Directors Welcome
Welcome to the UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research (UCSD EDC) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program! Our program aspires to educate and train future researchers and clinicians to be on the cutting edge of eating disorder science and practice. The UCSD EDC is an international leader in developing and employing new treatments based on research on the neurobiology of anorexia and bulimia. Our center provides high quality, state-of-the art care to adults, adolescents, and children. Research from our center is responsible for advancing the eating disorder field's understanding of how neurobiological processes create and sustain eating disorders. It is our goal to recruit talented eating disorder clinicians and researchers who can further our center's mission of providing high quality care and developing innovative new treatments for eating disorders.
Our programs are growing quickly and we accept applications for both clinical and research postdoctoral fellows on a rolling basis starting in early fall. Individuals in our program have the opportunity to train alongside world renowned eating disorder expert, Dr. Walt Kaye, and a team of highly skilled researchers and clinicians. Fellowship programs are individualized to the trainee and opportunities are available in multiple clinical settings to encourage diversity of training. See below for a description of available fellowship positions.
We welcome your interest in our program. Please contact me to inquire more about our fellowships. If you wish to apply for any of the positions listed below, please email me a cover letter and CV indicating which position(s) you are interested in.
Leslie Karwoski Anderson, PhD
- Training Director
- UCSD Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research
- Department of Psychiatry
- University of California, San Diego
- 4510 Executive Drive, Suite 315
- San Diego, CA 92121
- landerson@health.ucsd.edu
- (858) 534-8068
Clinical & Research Postdoctoral Positions
University of California, San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research is an international leader in employing new treatments based on research on the neurobiology of eating disorders and related problems. We have IOP and day treatment programs for adults, adolescents, and children with eating disorders, as well as a medical stabilization unit in conjunction with Rady Children’s Hospital. UCSD EDC’s programs are growing quickly and we are currently accepting applications for both clinical and research postdoctoral fellows.
Current eating disorder treatments are of limited efficacy. New insight into neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to symptoms is supporting development of more effective interventions. The UCSD program is unique in that it has faculty and staff who focus on combining research into neurobiology with treatment development. This is an exciting opportunity for individuals to learn about brain and behavior and apply this knowledge to new treatment approaches. We are also very interested in fellows who come from backgrounds outside of eating disorders, like anxiety, substance, trauma, pediatrics, and we have a strong preference for candidates who have experience or interest in DBT or FBT. Many of our postdocs stay on in permanent staff or faculty positions.
Clinical Postdoctoral Positions
Clinical postdoctoral fellows: for our Adult, Adolescent, and/or Pediatric Programs. We treat patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED), Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS), and Other Specified Eating or Feeding Disorder (OSFED), a category that includes subclinical eating disorders and atypical eating disorders (e.g., exercise bulimia, purging disorder). Additionally, our program offers targeted treatment for other conditions that are seen in patients with eating disorders, including substance abuse/dependence and trauma. This training experience includes weekly didactics, opportunities for intensive training in DBT and FBT, the chance to work closely with a multidisciplinary team, and many of our postdocs stay on in permanent staff or faculty positions. Job duties include individual, group, and family therapy, with opportunities to participate in treatment development research.
We are also very interested in fellows who come from backgrounds outside of eating disorders, like anxiety, substance, trauma, pediatrics, and we have a strong preference for candidates who have experience or interest in DBT or FBT.
One of the strengths of our 2-year postdoctoral fellow program is that we provide in-depth training in evidence-based treatment approaches. In addition to weekly individual supervision and mentorship, this includes an intensive orientation to eating disorders, an intensive DBT training, and an intensive FBT training at the beginning of the training year; along with weekly didactics and multiple weekly supervision groups and consultation teams; and occasional opportunities for additional training such as conferences. Clinical fellows typically cross-train in two different programs (one year in each) to maximize both breadth and depth of training.
Required Qualifications
- Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology
- APA accredited doctoral program
- APA accredited pre-doctoral internship preferred
- In-depth knowledge and demonstrated skill in provision of evidence-based individual, group, and family psychotherapy.
- Experience in treatment of eating disorder patients OR experience in a related area, such as substance use, anxiety or trauma.
- Preference for demonstrated experience in providing therapy to individuals with eating disorders at different levels of care, including residential/inpatient, day treatment, outpatient, and IOP.
- Preference for DBT and Family-Based Therapy trained candidates.
Benefits Include
- Although not required, there are opportunities to participate in a variety of research opportunities. Most of our clinical fellows co-author papers and/or posters while here. Many participate in development of novel research projects.
- Competitive salary and benefits.
- Training and supervision with expert psychologists, including nationally recognized trainers in DBT, FBT and CPT.
- Potential opportunities to stay on as a staff or faculty psychologist after fellowship.
- Weekly didactics and consultation teams.
Research Postdoctoral Positions
1) Clinical Research Postdoctoral Fellows:
To specialize in treatment development and treatment outcomes. We are developing cutting edge treatment for eating disorders based on research on neurobiology and temperament. We also have a number of studies examining the delivery of treatment in different formats, such as higher levels of care, intensive family weeks and in partnership with community outpatient mental health clinics. Many of our postdocs stay on in permanent staff or faculty positions.
Required Qualifications
- PhD in Clinical Psychology
- APA accredited doctoral program.
- APA accredited pre-doctoral internship preferred
- Experience in treatment development and outcomes assessment.
- Preference for DBT and Family-Based Therapy trained candidates.
- Established track record of publications and grant activity
2) Neurobiology Research Postdoctoral Fellows:
We are seeking applicants with a strong research interest and experience in the neurobiology of eating disorders to complete individually-tailored research training in the neurobiology of eating disorders. The mission of our program focuses on translating neuroscience to treatment, and to achieve this goal, postdoctoral fellows have the opportunity to learn various research methods and participate in several ongoing projects. This includes opportunities to learn to conduct neuroimaging research (including advanced MR techniques such as the human connectome fMRI protocol, arterial spin labeling, diffusion imaging, functional connectivity), neurocognitive studies, computational modeling and/or machine learning, EEG, and basic science methods including testing and developing animal models and stem cell models of eating disorders. We have a strong team of investigators in each of these areas who are committed to mentorship, including Dr. Walter Kaye, Dr. Christina Wierenga, Dr. Guido Frank, Dr. Amanda Bischoff-Grethe, Dr. Alan Simmons, Dr. Stephanie Dulawa, and Dr. Allyson Moutri. The postdoctoral fellows will also be able to participate in our currently funded projects, which include fMRI studies of temperament and incentive processing in adolescent eating disorders (R01MH113588; MPI: Wierenga, Bischoff-Grethe), learning to reward and punishment in adolescent anorexia nervosa (R21MH118409; PI: Wierenga), and choice behavior and neural underpinnings of binge eating in adults (R01MH112681; PI: Frank), as well as pharmacological studies (R21MH120475; PI: Frank; CMCR award; PI: Gray). Funding for pilot studies and conference attendance is also available. We are committed to training successful academic clinical researchers and offer hands-on training in grant-writing skills, MR image and statistical analysis tools (AFNI, FSL, R), and manuscript preparation. In addition, the research fellows have access to a broad range of training opportunities through the Department of Psychiatry (https://medschool.ucsd.edu/som/psychiatry/Pages/default.aspx) and UCSD at large, which offers state-of-the-art research facilities and ranks 7th in the country among research universities for sponsored research. The training experience for research fellows also includes weekly didactics, lab meetings, seminars, and the chance to work closely with a multidisciplinary clinical and research team to translate neuroscience into improved treatment of ED.
Required Qualifications
- Doctoral degree in clinical psychology, neuroscience, bioengineering or related field.
- Preference for strong background and training in cognitive neuroscience and advanced statistics.
- Previous experience with eating disorders preferred
- Experience working with clinical adult and adolescent populations, neuropsychological testing, or programming is desirable.
We will accept applications until the positions are filled. To apply for any of these positions, please email a cv and cover letter indicating which position(s) and program(s) you are interested in to Training Director Dr. Leslie Anderson, Ph.D. landerson@health.ucsd.edu
Current Postdoctoral Fellows
Clinical Psychology Fellows
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- Gaby Bagnara, PsyD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
- Alexandra Barth, PhD
- Medical Behavioral Unit
- Eva-Molly Dunbar, PhD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
- Rachel Lapidus, PhD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
- Sarah Levinson, PhD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
- Susan Murray, PhD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
- Naomi Pak, PhD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
- Jaclyn Purkiss, PsyD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
- Lisa Velkoff, PhD
- La Jolla Outpatient Clinic
Past Postdoctoral Fellows
- Britt Bohrer, PhD
- Psychologist, UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research
- Allison Wagner, PhD
- Clinical Psychologist, UCSD Student Health
- Deena Muno
- Psychologist, Rady Children’s Hospital Medical Behavioral Unit
- Joseph Donahue, PhD
- Clinical Psychologist, Lifespan Rhode Island
- Anna Karam, PhD
- Psychologist, UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research
- Alyssa Chimiklis, PhD
- Psychologist, Equip Behavioral Health
- Courtney Simpson, PhD
- Psychologist, Adult Program Manager, UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research
- Chelsea Vanderwoude, PhD
- Clinical Psychologist, Ohana Medical Group
- Laura Berner, PhD
- Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt Sinai
- Erin Reilly, PhD
- Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco
- Tiffany Brown, PhD
- Assistant Professor, Auburn University
- Julianna Gorder, PsyD
- Psychologist, UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research
- Carly Hadjeasgari, PsyD
- Psychologist, BrightMind Therapy
- Megan Frazier, PsyD
- Staff psychologist, ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition
- Tana Luo, PhD
- Psychologist & Director of Admissions, Equip Behavioral Health
- Alissa Maitino, PhD
- Clinical Psychologist, everyBody Behavioral Health
- Natalia Orloff, PhD
- Psychologist, Equip Behavioral Health
- Terra Towne, PhD
- Psychologist, UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research
- Jennie Wang-Hall, PhD
- Private Practice, San Diego, CA
- Kathryn Ward, PhD
- Staff Psychologist, Rady Children’s Hospital Medical Behavioral Unit
- Dani Gonzales, PsyD
- University of Southern California
- Michelle Jones, PhD
- Staff Psychologist, Eating Recovery Center of Dallas
- Laila Madni, PsyD
- Private Practice
- Adjunct Faulty, Antioch University
- Kim Claudat, PhD
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Adult Program Director, UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center
- Molly Berman, PsyD
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Hematology/Oncology and Nephrology Units, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego
- Ali Ely Inacker, PhD
- Emily Hennrich, PhD
- Staff Psychologist at SD Kids First
- Jackie Shiels, PsyD
- Child and Family Psychologist, Fremont Kaiser
- Stuart Murray, PhD
- Della Martin Associate Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the USC Keck School of Medicine
- Anne Cusack, PsyD
- Staff Psychologist, UCSD Eating Disorders Center
- Tamara Maginot, PhD
- Associate Clinical Professor, Director, Rady Children’s Hospital Medical Behavioral Unit
- Jessie Menzel, PhD
- Senior Director of Clinical Training, Equip Behavioral Health
- Ana Ramirez, PhD
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Pediatric Program Director, Staff Psychologist, UCSD Eating Disorders Center
- Sarah Gillis Eckhardt, PhD
- Psychologist, Center for the Treatment of Eating Disorders at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
- Stephanie Knatz-Peck, PhD
- Director of Intensive Family Therapy Program, Staff Psychologist, UCSD Eating Disorders Center
- Erin Parks, PhD
- Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of Equip Behavioral Health
- Jennie Lacy, PhD
- Family Program Manager, Staff Psychologist, Veritas Collaborative
- Danyale McCurdy-McKinnon, PhD
- Private Practice, Clinical Psychology Director, UCLA Fit for Healthy Weight Clinic