Ailish Lynch joined the department as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in 2024 and works within the Divisions of Addiction Psychiatry and Emergency Psychiatry.   

Prior to joining VUMC, Ailish worked as a Psychiatric Nurse in her hometown of Huntsville, AL, and completed a 10-month fellowship in addiction treatment at the Institute of Living in Hartford, CT. While at Vanderbilt School of Nursing, she regularly volunteered at the Shade Tree Clinic serving as a social worker in her first year of the program and the clinic’s Nursing Director her second year.   

Education  

Master of Science in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Vanderbilt School of Nursing  

Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University 

Dr. Bowen holds a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from Florida International University and a MS in Experimental Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of drug abuse and psychopathology on brain function. Specifically, her research aims to discern brain mechanisms engaged in executive cognitive functions that may place individuals at risk for future or continued development of these disorders.