral risk factors and promoting adjustment to living with a cardiac condition.
Residents conduct curbside consultations with cardiology providers, facilitate warm hand offs, and offer targeted courses of behavioral health treatment using evidence-based interventions including motivational interviewing and CBT.
Common referrals include health behavior change such as smoking cessation, exercise engagement, and adoption of heart healthy dietary practices; promoting self-management of conditions including Heart Failure; and addressing depression and/or anxiety that’s developed following a cardiac event or diagnosis.
Residents also facilitate group-based programming including psychoeducational classes for a cardiac rehab program and co-lead a therapy group called Minding the Heart: Stress Management for Heart Health.
There are many exciting additional opportunities to develop new group programming as well as to collaborate with cardiologists on program development projects focused on primary and secondary prevention of CVD. Additionally, residents can provide layered supervision to predoctoral interns within their clinic.
Residents also have the opportunity to gain additional health psychology skills through a minor rotation in another specialty clinic, such as OBGYN or endocrinology, or in a primary care setting; this is dependent on supervisor availability and resident interest.
The primary supervisor for the cardiac psychology track is Dr. Julie Cunningham.
Our program’s mission is to provide a diverse group of residents with comprehensive training in integrated behavioral health care that emphasizes ethical practice while providing the skills to become effective leaders in the field of health psychology and confidently serve underrepresented or marginalized populations.
Residents typically spend three days/ week in their primary placement (Primary Care Behavioral Health or Cardiac Psychology), one day/ week in a minor rotation (options currently include cardiology, OBGYN, or primary care – dependent on resident’s primary placement), and one day/ week engaged in didactic and research activities.
Health residents are highly valued within each clinic and operate as an integrated member of the healthcare team. Regardless of clinic placement, residents work as part of a multidisciplinary team with a focus on integrated behavioral health care within the Primary Care Behavioral Health model (PCBH).
The PCBH model emphasizes brief treatment of mental health and physical health related issues, consisting of 15-30 minute sessions, with focus on improving overall functioning in managing current difficulties. Emphasis is on brief treatment with referrals to specialty mental health services for traditional psychotherapy in the community when identified as appropriate. The purposes of the PCBH model are to improve access to mental health care, improve medical provider satisfaction, and improve patient outcomes.
Residents also conduct warm handoffs to meet briefly with patients during regularly scheduled medical appointments to introduce patients to behavioral health services. There is also an increasing focus on collaborative training with family medicine residents.
Opportunities to develop and co-lead group-based programs exist and are highly encouraged. For example, the resident rotating in cardiology teaches psychoeducational classes for a cardiac rehab program and co-leads a therapy group called Minding the Heart: Stress Management for Heart Health.
Residents also have opportunities to develop their own clinical supervision skills through structured learning activities throughout the year, including providing layered supervision and co-facilitating a monthly diversity seminar for psychology interns.
Additionally, residents will gain additional breadth and depth of health psychology training through a yearlong minor rotation in another clinic – such as cardiology, OBGYN or primary care – dependent on supervisor availability, residents’ interests as well as their choice of primary placement.
Residents receive a minimum of three hours of individual supervision per week, one hour of group supervision each week and attend didactic seminars that align with their training interests and goals. Residents co-facilitate a monthly diversity seminar for psychology interns and also have the opportunity to provide layered supervision. Protected time and mentorship is provided to support residents’ completion of a research or program development project, which is one important milestone of the training year.
Stipend: $62,820
Additional benefits include: Health insurance benefits including options for vision and dental coverage, Malpractice insurance, 20 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) in addition to all federal holidays in which clinics are closed, Up to an additional two days of paid leave to take the EPPP and Oregon Jurisprudence Exam and one day to present at a professional conference, Reimbursement for EPPP and Oregon Jurisprudence Exam fees, so long as residents take and pass the exam(s) during their residency year, Access to EPPP study materials and protected time for EPPP studying, Reimbursement for Oregon licensure application fee.
Samaritan Health Service’s Residency program consists of one year of full-time training, with exception for extenuating personal circumstances (e.g., pregnancy leave, family leave). Completion of this residency satisfies Oregon’s licensure requirements, including the requirement to complete at least 1500 hours of psychological services (in no less than a 12-month period and no longer than a 24-month period, per Oregon licensure requirements). Candidates should be aware that if they are selected and accept a residency position with SHS, they will need to apply to be a candidate for licensure in Oregon in order to receive approval for a residency supervision contract, per OBOP requirements (OBOP- Chapter 858, Procedure 10, clause 3). Candidates will need to complete this OBOP application process over the summer, prior the start of the residency year; SHS faculty and staff will be available to provide guidance on this process.
Samaritan Health Services Health Psychology Post-Doctoral Residency program is currently not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Questions related to the program’s accreditation status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation.
Office of Program Consultation & AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association750 1st St NE, Washington DC, 20002Telephone: (202) 336-5979
Samaritan Health Services Health Psychology Post-Doctoral Residency program is not a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). We have submitted our application for APPIC membership status. If granted membership, we agree to abide by APPIC policies for postdoctoral training and we already abide by the APPIC Common Hold Date (CHD).
Learn more about APPIC training policies.
Contact APPIC regarding postdoctoral issues:
Wayne Siegel, PhD, ABPPVA Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN[email protected]
Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are due by Dec 6, 2024 and should be submitted through APPIC’s Centralized Application Service (APPA CAS): APPA CAS Postdoc Online Application (appic.org)
Applicants will be notified of their interview status by December 18, 2024.
All interviews will be conducted virtually for the upcoming recruitment season. Interview dates will be offered on January 7, 8 and 15, 2025. Interviews will be scheduled over a 2-hour period and involve the applicant meeting with residency program staff, current residents, and supervisors.
Director of Clinical Training: Terra Bennett-Reeves, PsyD
Assistant Director of Clinical Training (Residency): Julie Cunningham, PhD
Samaritan Health Services Psychology Postdoctoral Residency Program, contact Julie Cunningham, PhD, the Assistant Director of Clinical Training (Residency).
3640 NW Samaritan Drive, Suite 100Corvallis, OR 97330Email: [email protected]Phone: 541-768-5205Fax: 541-768-9382
