Department of
Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry

Rotations

The fellowship is organized around clinical time spent as part of WVU Medicine’s Medical and Surgical Weight-Loss Program or in other clinical rotations (Transplant or Pain) as well as Minor Rotations (1/2 to 1 day per week for 12 months). The plan of training can be individualized to meet the fellow’s training goals and interests.

Bariatric Clinic

Supervisors: Stephanie Cox, PhD, ABPP

Location: Chestnut Ridge Center/ Department of Surgery

WVU Bariatrics offers a comprehensive medical and surgical weight loss program including bariatric- trained surgeons, mid-level providers, dieticians, and psychologists. The fellow has the opportunity to work as part of these multidisciplinary teams in both assessment and intervention capacities. Fellows receive training in pre-surgical psychological evaluations to determine a patient’s appropriateness for surgery. Additionally, fellows can provide treatment to patients both pre and post surgically. Concerns commonly addressed include engagement in behavioral changes, treatment of disordered eating behavior, stabilization of psychiatric symptoms, etc. The fellow also has the opportunity to attend team case review meetings and observe surgical procedures. The fellow will also have the opportunity to lead and/or co-lead a monthly support group for pre- and postoperative patients.

Bariatric Surgery (Primary Rotation)

This core component of the fellowship offers in-depth training within WVU’s nationally recognized multidisciplinary Bariatric Surgery Program. Fellows play a central role in the psychological care of patients pursuing surgical weight loss, including:

  • Conducting comprehensive pre-surgical psychological evaluations
  • Delivering individual and group-based interventions in both pre- and post-operative phases
  • Facilitating and participating in ongoing support groups

As part of this rotation, fellows also gain valuable experience in related non-surgical weight management services, which are integrated within WVU’s stepped-care approach to obesity treatment.

Behavioral Weight Loss

  • Provide assessment and intervention to support health behavior change and lifestyle modification
  • Collaborate with health promotion programs such as Finding Wellness

Medical Weight Management Clinic

  • Serve as a member of the multidisciplinary team
  • Offer consultation and psychological treatment for patients pursuing non-surgical weight loss
  • Address disordered eating concerns and promote treatment adherence

Through this comprehensive rotation, fellows develop the skills to support patients across the full continuum of obesity care from behavioral and medical interventions to surgical treatment.

Transplant Clinic

Supervisor: Laura Campbell, PhD ABPP

Location: Chestnut Ridge Center, Virtual/ WVU Medicine Transplant Alliance

WVU Medicine is home to West Virginia’s first and only multi-organ transplant center, making heart and kidney transplant at an academic medical center a reality for people across the state and region. The fellow has the opportunity to work as part of a multidisciplinary transplant team in both assessment and intervention capacities. Fellow receive training in pre-transplant psychological evaluations to support the patient and the team towards a successful transplant surgery. Additionally, interns can provide treatment to patients both pre and post- transplant. Concerns commonly addressed include adherence, engagement in behavioral changes, stabilization of psychiatric symptoms, etc. The fellow also has the opportunity to attend team case review meetings.

Transplant Psychology (Major Supplemental Rotation)

Fellows participate in psychological evaluations for candidates and donors involved in kidney, heart, and living donor transplant procedures. This rotation offers rich experience in psychosocial assessment, decision-making capacity, and risk stratification, and strengthens the fellow’s role within integrated medical teams managing complex care.

Behavioral Sleep Medicine (optional)

Supervisor: Angelo Giolzetti, PsyD

Location: Chestnut Ridge Center

The Adult Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic provides specialized, evidence-based assessment and intervention services to adults and older adults presenting with a broad range of sleep–wake disorders. Interns gain experience delivering empirically supported interventions for sleep disorders while working with patients who often present with complex medical and psychiatric comorbidities.

Interns will receive training in comprehensive sleep evaluations, including diagnostic interviewing, differential diagnosis of sleep–wake disorders, use of sleep diaries, actigraphy (when applicable), and standardized assessment instruments. Emphasis is placed on developing strong case conceptualization skills grounded in behavioral sleep medicine principles and learning to design individualized, evidence-based treatment plans. A central component of the rotation is extensive training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) in both individual and group formats. In addition to insomnia treatment, interns may work with patients experiencing other sleep-wake disorders such as parasomnias, circadian rhythm–sleep–wake disorders, and narcolepsy as well as patients experiencing difficulty adhering to positive airway pressure (PAP/CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea.

Chronic Pain (optional)

Supervisor: Colleen Lillard, PhD

Location: Chestnut Ridge Center

Description: Chronic pain is often an associated comorbidity of obesity. For this reason, the fellow may wish to increase expertise in chronic pain. The goal of the rotation is to increase fellow’s knowledge of various chronic pain disorders often encountered in behavioral medicine settings including low back pain/ disk disease, radicular pain, neuropathic pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, and pain associated with malignancy, etc. Assessment is a primary focus of this rotation including evaluations to determine risk for opioid abuse/ misuse and pre-surgical psychological evaluations. The fellow may also participate in an intensive treatment program for Opioid Use Disorders (COAT Program- Compressive Opioid Addiction Treatment). Opportunities to work across disciplines with various medical sub-specialties and to work within an interdisciplinary pain center also exist.

Supervision: Fellows will meet with each of their supervisors for a total of 2 or more hours per week of individual supervision. Additionally, fellows receive informal supervision in the course of observing therapy or conducting co-therapy with the supervisor, staffing after intake evaluations, and in multidisciplinary meetings.

Major Rotation Components:

Evaluation/Assessment:Assessment is a focus of the fellowship year as the fellow provides comprehensive psychosocial evaluations to patients. As the fellow progresses, the fellow will shift to performing evaluations independently with supervision.

Individual Therapy:Fellows will gain experience in individual psychotherapy throughout the year. Fellows can gain more experience in providing care to individuals pre and post operatively, and with a variety of concerns including adherence, adjustment, treatment of disordered eating, weight loss interventions, and health behavior change. Depending on the fellow’s previous individual therapy experience, the fellow frequently begins observing and modeling a supervisor providing therapy, advances to doing co-therapy with the supervisor and then begins seeing patients independently with supervision. A strong emphasis is placed on conducting empirically supported treatments from a cognitive-behavioral perspective, both brief and more long-term interventions.

Group Therapy: Fellows participate in group therapy experiences including Binge Eating/ Emotional Eating Therapy Group and Support Group for our Bariatric Surgery program.

Supervision/ Mentorship: Fellows will meet with each of their supervisors for a total of 2 or more hours per week of individual supervision. Additionally, fellows receive informal supervision in the course of observing therapy or conducting co-therapy with the supervisor, staffing after intake evaluations, and in multidisciplinary meetings.

Our program follows a junior-college model with strong focus on training. Fellows receive in depth mentorship and supervision. We work closely with our fellows and trainees receive supervision in the course of observing therapy or conducting co-therapy with the supervisor, staffing after intake evaluations, and in multidisciplinary meetings. Additionally, mentorship goes far beyond supervision. We provide the fellow with professional development, guidance, and support throughout their training year and beyond.

Minor Rotation Experiences

Fellows may select a combination of Minor Rotations, adding up to 1/2 days per week total. Opportunities include a variety of settings and treatment modalities, inpatient and outpatient, and medical and psychiatric settings. The minor rotations are designed to complement clinical experiences so as to ensure an in-depth experience. Minor rotations are individualized, with the specific composition of the experiences determined based on the interests and training needs of the individual fellow. Efforts will be made to honor the fellow's preferences, but cannot be guaranteed. Experiences may be brief observational (such a 1-time observation) or last for the duration of the year. The minor rotation plan may be modified as the training year progresses.

At the beginning of the training year, fellows will discuss their preferences with the training director. The rotations will be chosen based on these interests, the training needs as determined by the training director in conjunction with the fellow, and the overall schedule. Modifications to the minor rotation plan may occur through the training year. Additional opportunities not listed may also be available.

Available experiences are listed below (depending on availability):

  • Diabetes Clinic
  • Psychiatry Consultation and Liaison
  • Primary Care
  • Neuropsychology
  • Other options depending on supervisor availability 

Additional Rotations / Educational Opportunities

Pain Management

Involves psychological evaluations for opioid candidacy or implantable devices and opportunities for treatment within an integrated pain management center.

Pre-treatment Evaluations

Fellows conduct psychological assessments for medical or procedural readiness, including adherence and risk evaluations.

The fellowship includes four days per week of direct clinical service, with a half-day of protected time for didactics and education, and a half-day reserved for research activities, if elected.

This training program offers a dynamic and supportive environment for developing advanced clinical skills while contributing to innovative interdisciplinary care. Graduates of the program are well-positioned to pursue careers in academic medical centers, integrated health systems, or private practice settings specializing in health and behavior.