OVIDIU POPA-VELEA

ovidiu.popa-velea@umf.ro

Position: Senior Lecturer

Studies:
2008: PhD, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, Bucharest, Romania,
specialization Medicine; theme: Psychosocial factors influencing therapeutical adherence in
bronchial asthma;
2005-2007: Master - Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Psychology Faculty of University Titu
Maiorescu, Bucharest; GPA: 10 out of 10.
2001-2003: Master of Arts (MA) - General Psychology (Fulbright Alumnus), Graduate Faculty
of Political and Social Science, New School University, New York; GPA: 3.86 out of 4.00;
1996-2000: Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Psychology (2000), University of Bucharest, Romania,
Faculty of Sociology, Psychology and Pedagogy, Specialization Psychology; GPA = 9.62 out of
10;
1986-1992: Medical Doctor (MD) (1992), University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila,
Bucharest, Romania, specialization Medicine; GPA = 9.69 out of 10;
General interests:
psychology, medicine, sociology, social psychology.
Research interests:
Health psychology, psychosomatics, stress and health, patient interviewing, psychological
effects of medication, adherence to treatment in various medical conditions.
Work experience:
1997-present: Lecturer - Department of Medical Psychology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Carol Davilla, Bucharest; duties: teaching seminars and courses of Medical Psychology on
topics like psychological stress and illness, psychosomatic diseases, adherence to treatment,
patient interviewing, psychological effects of medication; grading students; performing
scientific research;
1996-2001: Resident physician - Institute of Lung Diseases M.Nasta, Bucharest; duties: treating
patients;
1994-1997: Research Assistant - Department of Medical Psychology, University of Medicine and
Pharmacy Carol Davilla, Bucharest; duties: teaching seminars in medical psychology;
performing scientific research;
1993-1994: Professor of Human Anatomy, Graduate School for Nurses - Fundeni, Bucharest;
duties: teaching human anatomy, grading students;
1992-1994: Intern physician - Clinical Hospital N.Gh.Lupu - Bucharest; duties: treating patients.
Selected courses of specialization and training in psychology:
March-April 2000: Visiting Doctor - Rheinische Westfalische Technische Hochschule (RWTH),
Clinic for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy (Prof. Dr. Ernst R.Petzold), Aachen, Germany;
October 1999: Training in Transactional Analysis (Prof. Dr. Andre Moreau - Belgium), Bucharest;
October 1999: Intensive Training in Medical Pedagogy, organized by the International Conference
of Medicine Faculties Deans - Conference Internationale des Doyens des Facultes de
Medecine (CIDMEF) and the University Transylvania, Brassov, Romania;
September 1999: Training in Balint Groups, Bucharest (40 hours);

July 1999: The International Summer School Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Hypnotherapy,
organized by the University Babe-Bolyai of Cluj-Napoca, Romania and by the Ecological
University Dimitrie Cantemir - Trgu Mure, Romania;
May 1999: Course of Medical Pedagogy, organized by the University of Bristol, Great Britain and
the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davilla, Bucharest;
July, 1998: The International Summer School Looking For Control - Social Behavior and Health
Psychology, organized by the University Babe-Bolyai of Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
1995, 1996, 1997: Intensive Seminaries of Clinical Epidemiology (120 hours), organized by the
University Claude-Bernard of Lyon - France.
Special accomplishments:
Since 2002: Member of the American Psychological Association (APA);
2001: Fulbright Award winner (award administered by the Fulbright Commission Romania, Institute
for International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State);
Since 1999: Member of the Balint Association for Romania;
Since 2005: member of the Executive Committee of the Balint Association Romania;
Since 1999: Scientific Secretary of the Center for Studies in Music and Medicine Boris LubanPlozza, Bucharest;
Since 1997: Member of the Romanian Psychoneuroendocrinology Society;
1994-2001: Scientific consultant of Club INSERM Jeunesse of Romania (addressed to young
students, aged 15-21, interested in natural and medical sciences); moderator at 6th, 8th,9th,
10th and 11th Annual Meetings of Clubs INSERM Jeunesse, in France (1994, 1996, 1997,
1998, 1999).
Guest of educational live radio programs (channel Romnia Cultural) on communication,
psychotherapy (April 10, April 17, June 26, 1997, June 1999), treatment and prevention of
respiratory diseases (May, 5, 2000), smoking cessation (June 2, 2000).
Papers and books:

Main author in:

O.Popa-Velea Behavioral Sciences in Medicine (tiinele comportamentului uman. Aplicaii
n medicin), Trei Publishing House, Bucharest, 2010: comprehensive textbook of biological
and psychosocial bases of behavior and their implications in medicine.
O. Popa-Velea, Liliana Diaconescu, Ioana Necula Cioca Medical Psychology: theoretical
bases and practical applications for doctors and psychologists (Psihologie Medical: baze
teoretice i aplicaii practice pentru medici i psihologi), Carol Davila University Publishing
House, Bucharest, 2006; monograph dedicated to the most up-to-date findings in medical
psychology, valuable in medical and psychological practice.
I.B.Iamandescu, C.Dragomirescu, O.Popa-Velea - Psychological dimensions of the surgical
act (Dimensiunile psihologice ale actului chirurgical), Infomedica Publishing House,
Bucharest, 2000 - interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing psychological characteristics of the
surgical patient, surgeons communication skills, psychotherapy in surgical patients,
psychological characteristics of the terminally-ill patient;

Co-author in:
I.B.Iamandescu, B.Luban-Plozza Psychosocial dimension of medical practice
(Dimensiunea psihosocial a practicii medicale), Infomedica Publishing House, Bucharest,
2002; chapters: The pain: clinical-psychological problems, Psychological therapies directed
against the pain, Elements of palliative medicine, An algorithm of anamnesis, from a
holistic (global) perspective on patient, Bio-psycho-social characteristics of the surgical act,
Burn-out syndrome in doctors, Therapeutical adherence;

I.B.Iamandescu (coord.) - Elements of General and Applied Psychosomatics, Infomedica

Publishing House, Bucharest, 1999 (textbook of psychosomatics for students in medicine and
psychology); chapters: Approach algorithm for psychosomatic patients, Adaptive (coping)
mechanisms and their implications in medical practice;

I.B.Iamandescu - Handbook of Medical Psychology (2 nd Edition), Infomedica Publishing

House, Bucharest, 1996, chapter Psychoanalytical dictionary

I.B.Iamandescu - Handbook of Medical Psychology, (1st Edition), Infomedica Publishing

House, 1995 (handbook for the students in medicine and psychology, physicians and
psychologists), chapters The pain - clinical and psychological elements and The
psychological problems of assisting the terminally-ill.

Over 50 papers in the field of medical psychology, psychosomatics, music therapy, medical
anthropology, allergology, pneumology, printed or presented in Romanian and international
reviews or congresses.

Some recent titles:

O.Popa-Velea Psychological factors affecting adherence in somatic diseases (Factori

psihosociali care condiioneaz aderena la tratament n bolile somatice), The Psychology
Journal of Romanian Academy (Revista de Psihologie a Academiei Romne) 50, 3-4, 2004.
I.B. Iamandescu, Anca Parauan, O.Popa-Velea Experimental study on inhibitory effects of
Loratadine on skin reactivity to histamine, air allergens and ice cube test in urticaria and
allergic rhinitis, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Congress,
Paris, France, 2003.
I.B.Iamandescu, O.Popa-Velea [A project regarding a psychological method for choosing
the musical pieces for music therapy] (Projekt einer psychologischen Methode zur Auswahl
der musikalischen Stcke in der Musik-Therapie), in Ruth Hampe, Philipp Martius, Dietrich
Rotschl, Flora von Spreti (Hrsg.) Generationenwechsel: aspekte der Wandlung und
Innovation in der kreativen Therapien, Bremen Universitt Verlag, 2002.
S.Dumitrache-Rujinski, O.Popa-Velea, A.Moraru, M.Bogdan - Non-adherence in tuberculosis
treatment and the psychological profile (Non-compliance au traitement antituberculeux et le
profil psychologique), the 5th Congress of French-Speaking Respiratory Medicine, Paris,
France, 2001;
Cristina Ghervan, O.Popa-Velea, Georgeta Hazi, Ileana Duncea - The influence of hormonal
deprivation on the parameters of anxiety during different phases of climacterium (Influena
deprivrii hormonale asupra parametrilor anxietii n diferite faze ale climacteriului), The 3rd
National Congress of Neuroendocrinology, Arad, Romania, 2001;
I.B.Iamandescu, O.Popa-Velea - Some psychological problems in drug allergy as reflection
points in Balint Groups activity, the 12th International Balint Congress, Ljubljana , Slovenia,
2001;
Iulia Nedelescu, O.Popa-Velea, Cristina Can - Knowing the diagnosis - the source of
some different attitudes regarding chemotherapy in patients with primary, non-surgical
broncho-pulmonary cancer (Cunoaterea diagnosticului - sursa unor diferene de atitudine
fa de chimioterapie, la pacienii cu cancer bronhopulmonar primitiv, nonchirurgical) ,
Infomedica, 9, 2000, and the 3rd Edition of Students Session of Scientific Communications,
Faculty of Psychology and Sciences of Education, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2000;