Program Aim: To provide an advanced level of clinical, didactic, and academic training in the recognized specialty practice of Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychology. At the completion of the fellowship, residents will be ready to be licensed as a psychologist and begin the board certification process of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Clinical Neuropsychology.
Program Structure: This is a two-year fellowship. Three days (60%) of the postdoctoral resident’s week is spent engaged in providing clinical service, including assessment and treatment activities. The remaining two days (40%) are spent in research, departmental meetings, and educational activities.
The Division of Neurobehavioral Health provides neuropsychological assessment of pediatric inpatients and outpatients drawn from the medical center’s Departments of Pediatrics, Behavioral Health, Neurosurgery (including epilepsy surgery team), Rehabilitation, Neurogenetics, Neurology, Cardiology, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Hematology/Oncology, and Sports Medicine, as well as from outside referral sources and school settings. These referrals span the entire list of neuropathological conditions such as cerebrovascular disorders, congenital heart defects, childhood cancer/tumor, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, craniosynostosis, lead exposure, premature birth, in utero exposure to substances, neuromuscular disorders, neurocutaneous disorders, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities, and developmental disorders.
Fellows complete a major rotation in pediatric neuropsychology. Twenty-four hours of assessment per week are required, typically consisting of three outpatient evaluations per week and one to two inpatient evaluations per month. Psychotherapy/intervention cases are available according to the resident’s interests. Two to three minor elective rotations are completed each year. Options for minor rotations include: Rehabilitation Psychology, Headache Clinic/Pain Biofeedback, School Success Program, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics and Tourette’s Clinic (CBIT), EEG Clinic, Neuroradiology Clinic, Neurosurgery Clinic, Neurogenetics Clinic, Autism Diagnostic Clinic, Down’s Syndrome Clinic, Turner’s Syndrome Clinic, Epilepsy Surgery Program, Neuromuscular Program, Neonatal Follow-up Clinic, Neuro-Oncology Clinic, Lead Clinic, Neurofibromatosis Clinic, Tuberous Sclerosis Clinic, and Medical Coping Clinic.
Fellows are required to participate in research. Submission of an abstract, literature review, grant proposal, or publication is required each year. A large clinical database is available for use by fellows.
Educational activities include a professional development seminar (weekly; required), neuroanatomy/neurobehavioral seminar (weekly; required), case conference (weekly; required), clinical neuropsychology intensive seminar (2nd year; required), pediatric grand rounds (as relevant), neuroradiology rounds (optional), neuropathology rounds (optional), epilepsy surgery conference (monthly; required), and Schwartz rounds (optional but encouraged).
Primary supervision is provided by four neuropsychologists. There are 15 other licensed psychologists available to provide supervision on minor rotations. The resident meets individually for formal/regularly scheduled and face-to-face supervision on a weekly basis with a clinical supervisor for at least two hours per week and daily for informal supervision as the case(s) dictates or need arises. The resident initially observes the supervisor in all activities of patient care (e.g., intake or clinical interview, feedback with families, consultation with other healthcare providers, billing, documentation in the electronic medical record [EMR], office procedures). Gradually, the resident begins to perform these activities under direct observation of the supervisor and then moves to more independent service provision under indirect supervision while the supervisor is still onsite and accessible. The resident is not used to meet clinical service goals of the supervisors or the program. The resident meets regularly at least once per month with a research supervisor and/or minor rotation supervisor. There are also opportunities for umbrella supervision and work supervision of neuropsychology externs and psychometrists, respectively. All supervisors are on the Akron Campus of Akron Children’s Hospital and are full-time at least 40 hours per week.
