Know and manage clinical assessments using appropriate instruments to design patient care planning” 

When a person is diagnosed with cancer, they feel that their life is ending. In many cases, patients withdraw into themselves and avoid talking about their feelings. Therefore, to optimize the doctor-patient relationship, it is necessary for psychologists to carry out a series of interventions to improve communication with all parties. Therefore, a good psycho-oncologist is trained to read the verbal and non-verbal behavior of the patient, paying attention to all the reactions they manifest.

With this program, students will be trained in psychological practice, developing their empathy and compassion, which are essential elements to establish a healthy relationship between health personnel and patients. Likewise, the elements of therapeutic communication will be described in a theoretical and didactic way, as well as the attitudes and methods to make it effective.

On the other hand, the assessment of the cancer patient's needs is essential to provide a better treatment. In this sense, students will know and handle such assessment by means of the appropriate instruments, such as the SF-36 Health Questionnaire or the Emotional Distress Screening Questionnaire (DME).

Finally, they will have the opportunity to learn the necessary steps in psycho-oncological research; from the formulation of a question and literature review, to sample selection, data collection, or the identification of dependent, independent and extraneous variables, as well as the degree of reliability, validity and the most frequent mistakes made in psycho-oncological research.

Get involved in the development of different research projects to formulate new theories and techniques” 

This postgraduate diploma in Clinical Assessment in Psycho-Oncology contains the most complete and up-to-date educational program on the market Its most notable features are:

• Practical cases presented by experts in Psycho-Oncology
• The graphic, schematic, and practical contents with which they are created, provide scientific and practical information on the disciplines that are essential for professional practice
• Practical exercises where the self-assessment process can be carried out to improve learning
• Its special emphasis on innovative methodologies
• Theoretical lessons, questions to the expert, debate forums on controversial topics, and individual reflection assignments
• Content that is accessible from any fixed or portable device with an Internet connection

Develop a plan for systematic research into the relationships between behavior and cancer” 

The program includes, in its teaching staff, professionals from the sector who bring to this program the experience of their work, in addition to recognized specialists from prestigious reference societies and universities.   

Its multimedia content, developed with the latest educational technology, will allow professionals to learn in a contextual and situated learning environment, i.e., a simulated environment that will provide immersive education programmed to prepare in real situations.   

The design of this program focuses on Problem-Based Learning, by means of which professionals must try to solve the different professional practice situations that are presented to them throughout the academic year. For this purpose, the student will be assisted by an innovative interactive video system created by renowned and experienced experts.    

Assess family threats, needs and resources, applying the necessary family assessment tools"

Detects and solves problems in the patients' communication with their doctors thanks to this postgraduate diploma"

The syllabus of this program is designed to foster the communication and empathic skills of psychologists specialized in oncology. Therefore, they will be able to ensure a healthy relationship between health professionals and patients, which is essential to ensure positive treatment outcomes. Likewise, they will learn to apply and interpret a series of questionnaires that will help to estimate the mental and emotional health of the patient. In this way, they will be able to work in a private practice or provide their services in a hospital. 

Providing support to the patient in the terminal stage helps to cope with the disease” 

General Objectives

• Gain in-depth knowledge of the area of study and development of the profession
• Know the application of psychology in the nursing care for cancer
• Define the functions of a psycho-oncology unit and the role of the psycho-oncologist in the health care setting
• Gain in-depth knowledge of the different therapeutic options in the psychological treatment of cancer
• Contribute to the control of mood alterations through appropriate psychological strategies
• Know how to assess and intervene in adaptive and maladaptive emotions and behaviors
• Understand the influence of the psychological aspects of each type of tumor and to contribute to their control by means of psychological strategies
• Know how to assess and intervene in adaptive and maladaptive emotions and behaviors of the different oncologic processes
• Know how to differentiate between adaptive and maladaptive emotions and behaviors at the end of life
• Explore and apply strategies for emotional self-regulation
• Know, evaluate, diagnose and intervene in the most prevalent psychological problems in palliative care
• Explore personal, social and cultural beliefs and values of the family in relation to illness and death
• Prepare for the loss
• Detect psychological reactions in the different phases of grief
• Provide appropriate individual and family bereavement support
• Prevent and identify pathological grief
• Gain in-depth knowledge of the basics and acquire basic communication skills
• Understand in depth the theoretical bases of the professional-patient relationship
• Be able to deliver bad news and answer difficult questions
• Elaborate an initial assessment (detailed clinical history) and analysis of the social and spiritual emotional impact on the patient and their family
• Know how to apply the instruments for the assessment of the patient and the family, useful and appropriate for each symptom and stage of the disease
• Know in depth the conceptual bases, the methodology, the systematics and the procedures related to research in psycho-oncology
• Search and La select information: electronic databases, websites, libraries, magazines, texts, etc
• Apply bioethical principles to daily clinical practice with special emphasis on the most complex and specific situations
• Deepen understanding in the conceptual and practical bases of ethics applied to the oncological process
• Analyze in a scientific, rigorous and systematic way, ethical problems from an interdisciplinary perspective
• Deepen understanding of the methodology of bioethics, rational and interdisciplinary, and know how to apply it to concrete or general situations

Specific Objectives

Module 1. Communication with the Oncologic Patient

• Work with Patient-Centered Psychology
• Appropriately handle difficult situations and dealing with bad news
• Prevent and detect communication problems (e.g., pact of silence) and enhance family members' resources and strategies
• Manage the most complex communication difficulties
• Reflect critically on one's own attitudes and communication skills, identifying elements for continuous improvement during the care process

Module 2. Evaluation and Measurement Instruments

• Evaluate the complex psychological problems 
• Apply assessment procedures and instruments for specific symptoms 
• Acquire the training and practice to conduct quality of life assessment; plan the assessment and use specific instruments, conduct functional analysis, case formulation and reporting 
• Assess family threats, needs and resources, and know how to apply family assessment tools 
• Manage comprehensive assessment tools in palliative and end-of-life care 

Module 3. Research in Cancer

• Design, develop and implement a research project 
• Formulate scientific research hypotheses 
• Analyze results and draw conclusions 
• Identify scientific communication of cancer research 
• Establish the ethical limitations of a research project 
• Have the ability to apply empirical evidence in patient care 
• Gain knowledge of good clinical practice guidelines and ethics committee standards 

It applies ‘Counselling’ techniques and develops communication skills with the patient to make important decisions in their treatment"