POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

The University of Iowa Department of Psychiatry/Women’s Wellness & Counseling Service is currently accepting applications for 1 Postdoctoral Fellow in Perinatal Mental Health Care for 2025/26. The Women’s Wellness & Counseling Service (WWC) was founded in 2007 and is the product of a unique collaboration between the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics-Gynecology. Located at University of Iowa Health Care - Iowa’s premier academic medical center - the WWC has the unique distinction of being the only clinic in the state to provide comprehensive, specialized perinatal psychotherapy and medication management services in an outpatient setting. In addition to cutting-edge clinical services, we provide high-quality education and training to clinicians and student-learners, and design research protocols that highlight the value of our clinical and training efforts. 

A multidisciplinary treatment model based upon collegial and patient collaboration is our greatest strength, and we are committed to upholding optimal standards of inclusion and diversity. Our staff includes perinatal-trained psychologists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, social workers, doctoral-level students, resident physicians, and medical students. As a division of the Department of Psychiatry, the WWC benefits from the vast resources and support of this dynamic and diverse department. WWC providers are located at 3 different clinic sites and participate in various innovative initiatives including a Health Psychology program with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Care (hospital fertility clinic), an Inpatient Antepartum Mental Health Care Clinic, collaborative care in the Supporting, Opportunities, Achievements, and Recovery (SOAR) Clinic for maternal substance use disorders, and mental health care for parents whose children are hospitalized in the Stead Family Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The 2025/26 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Perinatal Mental Health Care will offer exceptional opportunities that will produce a highly marketable, well-rounded graduate positioned to excel in a variety of desirable career settings. The fellowship program will include approximately 2000 hours of specialized training (including paid time off, vacation, and sick leave) in clinical psychology; 1500 hours will be supervised professional experience as required by the Iowa Board of Psychology for licensure purposes. 

The Fellowship is a full-time (40 hours per week) position and will include the following activities:

Psychotherapy Services (~30 hours per week): Care will be provided to individuals and/or couples who are planning to conceive, coping with infertility, pregnant or postpartum, suffering from perinatal loss, or coping with OB-GYN medical concerns. Treatment will include both in-person and telehealth care options. Our 2025/26 Fellow will work with the WWC Director to develop a clinical care program that will enhance or extend the clinical work or training that is already being done in the WWC. This initiative will be considered their Capstone Clinical Project and will also form the basis of their Fellowship Research Project, identified below.

Research (~6 hours per week): In collaboration with the WWC Director, the Fellow will develop a Fellowship Research Project that will detail the impacts of their Capstone Clinical Project. The ultimate goal of this endeavor will be a Psychiatry Grand Rounds presentation and the submission of a scholarly product to a relevant peer-reviewed journal. 

Education, Training, and Professional Development (~4 hours per week): The Fellow will benefit from a variety of educational opportunities within the WWC as well as in the Psychiatry Department and larger hospital system. Activities include weekly WWC multidisciplinary team meetings/didactic seminars and Psychiatry Grand Rounds, and may include OB-GYN Grand Rounds and other hospital educational programs. Training will include weekly individual supervision with the WWC Director. The Fellow may also have the opportunity to provide clinical supervision to doctoral-level psychology students and will be encouraged to present professional lectures and programs to clinic, department, and hospital staff, as well as to external agencies.

Iowa City is an attractive, family friendly, college town with abundant local and world-class cultural, theatrical and musical events, top ranked schools, and outdoor recreational attractions. The Iowa City area is often ranked as one of the most livable communities in the nation (Livability.com). To learn more about our great community please visit the Iowa City website: https://gme.medicine.uiowa.edu/discover-iowa .

Completion of a doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an APA/CPA accredited program and completion of an APA/CPA accredited internship prior to the start date in August 2025.

1. Completion of a doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an APA/CPA accredited program and completion of an APA/CPA accredited internship prior to start date in August 2025.

2. Cover letter that describes training goals for the fellowship year, a description of ways in which the applicant’s training and clinical experiences fit the mission and multidisciplinary composition of the WWC, and potential ideas for the Capstone Clinical Project/Fellowship Research Project.

3. Current CV

4. Graduate transcripts

4. Three letters of reference from the applicant’s a) internship director, describing progress and anticipated completion date; b) chair of the dissertation committee, detailing status of dissertation and the anticipated completion date of doctoral training; c) supervisor who is familiar with the applicant’s clinical work.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. It is expected that an offer will be made to an applicant by the Common Hold Date (2/24/25). Please contact WWC Director Stacey Pawlak, PhD at stacey-pawlak@uiowa.edu with questions.

Completion of a doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an APA/CPA accredited program and completion of an APA/CPA accredited internship prior to start date in August 2025.

To start the Online Application process for this position, click the "Apply for This Position" button located below the Contact Information.