Dominic Vachon, M.Div., Ph.D.
Ruth M. Hillebrand Director of the Center for Compassionate Care in Medicine,
- Office
- 219F Jordan Hall of Science
Notre Dame, IN 46556 - Phone
- +1 574-631-9536
- dvachon@nd.edu
The John G. Sheedy, M.D., Director of the Ruth M. Hillebrand Center for Compassionate Care in Medicine
Prior to joining the Hillebrand Center, Vachon served as Director of Behavioral Medicine and Caring Science Training at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center's Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Vachon is also is a practicing psychologist specializing in neurofeedback therapy. Past research has focused on the relationship between empathy and burnout. Other areas of interest include factors in maintaining caring behaviors in difficult work, the psychology of helping interactions, physician-patient dynamics, and the role of spirituality in helping others. Dr. Vachon provides workshops nationally in the area of maintaining balanced caring behaviors in the helping professions.
As director, he is responsible for management, programs, research, student outreach, and scholarly engagement. In addition to teaching undergraduates, his work with the Center includes researching the physician-patient relationship, teaching effective communication skills, and collaborating with local and national organizations to advance the science of compassionate care in healthcare. Dominic O. Vachon earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Notre Dame, graduating in 1980 with a degree in psychology and philosophy, and earning his master of divinity degree in 1985. In 1993, he earned a doctorate in counseling psychology from Loyola University, Chicago.
His recently published book, "How Doctors Care: The Science of Compassion and Balanced Caring in Medicine," is available for through Cognella Academic Publishing.