Specialty Training: Enhanced Training for Postdoctoral Preparation

Pediatric Neuropsychology

Neuropsychological evaluations are conducted with children presenting with a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders, neurological conditions and medical disorders with concomitant cognitive manifestations. Evaluations include cognitive/personality assessment and educational evaluation/consultation for children and adolescents at all developmental levels. Neurodevelopmental patient populations include children with learning disabilities, autism, epilepsy, metabolic disorders, head trauma, brain tumors and congenital malformations. Services also include support for the pediatric consultation/liaison service in the form of assessment of medical inpatients with a variety of neurological disorders.

Interns who plan to pursue postdoctoral training in neuropsychology (and have the requisite background with psychological assessment) will be provided sufficient opportunities on internship to be competitive in the application process for postdoctoral fellowships. All former trainees desiring further training in this area have obtained fellowship placements. For those interns not pursuing specialty training in this area, exposure to neuropsychological evaluations will be provided during the final six months of the internship.

Pediatric Psychology

Opportunities are also available for additional experience and training in pediatric psychology. This includes both consultation-liaison services to hospitalized patients as well as outpatient services for children referred for general behavioral medicine concerns. Interns also may have the opportunity to work with a variety of established, multidisciplinary teams serving pediatric populations with cancer, pain problems, craniofacial concerns and various chronic illness diagnoses.

Additional Training Opportunities

• Groups: Interns serve as co-facilitators in groups with children, teens or parents (to be arranged) or to develop their own psychoeducational group.

• Community placements (when available): Interns may have the opportunity to work during the year (biweekly approximately 3-4 hours/week) at a community placement, to provide additional opportunities with consultation, program evaluation and/or non-traditional forms of service delivery. Options vary each year but may include local primary care practices or community agencies.

• Community presentations: Each intern will be expected to develop a talk for parents or medical providers in the community on a topic of interest. Interested groups range from parents of elementary school children, high school students in health classes, parents of children with various medical diagnoses, nursing students, medical residents, etc.

(Last revised 08-17)