Doctor of Natural Medicine
Clinical Psychophysiology

Program Description
Clinical psychophysiology focuses on the amelioration / treatment and prevention of disease through teaching people techniques for recognizing and correcting abnormal physiological responses. The field has a long history of making major contributions to health care in both treatment and prevention arenas. For instance, relaxation techniques are widely recognized as being effective in both the treatment and prevention of headaches. However, the majority of the field’s techniques are only gradually making the transition from alternative medicine to mainstream medicine.

Effective incorporation of behavioral medicine techniques into the treatment of a wide variety of clinical problems has been stymied by (1) the lack of appropriate training in these techniques among health care providers and (2) the frequent poor design and small sample sizes utilized in studies supporting these applications. Even those techniques which have been well documented enough to be acceptable to the health care community, such as biofeedback for urinary and fecal incontinence, have not been widely used because few health care providers are trained to apply them effectively.

This is the only doctoral program in applied psychophysiology in the world at this time. The program is designed to train people to be true professionals in the unique constellation of assessment and interventional techniques which combine to form the clinical profession of applied psychophysiology. People already trained in another clinical profession will learn to knowledgeably and effectively incorporate the techniques of clinical psychophysiology into their practices.

This program was developed and tested through the Behavioral Medicine Research and Training Foundation's continuing education courses.

The doctoral program is designed for two groups of people.

1. Clinicians who are already independently licensed or certified at the Masters level will learn to use psychophysiological techniques to extend their scopes of practice within their credentials to include new types of patients with a wider variety of disorders by incorporating a wider variety of evaluative and interventional techniques into their current skill sets.
2. People who have completed their bachelor’s degrees but do not have a clinical background suitable for state certification or licensure will become professional clinical psychophysiologists capable of using psychophysiological assessment and interventional techniques with a wide variety of patients. Three additional courses beyond the core curriculum in basic clinical skills are rquired in order to insure that they have the clinical skills needed to work with patients safely and effectively. Both groups need to recognize that clinical psychophysiology is currently not certifiable or licensable in any state.
   

The core doctoral program consists of a combination of distance based lecture courses, laboratory experiences, seminars, and training experiences for a total of 90 credits.

Each student will also perform a doctoral dissertation based on a publication quality, original study under the guidance of a committee consisting of a faculty chair from within the specialization and at least two doctoral level members who are subject matter experts.

Everyone entering the program must have had the equivalent of an undergraduate course in general biology and general psychology as well as certification in Basic Life Support (CPR).

Writing is a crucial part of the program. Students who can not write at the level of a senior in college will have to arrange to take a writing course before starting the program.

The program is designed to be offered mainly via distance education supported by several hands-on training sessions per year. The distance courses are usually provided through audiovisual lectures recorded on CDs and student - teacher interaction via the internet following each lecture. The entire program is likely to take three to four years to complete.

Our courses are open to anybody who is interested in taking them. People who are not matriculated at the UNM may be especially interested in those courses used toward certification in biofeedback by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA) such as A&P for Psychophysiologists and Psychophysiological recording and intervention / general biofeedback. They may also be interested in courses having applications to people from diverse fields such as Pain assessment and intervention from a psychophysiological perspective.

Required course for all students

Course prerequisites for students entering the program without clinical credentials

1. Patient - Therapist Interactions - 5 credits including a one credit lab and a one credit clinical
   experience
2. Introduction to Patient Assessment - 5 credits including a one credit lab and a one credit
   clinical experience
3. Introduction to Coordination with Other Health Care Providers - 5 credits including a two
   credit clinical experience

Transfer credits: A limit of four courses can be transferred into the program unless they were taken through the Behavioral Medicine Foundation.

Projected program costs:
Students are responsible for having a computer capable of running modern word processing and statistical software as well as supporting both web and internet connections. Students are responsible for all computer communication related expenses.

1. Students who are already licensed / certified in a clinical field: Courses cost $150 per credit exclusive of books, materials, and supplies. The estimated cost of books and materials cost per course is $150 including the cost of purchasing full text copies of articles from libraries and the cost of using a local medical library. The laboratory experiences held concurrently with the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback’s (AAPB) annual meeting and one additional time per year entail travel, hotel, and food costs. There is an extra $200 per credit cost for ten of the laboratory experiences which adds $2,000 to the cost of the program. There will also be additional costs associated with performing the doctoral dissertation and attaining the required hours of clinical supervision. Thus, the 90 credit program for students already licensed / certified in a clinical field would be about $15,500 for the courses and an additional $3000 for materials (books, reprints, $150 statistical software etc.) for 18 courses which is a total of $18,500 exclusive of travel expenses.
2. Students who are not licensed / certified in a clinical field: Students who begin the program without clinical training take an additional 15 credits spread across three courses and have three more laboratory experiences to attend. The cost of the additional didactic program for these students would be approximately $2,850 for the courses and $450 for books, etc. for a total addition of $3,300 exclusive of travel expenses. Thus, the cost of the program for this group would be approximately $21,800 exclusive of travel expenses.
3. Cost of individual courses: Courses taken by people who are not matriculated at the UNM have to pay an administrative fee of $33 per credit which brings the total cost to $183 per credit. Non-matriculated students can take a maximum of four courses.

Brief Descriptions of Course Contents
Full course descriptions and requirements are in the syllabus for each course

1. Introduction to Psychophysiology - The Biological Basis of Behavior - 3 credits
   Instructor: Rich Sherman, Ph.D.
   This course provides an overview of what psychophysiology is. Topics include nature vs. nurture & mind vs. body; research techniques in psychophysiology; establishing credibility & recognizing bad science; elements of psychophysiological recording; communication within the body with chemicals and electricity; behavioral genetics; nervous system structure and function; mechanisms and organization of sensation; mechanisms of eating and; hormonal control of behavior; biological rhythms; drug and alcohol addiction; memory; and psychophysiology of stress and pain.
   
2. Anatomy and Physiology for Psychophysiologists - 3 credits
   Instructor: Rich Sherman, Ph.D.
   This is a graduate level course in human anatomy and physiology as applied to behavioral medicine. Each basic structure and organ system is discussed with regard to both anatomical aspects and physiological functions as they change over time and in relation to both the external and internal environment. The nervous system is not emphasized as it is detailed in an other course. Interactions between the complex web of hormonal feed-back loops and disregulation of behavior, emotions, and drives is discussed in relation to implementation of behavioral interventions. Other areas emphasized are respiratory physiology, behavioral immunology, psychophysiology of pain, interactions between pain, stress, and muscle tension, pathophysiology of headache, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, and basic kinesiological concepts. This course meets the A&P requirements for certification in general biofeedback and neurofeedback set by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of American (BCIA) and was developed in conjunction with their staff.
   
3. Psychophysiological Recording and Intervention / General Biofeedback - 4 credits including a 1 credit laboratory Instructor: Rich Sherman, Ph.D.
   This course provides a basic understanding of the physiology and methodology underlying common psychophysiological recording techniques used in behavioral medicine including surface electromyography, electroencephalography, respiration, blood pressure, pulse rate, skin temperature, and electrodermal responses. Sufficient knowledge about how common psychophysiological recording and biofeedback instruments function and are used is provided so students can incorporate psychophysiological aspects of assessment into their normal practices. This course also teaches the principles and applications of biofeedback as used in educational and clinical settings. It does not emphasize electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback as this is covered in a separate course. The strengths and weaknesses of evidence supporting the use of biofeedback for a variety of clinical disorders is reviewed and the techniques for actually doing biofeedback are detailed. Techniques for using biofeedback as a tool for shaping and conditioning responses to stress are emphasized. The laboratory portion of the courses provides sufficient hands on exposure to typical, clinical grade psychophysiological recording and biofeedback equipment and techniques that students will be able to recognize adequate and inadequate signals and be able to attach sensors to their patients appropriately so that good signals can be recorded. The laboratory gives students an opportunity to use biofeedback techniques with other students. Techniques for using sEMG biofeedback and other psychophysiological techniques to correct problems including movement disorders, pelvic floor disorders, etc. are discussed. This course meets the blueprint requirements for certification in general biofeedback by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA).
   
4. Research and Statistics in Psychophysiology - 4 credits including a one credit home based analysis practice program. Instructor: Rich Sherman, Ph.D.
   This course covers the basic steps and time-line of a project, steps in formulating and maturing a question, research ethics, the protocol approval process, background and literature searches, and methods of determining a project's feasibility and relevance. The logic and progression of study designs used to evaluate the efficacy of behavioral medicine studies is detailed and exemplified. Topics include single subject and single group designs - cohorts, multiple group designs, strengths and weaknesses of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, prospective experimental vs. observational and retrospective designs. The course also covers research protocol design, the consent form, and the protocol review process. This section covers subject selection techniques (sampling, inclusion - exclusion, etc.), kinds of data (dichotomous, nominal, ordinal, continuous, etc.), techniques for hardening subjective data, validity and reliability, survey and questionnaire design, as well as pilot studies and the initial power analysis - feasibility and resources.
   The statistics section is designed to teach students how to analyze typical study designs used in behavioral medicine. It includes qualitative and quantitative data reduction and analysis, descriptive statistics in clinical practice, inferential statistics - parametric and non-parametric, power analysis, pattern analysis, and analysis of outcome and quality of life studies. The practical experience is performed at home using data analysis software to analyze practice data sets.
   
5. Pain Assessment and Intervention From a Psychophysiological Perspective -3 credits
   Instructor: Rich Sherman, Ph.D.
   This course describes the underlying psychophysiology of pain and summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of evidence supporting the efficacy of self-regulatory interventions for prevention and reduction of various pain problems. Interactions between pain, stress, and muscle tension are emphasized. Extensive examples of how to perform psychophysiological interventions for various psychophysiologically maintained and magnified pain states are provided. The pathophysiology of migraine, tension, cluster, rebound, medication induced, and other types of headaches is reviewed. Current schema for differential diagnosis of the various types of headache are discussed in relation to interactions between behavioral medicine providers, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and other health care providers. The evidence supporting the efficacy of behavioral interventions for various types of headaches is reviewed. Detailed examples of patient education and training materials are provided along with typical behavioral training regimes and pathways.
   
6. Overview of Behavioral and Complimentary Medicine - 3 credits
   Instructors Don Moss, Ph.D. or Rich Sherman, Ph.D.
   This is a basic introduction to what behavioral medicine is, how it relates to other healing practices, as well as its basic concepts and models. The course covers development of behavioral medicine in both a historical and comparative perspective. The roots of behavioral medicine are traced from its beginnings in pre-historic healing practices through development of "mind-body dichotomies", and into more current times where it is compared with healing practices throughout the world. The course also provides a balanced overview of a selection of complimentary and alternative medicine interventions recently and currently practiced in the "West". The section is designed specifically to provide students with practice in and techniques for objectively assessing the validity of claims presented in formats different than usually acceptable to current "Western" science. This is essentially a section on critical thinking and concept/data strength evaluation.
   
7. Principles and Theories of Stress Management and Relaxation / Imagery Training -
   4 credits including a one credit laboratory Instructor: Don Moss, Ph.D.
   This course provides the basic information on the principles and theories underlying the application of stress management techniques in a variety of settings including the workplace, schools, and clinical practice. The course provides a historical perspective on development of these practices and a comparative approach to their use among the world's cultures. Methods for identification of stressors are emphasized. Practices reviewed include meditation, autogenic exercises, humor, progressive muscle relaxation training and many others. Evidence supporting the efficacy of these practices in preventing and correcting stress related problems is detailed. The indications, non-indications and contra-indications of relaxation therapies are discussed. The course then provides detailed instruction in how to perform these techniques including typical multi-session regimes, handout, etc. The laboratory gives students a chance to practice these techniques under supervision on each other.
   
8. Nervous System Functions in Psychophysiology - 3 credits
   Instructor: Gerry Kozlowski, Ph.D.
   The course covers central and peripheral nervous system anatomy and physiology and finishes with an emphasis on nervous system pathophysiology. The brain/spinal cord plexus is discussed from both anatomical and physiological perspectives concentrating on plasticity in response to changes in the external and internal environment as well as viewing the system as an interactive organ with hormonal, nerve based, and blood flow based feedback and control systems. Current theories of memory formation and change with time and emotions are emphasized as are effects of emotions and the environment on brain function. Psychophysiological recording methodology including EEG and scans such as MEG and PET are examined in relation to their uses in behavioral medicine. Neurological disorders centered on the CNS (such as epilepsy) are discussed in relationship to psychophysiological evaluations and behavioral interventions. The anatomy and physiology of the autonomic and somatic branches of the peripheral nervous system are discussed to provide a basic understanding how the system works in relationship with the whole body's function and health. Emphasis is on the ever-changing balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic portions of the autonomic nervous system which alters functions of nerves, glands, and muscles which can be trained to achieve a balanced life. The impact of the somatic nervous system on perception and action is also emphasized.
   
9. Recording and Altering the Brain’s Activities Through Neurofeedback and Other Techniques - 4 credits including a 1 credit laboratory session
   Instructor: Graham Patrick, ARNP, Ph.D.
   This course teaches the principles of recording the brain’s activities through PET scans, blood flow assessment, Functional MRI, EEG, etc. as applied to psychophysiological assessments and interventions. The basic psychophysiology of the EEG signal is reviewed in relationship to educational applications and disorders (such as epilepsy and ADHD) treated with EEG biofeedback. The strengths and weaknesses of evidence supporting the use of EEG biofeedback for a variety of clinical disorders is reviewed and the techniques for actually dong EEG biofeedback are detailed. This course meets the blueprint requirements for certification in neurofeedback by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA).
   
10. Behavioral assessment and psychologically oriented techniques - 4 credits including a 1 credit laboratory session. Instructor: Don Moss, Ph.D.
    This course includes techniques for incorporating behavioral assessments into psychophysiological assessments and then how to incorporate standard psychological interventions into psychophysiologically oriented interventions. Techniques for individual assessment through the clinical interview are taught in relation to assessment of patients being considered for behavioral medicine oriented interventions. The ways individual clinical psychological testing can assist in the assessment patients being considered for behavioral medicine oriented interventions are described. Students learn sufficient information about typical tests to communicate effectively with psychologists giving and scoring these tests.
    The standard techniques of behavior therapy, psychotherapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy are described and students are taught the elements of their application. Uses of these approaches with specific types of clients and integration of these techniques into behavioral medicine interventions is discussed. Behavioral interventions of disorders including fear, pain, chronic anxiety, gastrointestinal disorders, and phobia are used as examples of how to incorporate psychophysiological interventions into standard treatment regimes.
    The laboratory provides students with an opportunity to conduct supervised assessments of other students in order to learn, hone, and practice assessment skills.
    
11. Behaviorally oriented techniques including wellness, conditioning, and meditation - 4 credits including a one credit laboratory. Instructor: Don Moss, Ph.D.
    The course covers three main areas: (a) wellness and community / group psychophysiology, (b) operant and classical conditioning, and (c) meditation techniques. Wellness programs for maintaining and increasing the health of individuals and of specific communities such as students in a class, older people in an assisted living community, workers in an office or factory are becoming increasingly popular. The evidence supporting the efficacy of these programs is reviewed and ways to optimize such programs, in light of this evidence, for different groups is discussed. Classical operant and instrumental conditioning are powerful tools which can be used to shape the behavior of individuals and groups in the work/school and clinical setting. The history of, supporting evidence for, and basic techniques for each type of conditioning are presented. The standard techniques of self-hypnosis, and imagery training are described and students are taught the elements of their application. Uses of these techniques with specific types of patients and integration of these techniques into other behavioral medicine interventions is discussed. The history, supporting efficacy studies, and basis for the major meditation techniques are described in relation to self-regulation. The research studies demonstrating that use of meditation techniques can result in control of autonomic functioning and in re-regulation of physiological functioning to ameliorate a variety of disorders is reviewed. The laboratory gives students an opportunity to practice behavioral techniques on other students while being supervised.
    
12. Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology - 2 credits.
    Students will receive an overview of basic pharmacology and then learn typical pharmacological treatments for common disorders in patients likely to present for behavioral medicine interventions (for example, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory disorders, neurological disorders, toxicology, and pain syndromes) and how to integrate these basic principles into behavioral medicine treatment plans. Medications likely to create symptoms of common psychophysiological disorders will be discussed.
    
13. Psychophysiological Assessment of Sleep - 4 credits including a one credit observational experience
    This course covers the basic psychophysiology of sleep and sleep disorders as well as psychophysiological and other methods of assessing sleep. Students will arrange to spend a minimum of two days (nights) observing a modern sleep assessment laboratory in action including data acquisition and analysis.
    
14. Psychophysiological Applications in the Community, School, Sports, and Workplace - 4 Credits including a 1 credit educational application Instructor: Wes Sime, Ph.D., Ph.D.
    Effectively working within large organizations to increase work efficiency, decrease accidents, and increase morale while decreasing stress related absences, disorders, and conflicts is a complex task being requested by more and more employers as the impact of stress on the workforce become better recognized. Optimal performance in these environments is difficult but achievable with appropriate training. The research supporting the efficacy of such efforts is reviewed and the typical techniques for interventions with diverse groups are illustrated. A wide variety of behavioral interventions have been effective in enhancing and optimizing performance in many settings. Effects include increased endurance and accuracy under many circumstances - especially within sports and the military. The evidence supporting this assertion is reviewed and examples are provided of specific interventions shown to be effective in specific circumstances. Effective presentation of behavioral medicine concepts to diverse groups is a daunting task which requires considerable training and experience. Practices are frequently augmented through communicating with peers, other health care professionals and administrators, the public, and potential patients. Effective methods for presenting to each type of group are very different but have been well worked out. Typical presentation methods for workshops, lectures, and public appearances are presented which are likely to optimize understanding of behavioral medicine techniques.
    Educational experience: Students need to learn how to present the concepts and value of behavioral medicine techniques to a variety of audiences if they are going to be able to use their new skills in their clinical environments because patients need to be attracted to programs, other clinicians need to understand how behavioral medicine fits into clinical treatment programs, and administrators need to understand the economic and clinical value of the techniques. Once sufficient credits are accrued to have completed four quarters, each student must give at least two talks each to people representative of (1) the public, (2) clinicians, and (3) administrators before they can graduate. Talks are planned with the assistance of the student's advisor and a brief outcome report of each talk must be approved by the advisor before credit for the talk can be given.
    
15. Clinical Hypnosis - 4 credits including a one credit lab Instructor: Eric Willmarth, Ph.D.
    The standard techniques of Clinical Hypnosis are described and students are taught the elements of their application. Uses of hypnotic techniques with specific types of patients and integration of these techniques into other behavioral medicine interventions is discussed. The laboratory gives students an opportunity to practice these techniques on other students while being supervised. It is the intent of this course to 1. Provide students with a basic background and appreciation of the history of clinical hypnosis and provide and introduction to a variety of current theories of the mechanisms of hypnosis. 2. Provide students with fundamental skills needed to induce a hypnotic state and a knowledge base to make clinical use of the hypnotic condition in a variety of situations. 3. Provide students with sufficient knowledge to understand pertinent legal and ethical considerations related to the use of clinical hypnosis. 4. Provide an overview of the empirically validated uses of hypnosis.
    
16. Applications of Neuromuscular Reeducation in Biofeedback - 4 credits including a one credit lab Instructor: Susan Middaugh, PT, Ph.D.
    This course teaches the elements of kinesiological movement science and how control of movement is distorted by different clinical conditions. The course includes the elements of (a) trigger point, (b) posture, and (c) motor control / coordination assessment. Methods for using psychophysiological recording techniques for assessment of movement related disorders and postural problems are illustrated. The impact of poor posture and improper sequencing of muscle motions as well as of improper levels of tension on development and sustainment of various pain problems such as tension headaches and low back pain are discussed. Techniques for using sEMG biofeedback and other psychophysiological techniques to correct these problems are illustrated. Issues of which techniques should be applied by which types of professionals given various training and scopes of practice are discussed. The laboratory gives students an opportunity to learn these assessment and correction techniques.
    
17. Ethical, Legal, and Professional Standards Issues in providing psychophysiological care
    2 credits Instructor: Seb Striefel, Ph.D.
    This course discusses ethical, legal, and professional standards issues in relationship to people from numerous fields adding psychophysiological interventions to their practices. Issues such as changes in scope of practice as well as limitations and guidelines set by governmental and professional organizations are discussed. The ethics of providing care for patients in the psychophysiological arena are discussed with special emphasis on use of unsubstantiated techniques into standard practice. The intent of this course is: To provide students with a basic understanding of both the role and function of ethical principles, legal issues and professional behavior so they can apply that knowledge in their professional activities. To provide students with a strategy for resolving ethical dilemmas and for reducing risks for clients/patients and themselves. To provide students with practice in resolving potentially problematic situations via the use of case examples.
    
18. Pelvic Floor Disorders and Sexual Dysfunctions - 3 credits
    Instructors: Rich Sherman, Ph.D. and Jeff Kisling, MFT
    This course provides a basic understanding of pelvic floor functions and structures along with clinical etiologies of pelvic floor disorders treated by behavioral interventions. Urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and muscle tension related pelvic floor and vaginal pain are emphasized. Sufficient information on research supporting behavioral interventions, clinical protocols for behavioral interventions, and sufficient simulated demonstrations are presented to bring health care providers to the point where they have the knowledge base needed to provide these interventions to their clients, within their scopes of practice and expertise, after the providers gain hands-on experience by working with experienced practitioners. The pathophysiology and psychopathology underlying common sexual dysfunctions is detailed. Evidence supporting the efficacy of behavioral interventions for specific sexual dysfunctions is presented and their methodology is exemplified.
    
19. Clinical Practicum and field experience - 4 credits
    Instructor: Mary Scholz, RN, Ph.D.
    No amount of course-work can replace properly supervised hands-on experience when it comes to learning how to actually apply new skills. Students are required to accrue a minimum of 90 hours in actual practice of psychophysiology. These hours can be obtained in any clinical setting which the student and advisor agree upon. Students are responsible for making financial and administrative arrangements with the director of each clinical setting. The staff of the setting is entirely responsible for supervising the student's clinical work at that setting and must agree to send the college a detailed report of the student's experience and progress. Specific learning objectives for each site are developed conjointly with the student, the student's advisor, and whoever is responsible for the student at the clinical site. Each site must be approved in writing by the student's advisor before work can begin at that site. No credit is given for hours worked until a report of successful completion of the agreed-upon learning experience is received from the site.
    
20. Dissertation planning seminars and dissertation preparation - 8 credits
    Instructor: Rich Sherman, Ph.D.
    Performing research is a crucial part of the learning experience at the doctoral level. A research based, clinical dissertation must be completed before graduation. The program is designed so that work on the dissertation blends with other training received during the program's academic years. The dissertation project is designed to make an original contribution to the clinical literature in psychophysiology and to be directly and practically related to the student’s intended clinical practice. Four credits of dissertation work are completed each year. Students participate in regularly scheduled Dissertation Seminars twice for each credit. At each seminar, a small group of students (not more than six) gather via voice based internet chat room to discuss their ideas, progress, and problems with their own dissertations under the leadership of an experienced faculty member. Potentiation takes place as students from a variety of fields positively support each other with ideas and suggestions for strengthening their projects. The seminars progress through all phases of designing, performing, analyzing, and writing the dissertation.
    
21. Professional Development planning seminars - 2 credits spread across the first year of the program Instructor: Mary Scholz, RN, Ph.D.
    Taking the time to plan how to integrate newly acquired psychophysiological skills into one's professional life is critical to insuring that the program is worth pursuing. Students participate in Professional Development Seminars given four times spread across the program’s first year to aid in preparing a plan which will be ready to be put into effect by the time the program has been completed. The plan is intended to be a guideline for application of psychophysiological skills in each student's unique setting, be it private practice, an institutional setting or any other system or combination.
    
22. Clinical Case Seminars - 4 credits spread across the second year of the program
    Instructor: Mary Scholz, RN, Ph.D.
    Students meet in a voice based internet chat room to discuss psychophysiologically oriented cases they have worked with. The discussion is led by an instructor who also presents appropriate teaching material. These discussions are intended to guide students toward an understanding of how to incorporate psychophysiological assessment and interventional techniques into their usual approaches to patient care and to provide a bridge between the theoretical material presented during the lecture courses and the realities of modern clinical applications.
    
23. Dissertation - 10 credits. Coordinated by student’s dissertation chair.
    The dissertation project is designed to make an original contribution to the clinical literature in psychophysiology and to be directly and practically related to the student’s intended clinical practice. Students perform work on their dissertations in sequence with the dissertation planning seminars. A research committee must be selected by the end of the program’s first six months and fully written research protocol must be ready by the end of the first year. The dissertation is performed under the guidance of the committee’s chair who is normally also the student’s program advisor. The completed dissertation should be handed in when sufficient credits have been accrued to graduate.
    

Basic Clinical Skills Courses
For people entering the doctoral program without a clinical degree

1. Patient - Therapist Interactions - 5 credits including a one credit lab and a one credit clinical experience. Instructor: Russ Hicks, MD
   Students will learn how to set an appropriate environment, how to establish appropriate rapport with patients, and how to make appropriate records of all patient contacts. They will practice their skills on each other and then follow a practitioner through the medical records production and review process for at least two days.
   
2. Introduction to Patient Assessment - 5 credits including a one credit lab and a one credit clinical experience. Instructor: Russ Hicks, MD
   Participants must have completed their basic life support certification before taking this course. Students will learn to take a good clinical history and perform a basic physical screening examination. The presenting symptoms and underlying pathophysiology of disorders likely to be encountered - especially diseases producing psychophysiological symptoms - will be emphasized. The exams will include proper techniques for (a) taking blood pressure, (b) neurological screen, (c) mental status screen, (d) posture and motor control assessment, and (e) trigger point exam. Students will practice their assessment interview and examination techniques during the laboratory and will follow a clinician for at least two days as the clinician performs intake physical exams and takes patient histories.
   
3. Introduction to Coordination with Other Health Care Providers - 5 credits including a two credit clinical experience. Instructor: Russ Hicks, MD
   Students will learn what other providers do when assessing and treating patients with psychophysiological disorders and will spend a minimum of four days following practitioners from at least four different specialties as they assess and treat patients with disorders of the type they are likely to encounter.

SAMPLE COURSE SYLLABUS

Biological Basis of Behavior / Introduction to Psychophysiology

Professor: Richard A. Sherman, PhD rsherman@nwinet.com

Course Concept and Description: This 3 credit course explores the manifold ways the brain and body work together to produce behavior and the cycle between behavior and physiology. The course begins with a description of the body’s organizational structure and genetics as related to behavior. The basic physiological ways information is received from the external and internal environments through a variety of sensors and then processed by the hormonal / nervous system are described. Typical psychophysiological dysfunctions and interventions are also described.

Prerequisite:
You must have taken undergraduate level basic psychology and general biology to take this course.

Required Texts:

1. Pinel, John P.J., Biopsychology. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn, & Bacon, 4th ed., 2000 (ISBN 0-205-28992-4) or 5th ed, 2003 (ISBN 0-205-34984-6). You may save money by ordering it on line from any of the large book venders such as Barnes & Nobel or Amazon.
2. Course CD containing the audiovisual lectures and additional reading materials.

Course Objectives:

1. An introduction to the physiological basis of behavior.
2. Emphasis on anatomical, physiological and biochemical correlates of normal and abnormal behavior.
3. An introduction to the use of apparatus and techniques used in modern research in this area.
4. Development of an experimental, scientific approach and orientation.

Format:
Home study supported by phone and e-mail chats after each unit is completed. The course is divided into 14 units. Each unit consists of a recorded audiovisual lecture, one of more chapters of reading in the text, review questions to be answered, and a real time recitation with me. The lecture portion of the course is presented through a series of audiovisual lectures profusely illustrated by power-point slides. You will receive a CD containing both the audiovisual lectures and a copy of the slide set upon which the lectures are based so you can make notes on your copy of the slides as you attend the lecture. Reading assignments in the Pinel book parallel the lectures. After watching the lecture and reading the chapters, you will answer a brief series of essay questions. When you e-mail me the answered questions and I send my evaluation back to you, we will discuss each unit via e-mail or, if necessary, by phone. This provides ample opportunity for you to ask questions and for me to clear up gray areas and give you extra information of topics of special interest to you. After the discussion, you will proceed to the succeeding lecture & chapters. When you e-mail a review question set to me, please mark it and the attachment file name using the topic number you are answering. You must attempt to correct any mistakes you make on your review assignments.

Topics we will cover (Note: Each topic corresponds to one set of review questions.):

1. Definitions and Concepts - what is this field and how does it relate to the rest of the world?
   (Lecture 1; Pinel chapter 1)
2. Credibility of Information - research techniques, recognizing bad science (Lectures 2, 2.1, 2.2;
   Pinel chapters 1 and 5 in both editions)
3. Evolution and Behavioral Genetics - evolution of behavior and communication, genetics of
   behavior (Lecture 2.6; Pinel chapter 2 in both editions)
4. Anatomy and Physiology of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems - stomach brain,
   plastic homunculus (Lectures 3, 3.1, 3.2; Pinel chapters 3& 4 in both editions plus
   chapter 9 in the 5th edition if you have it)
5. Hormones and Behavior - pheromones, sex, nerve - hormone interactions
   (Lecture 3.6; Pinel edition 4 chapter 11 or chapter 13 in edition 5)
6. Mechanisms of Sensation/Perception - vision, hearing, touch (pain, electrical), smell, taste,
   balance/location, etc. (Lectures 4, 4.1; Pinel edition 4 chapters 7 & 8 or chapters 6 & 7 in
   edition 5)
7. Motor control systems - (Lecture 4.4; Pinel edition 4 chapter 9 or chapter 8 in edition 5)
8. Eating and Drinking - balance and disorders (Lecture 4.6; Pinel edition 4 chapter 10 or
   chapter 12 in edition 5)
9. Biological Rhythms and Sleep (Lecture 4.8; Pinel edition 4 chapter 12 or chapter 14 in edition
   5)
10. Drug Addiction (Lecture 5; Pinel edition 4 chapter 13 or chapter 15 in edition 5)
11. Learning, Language, and Memory (Lecture 5.4; Pinel edition 4 chapter 14, 15, & 16 or
    chapters 11 & 16 in edition 5 )
12. The Malfunctioning Brain - brain damage, neuropsychological problems, developmental
    problems, chemical imbalances (Lecture 5.6; Pinel edition 4 chapters 6 & 17 or chapter
    10 in edition 5)
13. Emotions - stress, aggression, mental illness (Lecture 6; Pinel edition 4 chapter 17 or
    chapters 17 and 18 in edition 5)
14. Psychophysiological interventions (Lectures 9, 9.2, 9.4)

Library / Internet:
You can’t pass this course without being able to use a fully equipped professional level library. Your internet access puts all of the resources you will need at your fingertips. Learn to find and use the National Library of Medicine’s medical literature site (www.nih.gov/health) so you can locate citations (and frequently abstracts) for material you will need for your paper and report.

About reading the book:
I really expect you to read the book or I would not have assigned it. I don’t believe in wasting your money just so you can say you have seen some new book covers. You need to understand that I do not teach from the book. I cover material in the same order as presented in the assigned readings but usually go well beyond the depth covered in the book in selected areas I feel are crucial to understanding the point or to bring you a different perspective (scientists rarely agree on much of anything). Thus, you need to keep up with the assigned reading to understand what I am talking about when you view the CD based audiovisual lectures and to answer the review questions. Material from both the readings and the lectures are in the review questions. You can’t answer the set by just knowing material from one or the other.

Methods of Evaluation:
Papers:
You will write one paper for this course. Papers are graded for style, originality, and factual content. They must be fully referenced. Only use professional references. Do not get your information from “popular” internet sites, lay magazines, etc. You will be docked one full grade for each week the paper is late. You can e-mail a draft of the paper to me a minimum of 48 hours in advance of the due date for an initial look-over. I will make recommendations for strengthening the final result. It is simply too difficult for me to keep track of the comments I make on each paper. Thus, when you re-submit your paper, include my comments or I won’t re-look at it. You will write a paper not less than six nor more than twelve double-spaced pages long on any topic in physiological psychology of professional or personal interest to you which you and I agree upon. You must get my agreement on the topic not later than the fifth week of the course. This paper must be e-mailed to me by the last date the course is scheduled for. The long paper is worth 20% of your grade.

End of unit essay questions:
These are the 14 sets of review questions described above which you will send me after watching each lecture and doing the course reading. The review questions file is on your CD. The review assignments are your “exams” and are graded as such. Before answering a set of review questions, insure that you have viewed the lecture associated with the questions (as detailed in the above list of topics) and have read the correct material in the text. When you e-mail me a set of review questions, label it with its topic number rather than the lecture number or book chapter number. You can either attach a file with your answers or put them in the body of the e-mail. There are a total of 100 short essay questions divided unevenly between the 14 sets of review questions. The review questions are worth a total of 80% of your grade. Thus, each short essay question is worth 0.80 points toward that 80%.
You have one opportunity to attempt to correct any mistakes noted in my comments. If you successfully correct all mistakes, you will earn 80% of the lost points. Thus, if you get an essay wrong and correct it, you can earn 0.64 points for that question. When you re-submit a set of questions for re-review, you must include my comments or I won’t look at it because otherwise I would have to re-read your entire submission.

Grading:
The paper is 20% of your grade. The answers to your “end-of-unit” essays are worth a total of 80% of your grade.
Letter grades are assigned as follows:
A = An average of 90 or above on the above requirements.
B = An average of 80 - 89.
C = An average of 70 - 79.
F = An average of less than 70
I = Incomplete
W = Withdrew.