Kristen J. Alston, PhD

Kristen J. Alston, PhD

Associate Professor

Department:
SOM-Family Medicine

Email:
kalston@umc.edu

Work Phone:
(601) 984-5425

Biography

Kristen J. Alston, Ph.D. is a Clinical Health Psychologist, the Assistant Dean for Society and Medicine at the UMMC School of Medicine, and a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at UMMC. In her clinical role, she works collaboratively with residents, physicians, and other healthcare providers as a part of an integrated care team providing behavioral health clinical services to patients with comorbid behavioral concerns and acute/chronic health conditions. In her administrative role, she works to help guide the creation of a learning environment that facilitates the training of skilled and compassionate physicians to provide the highest quality of healthcare to all patients. She earned her B.S in psychology from Howard University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from East Carolina University. She completed internship training at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, M.I., and fellowship training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. In addition to her clinical interests, which include primary care health psychology and working as a part of an integrated health care team, Dr. Alston’s teaching interests include physician wellness, assessment and management of behavioral health concerns in a primary care setting, and patient/provider communication skills. Her research interests include examining treatment adherence and the management of behavioral and acute/chronic health conditions. Dr. Alston also has interest in mental health advocacy as it relates to eradicating mental health stigma. In 2020, Dr. Alston served as the first African American President of the Mississippi Psychological Association.

Education

University of Mississippi Medical Center, Fellowship, Primary Care Health Psychology2016
Henry Ford Health Sciences Center, Detroit, MI, Internship, Clinical Psychology/Specialization Health Psychology2015
East Carolina University, PhD, Clinical Psychology w/ Specialization in Health Psychology2015
East Carolina University, MA, Clinical Psychology2011
Howard University/Washington, DC, BS, Psychology/Sociology2009

Specialty Certification Licensure

Licensure, Psychology, Mississippi Board of Psychology08/2016 - Present

Current Positions

Assistant Dean, School of Medicine, Office Of The Dean Medical School07/2023 - Present
Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine07/2021 - Present
Adjunct Graduate Faculty, Department of Psychology12/2019 - Present
The University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi 39216

Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments

Adjunct Professor, Millsaps College01/2017 - 05/2017
Assistant Professor, UMMC, School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine08/2016 - 06/2021