Dr. Melissa Cousino is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Cardiac Surgery at the University of Michigan, a pediatric psychologist, and Director of the University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center’s M-COPE Psychosocial Services and Research Program. Dr. Cousino received her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Case Western Reserve University through a NIH-funded research training program in pediatric psychology and completed her psychology internship and fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital where she was the first psychology trainee to participate in the Interdisciplinary Pediatric Palliative Care Fellowship Program through Harvard Medical School. Clinically, she primarily cares for pediatric and young adult patients requiring advanced cardiac therapies, including VAD and transplant, but leads a growing team of psychosocial clinicians to provide mental health care throughout the heart center, from fetal through adult congenital heart disease care. Dr. Cousino’s NIH funded research focuses on healthcare communication, medical decision making and psychosocial outcomes in pediatric advanced organ disease. Her team currently leads 9-grant funded studies related to mental health in pediatric and young adult heart disease. Dr. Cousino is internationally recognized for her contributions as a psychologist and behavioral health scientist in the field of pediatric heart failure and transplantation. As such, she serves on the Executive Leadership Team of the ACTION Learning Network and in various leadership roles for the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. She is actively involved in patient and parent-led advocacy and non-profit organizations, including her Scientific Advisory Board roles for both Enduring Hearts and Transplant Families.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe communication and decision making preferences of young people with advanced heart disease
- Identify one strategy for use in clinical practice to improve upon the psychosocial wellbeing or healthcare communication experience for young people with advanced heart disease
Speaker:
- Melissa Cousino, PhD
This seminar was delivered as a Pediatric Grand Rounds Lecture at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, on May 10, 2023.
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Course Includes
- 1 Lesson
- Course Certificate