This internship program provides clinical services at Dell Children’s Medical Center and is housed within the Dell Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. We aim to train clinicians to provide assessment and evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and developmental disabilities, ranging from adjustment difficulties to more chronic medical and psychiatric conditions. Patients come from diverse socioeconomic strata, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. The internship program has been in existence since the fall of 2009.
Philosophy and Training Model
Consistent with the scientist-practitioner model the integration of research and clinical practice is emphasized. The program aims to provide broad- and evidence-based clinical training in pediatric and child clinical psychology or neuropsychology. A developmental training model is employed that emphasizes bio-psycho-social approaches and focuses on building competencies in assessment and cognitive and behavioral methods. The program also teaches interns to work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams across a variety of clinical settings. Significant consideration is placed on the developmental stage of the trainee with goals to increase autonomy, assist with emerging professional identity, and prepare the intern for postdoctoral specialization.
Interns have opportunities to complete rotations in assessment, outpatient therapy, integrated primary care, pediatric subspecialty services, and telemedicine. Assessment rotations include psychoeducational, neuropsychological, and developmental assessments, as well as risk assessments throughout rotations. Outpatient therapy rotations take place at Texas Child Study Center, where the focus is to provide evidence-based treatment. Pediatric rotations include consultation and liaison work with inpatient medical teams, integrated primary care, and embedded work within pediatric subspecialty clinics. Training in telemedicine is provided within our state funded school (TCHATT) and pediatric primary care (CPAN) consultation programs.
Training Experiences:
The Internship has two training tracks: (1) Pediatric Integrated Care (4-interns) and (2) Pediatric Neuropsychology Track (2-interns).
Pediatric Integrated Care Track (4-interns): Interns have options for rotations in integrated primary care, outpatient psychotherapy, embedded pediatric subspecialty clinics, and the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) Program. In primary care major rotations, interns are integrated with the medical team to promote well-child prevention of behavioral health issues, as well as screening, assessment, consultation, and brief intervention for psychological concerns. Settings are community-based clinics serving a broad range of youth and family needs. Outpatient therapy rotations teach interns to implement evidence-based practice principles for internalizing, externalizing, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Pediatric subspecialty rotations include the Consultation/Liaison Service, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, and TCHATT Crisis Team.
Pediatric Neuropsychology Track (2-interns): Interns gain experiences in conducting neurocognitive assessments to address the complex medical and psychological needs of pediatric patients within medical and outpatient settings. Several major rotations are offered, including the Children’s Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC),the Children’s Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC), Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, and Outpatient Medical Neuropsychology. Neuro Track interns also have options for minor rotations in pediatric subspecialty training within DCMC Epilepsy and Concussion/Cognitive Rehabilitation Clinics, as well as a minor rotation in Outpatient Psychotherapy. Additional neuropsychology focused case presentations and didactics are provided within this track to support interns’ pursuit of careers in pediatric neuropsychology, including plans for future board certification.
Accreditation:
This Internship is accredited by the American Psychological Association.