Medical psychology 20357 225295910 2008-07-12T23:08:52Z Dr.quillin 6063136 '''Medical Psychology''' refers to an emerging branch of clinical psychological practice in which psychologists, who have undergone additional specialized education and training, may prescribe medications in the care and management of patients. In the United States, New Mexico and Louisiana, and several branches of the military currently authorize these psychologists to prescribe medications. In Louisiana, the term of 'medical psychologist' refers, in statute, specifically to those psychologists authorized and licensed to prescribe medications, and mirrors precisely the terminology of the United States [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] (DEA). The definition of '''"Medical psychology"''' approved by Division 55 of the American Psychological Association (APA), "is that branch of psychology that integrates somatic and psychotherapeutic modalities into the management of mental illness and emotional, cognitive, behavioral and substance use disorders. Medical psychologists may, where legally authorized, prescribe, order or consult regarding prescriptions of somatic treatment modalities, and monitor medications and/or other somatic treatment interventions, as well as order and interpret laboratory studies or other medical diagnostic studies such as might be consistent with enabling state statutes." (ASAP - Tablet 8.4, 2) '''Medical psychology''' (related to '''Clinical Health Psychology''', '''Psychosomatic Medicine''', and '''Behavioral Medicine''') may also refer to a branch of clinical psychology in which clinicians have trained in the biological aspects of mental illness in relation to physical illness. It adopts the [[biopsychosocial]] approach to medicine, which revolves around the idea that both the [[body]] and [[mind]] are indivisible, and that disease and illness are not identical. Continuing with this line of thought, all [[disease]]s whether of the mind or of the physical body must be treated as if they have both been affected. <!-- This belief that the corporeal and the physical bodies are one is by no means new. [[Socrates]] introduced the [[Greece|Greeks]] to this idea in several of his works, however for a time in the [[Early Modern]] period, it was lost to [[René Descartes]]' (also known as Cartesian) belief of the two separate bodies. Only recently has this arcane thought been reintroduced into [[medical school]]s across the world. -- does this sentence make sense? --> The intent of Medical Psychology is to apply knowledge from all branches of social, psychological, and biological medicine in the prevention, assessment, and treatment of all forms of physical illness and the adaptation to illness; specific behavioral, psychotherapeutic, and pharmaceutical methods are used to help the person respond to illness and prevent further illness through matching coping and management skills to the person’s abilities, character, and [[personality style]]. == Background == Clinical practitioners and [[philosopher]]s today believe that the [[Cartesian]] model that separates the biological from the mental aspects of the organism is incorrect. It is necessary to have a new and broader model for health and illness that integrates the biological, psychological and social factors. == Education == An important contribution of medical psychology is in the education of [[patient]]s ([[psychoeducation]]) in [[disease]] processes. Frequently, such patient and family education insures a substantially better adherence to the treatment recommendations. Medical psychologists are particularly successful in the treatment of [[asthma]], [[gastroenterology|gastrointestinal]] illnesses, [[cardiology|cardiac]] conditions, [[spinal cord injury|spinal cord]] and [[brain damage|brain injuries]], [[chronic pain]], [[headache]]s, and [[addiction]]s ([[drug addiction|drug]]s, [[tobacco smoking|smoking]], [[eating disorder]]s, [[alcoholism|alcohol]], etc.). This definition has expanded and today the medical psychologists obtain additional [[postdoctoral]] studies after they get their doctoral degree ([[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], or [[Psy.D.]]) in [[clinical psychology]]. In 2006, the American Psychological Association (APA) recommended to integrate: The following ''Clinical Competences'': I. Basic Science: [[anatomy]], & [[physiology]], [[biochemistry]]; II. Neurosciences: [[neuroanatomy]], [[neurophysiology]], [[neurochemistry]]; III. Physical Assessment and Laboratory Exams: physical assessment, laboratory and radiological assessment, medical terminology and documentation and integration of this assessments and documentation; IV. [[Clinical Medicine]] and [[Pathophysiology]]: pathophysiology with emphasis on the principal physiological systems, clinical medicine, differential diagnosis, clinical correlation and case studies, chemical dependency and chronic pain management, integration of this topics; V. Clinical and Research Pharmacology and Psychopharmacology: [[pharmacology]], [[clinical pharmacology]], [[pharmacogenetics]], [[psychopharmacology]], developmental psychopharmacology, integration of this topics through supervised clinical or laboratory experience in Clinical Medicine and ongoing treatment monitoring and evaluation; VI. Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics: professional, ethical and legal issues, combined therapies and its interactions, computer-based aids to practice, pharmacoepidemiology, integration of this knowledge through supervised clinical experience or laboratory experience; VII. Research: methodology and design of psychopharmacology research, interpretation and evaluation, FDA drug development and other regulatory processes, and with the ''Supervised Clinical Experience'' while they applied their clinical knowledge, and were assessed in their practical skills and competencies. == See also == * [[Health psychology]] == External links == http://division55.org/ American Psychological Association - Division 55 - American Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy http://division55.org/ContinuingEducation.htm Postdoctoral training programs in clinical psychopharmacology http://www.apapractice.org/apo/insider/professional/psychopharmacology.html# Psychopharmacology Examination for Psychologists (PEP) http://division55.org/TabletOnline.htm Division 55 newsletter "The Tablet" {{Psychology}} [[Category:Branches of psychology]] [[de:Medizinische Psychologie]] [[es:Psicología médica]] [[he:פסיכולוגיה רפואית]] [[pt:Psicologia médica]]