| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Pediatric Neuropsychology Externships
The Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) is a multidisciplinary center including neuropsychology, developmental psychology, speech/ language pathology, and psychiatry. Trainees include medical residents, postdoctoral neuropsychology fellows, and predoctoral psychology interns and externs. The Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders provides multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment services for children with atypical or complicated developmental disorders and their families. The Center is designed to address the needs of all children with autism spectrum disorders, but specializes in the diagnosis and neuropsychological evaluation of children with primary deficits in social cognition, communication, and executive functioning, such as children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome. The Center is staffed by a developmental/clinical psychologist, three neuropsychologists, a developmental neuropsychologist, a psychiatrist and a speech and language pathologist. Services from other disciplines are integrated as needed, including developmental pediatrics, genetics and neurology.
Clinical Externships in Assessment Pediatric Neuropsychology
Clinical Experience: Advanced graduate students in Clinical or School Psychology are invited to apply for pediatric neuropsychology externships in the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) at Children’s National Medical Center. The externship will focus on the evaluation of school-age children and adolescents with high functioning autism, Asperger syndrome and related developmental disorders. Neuropsychology externs learn to administer neuropsychological tests, including measures of intelligence, attention, executive function, language, visual processing, learning and memory, social cognition, fine motor abilities, and emotional adjustment. Externs are taught to interpret test data, formulate diagnoses, assist with report writing, and participate in parent feedback conferences. Externs have the opportunity to participate in multi-disciplinary team evaluations and related team meetings and case presentations. The externship is designed for students who are interested in developing advanced skills in general child assessment, as well as those with specific interests in the growing specialty area of pediatric neuropsychology.
Didactics: In addition to 1-2 hours of individual supervision weekly, the CASD has weekly multidisciplinary team meetings with case presentations and monthly autism focused didactics. In addition, neuropsychology externs are invited to participate in the Pediatric Neuropsychology Program weekly didactic neuropsychology seminars. The weekly seminar consists of talks on neuropsychological assessment or special populations, case discussions, and journal clubs. Externs are also encouraged to participate in behavioral grand rounds, selected psychology intern seminars, and other didactic experiences.
Research: Opportunities to participate in clinically based research are also available. Staff interests include: executive function and social cognition in autism spectrum disorders.
Time Requirement: Sixteen hours per week from September through May. Externs are encouraged to continue during the summer months.
Location: Our main clinic location is the Shady Grove Outpatient Center (Rockville, MD), located 8 miles north of the beltway.
Qualifications: Enrollment in a doctoral program in Clinical or School Psychology is required. This advanced assessment externship is most appropriate for third year students and up who have completed coursework in assessment, and have had prior experience with testing (such as a prior externship that included assessment). Preferred candidates will also have had direct clinical experience with children.
DIRECT INQUIRIES AND APPLICATION TO:
Externship Coordinator
Children’s National Medical Center
14801 Physicians’ Lane, Suite 173
Rockville, MD 20850
email: jdjames@cnmc.org
Application should include: A letter of interest, CV, and letters of recommendation (2). In your letter of interest, please state any preferences in terms of populations, and days of the week you are available (if known). Applications are typically submitted in mid-March of each year, for Summer/Fall start dates.
Back to Top
Clinical Externships in Evaluation, Consultation and Treatment
Clinical and Developmental Psychology doctoral students are welcome to apply for a position that offers supervised training in evaluation, consultation and treatment of children and adolescents with autism and related disorders. Preschool-aged children with autism who are suspected of having developmental delays or mental retardation are also evaluated. Children who come to our clinic present with problems including behavioral difficulties, and social and communication disorders consistent with autism spectrum disorders. The children may also have medical conditions, underlying neurological disorders, and/or other genetic disorders.
The extern will participate in comprehensive diagnostic interviews and administer standardized tests of cognitive abilities, communication skills and adaptive behavior. In addition, the extern will be exposed to state of the art tools for the purposes of differential diagnoses. Externs may gain experience with the following assessment instruments: Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised, Psychoeducational Profile-Revised, Mullen Scales of Early Learning, Bayley Scales of Infant Development-2Nd Ed., Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence Scales-III, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, among others. The extern will also be expected to co-facilitate a weekly social skills group for higher functioning school-aged children with autism. Opportunities to participate in weekly multidisciplinary case conferences are available. The extern will assist in formulating therapeutic plans, and writing assessment reports, as well as participate in therapeutic intervention. Although the majority of the externship focuses on clinical activities, there may be opportunities to participate in research.
Time Requirement: A commitment of 16 hours a week is expected. The specific days will be worked out to suit the extern's schedule. Externs will split their time between the Shady Grove Regional Outpatient Center in Rockville, Maryland, and the Spring Valley Regional Outpatient Center in Northwest Washington, DC.
Qualifications: A strong interest in autism spectrum disorders is required. Formal coursework in child development and assessment is expected. Some assessment experience with children is preferred. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team are also presumed.
DIRECT INQUIRIES AND APPLICATION TO:
Externship Coordinator
Children’s National Medical Center
14801 Physicians’ Lane, Suite 173
Rockville, MD 20850
email: jdjames@cnmc.org
Application should include : A letter of interest, CV, and letters of recommendation (2). In your letter of interest state the days of the week you are available (if known). Applications are typically submitted in mid-March of each year, for summer/fall start dates.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
