Clinician Spotlight: Stephanie Romo, B.A.

December 15, 2019

Where did you go to undergrad?

New York University

Did you always know you wanted to work in a medical setting or have any previous medical setting work exposure before graduate school?

Before graduate school, I worked at Shriners Hospitals for Children - Boston as a research coordinator. My work focused on the long-term physical and psychosocial outcomes of children and teens recovering from burn injuries. Shriners was a wonderful example of a multidisciplinary team. My experiences solidified my passion for working in medical settings.

Why did you choose to join the Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative run by Drs. Rybarczyk and Jones? Did you hear anything in particular from other students that made you want to work in primary care?

The Primary Care Training Collaborative at VCU is part of what led me to apply to this graduate program. I had heard from others that it was a great opportunity to work with individuals who might not otherwise have access to mental health services. As a Latina, I know that there are many barriers to accessing mental health care for people in Latinx communities.

What primary care clinic(s) do you work in?

Currently, I work at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU Children's Pavilion.

What clinical populations are you interested in working with (Age groups, problem areas, any other thing you can think of)

I am really passionate about working with the Latinx community in Richmond. I enjoy working with children and teens and their parents. I have a wide range of clinical interests: identity formation, the intersection between Latinx and LGBTQ+ identities, parent and child communication, school concerns, ADHD, and internalizing problems.

What have you liked about your primary care rotation?

I have enjoyed working with so many wonderful patients. I have also liked getting to collaborate with different providers to help maximize the support we can provide to patients.

What are your big takeaways from your work in primary care so far? How do you think this opportunity will prepare you for the workforce when you graduate?

I have learned a great deal about shorter-term psychotherapy. I feel like my work in primary care has made me a more effective therapist across the settings I work in. I also really value that often, our sessions are patients' first encounters with mental health professionals. Helping normalize and destigmatize mental health concerns and seeking services has been a very important part of my work in primary care. I think my primary care experiences have helped prepare me for working in many different clinical settings. I feel as though it has opened up future possibilities for me.