Derek C. Phillips, Psy.D., MSCP, ABMP

Dr. Derek Phillips is a licensed clinical and prescribing psychologist (#12) in the state of Illinois, a licensed psychologist in Florida, and a board-certified medical psychologist. He is the youngest prescribing psychologist in Illinois and the only one in central or southern Illinois. He is a prescribing psychologist and director of psychiatry at Arcus Behavioral Health & Wellness, a non-profit group practice in Chicago, IL. He is executive director of the APA-designated, MS in clinical psychopharmacology program (MSCP) at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ, where he also teaches psychopharmacology in the APA-accredited clinical PhD program.

Dr. Phillips obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in psychology (summa cum laude) from Olivet Nazarene University in 2009, as well as his Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology and Doctor of Psychology in clinical psychology with a clinical neuropsychology concentration from the APA-accredited Adler University – Chicago campus in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Dr. Phillips completed his one-year, predoctoral internship in clinical psychology in 2015 at Centerstone Consortium in Bradenton, Florida, and two-year clinical neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship in 2017 at Psychological & Neurobehavioral Services in Lakeland, Florida. He then obtained his MSCP from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2020 and completed his 18-month prescribing psychology fellowship at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in 2021.

Regarding current service to psychology, in addition to serving as a member-at-large of the IAPP Board of Directors, Dr. Phillips is a trustee of the American Psychological Foundation, founding president of the American Board of Psychopharmacological Psychology, secretary and president-elect-designate of Division 42 (Independent Practice), chair-elect of the APA RxP Designation Committee, member of the APA Coding Advisory Group, member of the Illinois Clinical Psychologists Licensing & Disciplinary Board, and chair of the Behavioral Medicine & Neuropsychology Section of the Illinois Psychological Association. Additionally, he was chair of the APA Board of Convention Affairs in 2022, the first-ever early career psychologist president of APA Division 55 (Society for Prescribing Psychology) in 2021. Previous service includes member of the APA Council of Representatives from Division 55; treasurer of Division 44 (Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity), president of Illinois Psychological Association, member of the APA Practice Organization’s Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice; member of the APA Services, Inc. PAC Advisory Committee, IPA Graduate Student Section Chair and IPA Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Section Chair; and ECP Chair of the Florida Psychological Association.

He has received several awards for his service to the field, including the Walter Katkovsky Scholarship for Psychopharmacology Training by the American Psychological Foundation in 2017, the Patrick DeLeon Prize for Outstanding Student Contribution to the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy by APA Division 55 in 2020, Educator of the Year by Division 55 in 2022, Diversity Award from Division 42 in 2022, APA Presidential Citation from Dr. Frank Worrell in 2022, Outstanding SPTA ECP Leader Award from Division 31 in 2023, Distinguished Contribution to the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy at the National Level from Division 55 in 2025, and Distinguished Professional Contribution to the Practice of Psychology from Division 42 in 2025. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and Illinois Psychological Association.