How to Apply

Applications are accepted in December or early January (see application procedure below for this year’s deadline), and competitive candidates will be interviewed in January or February, typically in conjunction with the annual meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society. Applicants should have completed APA/CPA-approved doctoral programs in clinical, school or counseling psychology and an APA/CPA-accredited predoctoral internship. Applicants should have an established interest and prior clinical experience with children and adolescents, as well as prior training in the area of neuropsychological assessment. Our postdoctoral fellows are expected to be actively involved in research, and as such, candidates should have completed an empirical dissertation and formal coursework in statistics and research methodology as part of their graduate program. The dissertation must be defended prior to the start of the fellowship on September 1.

Please contact us for more information about due dates for the current year and required application materials. The postdoctoral training program at Children's National belongs to the Association for Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN), and is therefore designed to meet the criteria set forth by the Houston Conference on specialty education and training in clinical neuropsychology. We participate in the APPCN Resident Matching Program, therefore all applicants must register with the National Matching Service. Information can be obtained from APPCN or NMS. This residency site agrees to abide by the APPCN policy that no person at this facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any residency applicant.

Available Positions

We have two openings this year, one in each of two focus areas. Applicants are encouraged to apply to both if desired.

The experiences in the two positions overlap considerably, with differences only in research area and the amount of time spent in SCORE Concussion clinic rotation:

Match Number 8803 – One opening
Research area: Will be matched to one of the existing research programs below, depending on interests and available funding (at least 20% time)
Clinical rotations:

Year One

Emphasis on neurodevelopmental populations (EF Clinic, General Outpatient Clinic, CASD) and SCORE Concussion Clinic (6 months).

Year Two

Emphasis on medical populations including Epilepsy and Hematology/Oncology. Opportunity for two or more elective rotations for broad experience or to focus on an area of interest.

Both positions provide broad training in pediatric neuropsychology; Position 2 allows additional focus on pediatric brain tumors. All fellows gain exposure to a wide range of pediatric populations, with a balance between neurodevelopmental and medical/neurological disorders seen on an outpatient basis. All postdoctoral fellows have protected research time. A wide range of didactic and professional development opportunities (described below) prepare the fellow for a variety of career opportunities in pediatric neuropsychology.

Qualifications of Applicants

Our application process is competitive. We will consider applicants who have completed APA/CPA-approved doctoral programs in a relevant area of psychology (usually Clinical Psychology), and an APA/CPA accredited clinical predoctoral internship. If possible, use the taxonomy to describe your graduate work and internship (e.g., a Major Area of Study or Emphasis).

Competitive applicants are well-rounded clinicians in the scientist-practitioner tradition who demonstrate:

Strong prior training in neuropsychology including graduate coursework and clinical didactics in neuropsychology. In addition to core clinical psychology training, applicants should have completed two or more year-long practica/externships and substantial internship rotation[s] in neuropsychology. Please be sure to describe your neuropsychology training experiences clearly in your application.
A clear focus on working with children and adolescents. If you trained at lifespan sites, please indicate the approximate percent time with children/adolescents.
A record of meaningful participation and productivity in research. In addition to completion of an empirical dissertation and formal coursework in statistics and research methods, competitive candidates have a record of multiple peer-reviewed, empirical publications and presentations, strong skills in statistical analysis, and an interest in conducting research on postdoc and beyond.
A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We celebrate diversity in our trainees and our colleagues at all levels, promote cultural competence, and seek applicants who will value and contribute to our work with diverse and underserved populations.

Application Procedure

We have an online portal for submitting your documents. You will be asked to complete our Application Form online and to upload your documents. If you start the application and want to leave and return later to complete it, please note your “Return Code,” and enter it (“Returning?” link at upper right of page) when you come back to the site later. You may apply to one or both positions with a single application. Materials are due Dec. 4, 2023.

To access the Application and Online Portal follow this link or go to cri-datacap.org/surveys and enter this code: DRHTPC8FH

Materials to be Uploaded to the Portal by the Applicant

Letter of interest/personal statement: Please tell us about your clinical and research interests and goals. Be sure to indicate the specific position(s) for which you want to be considered and why.
Include aspects of your background, experience and/or skills that demonstrate contribution and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Curriculum Vitae
Two de-identified assessment reports written by the applicant
The Doctoral Training Verification Form (required if your doctoral degree is not yet complete). This form is available from APPCN and should be signed by your training director or dissertation advisor. It can be either uploaded by you to the portal or submitted via email or mail by your advisor.

Materials to be Emailed or Mailed from Other Sources

Three letters of recommendation sent directly (email preferred) from the recommenders. We do not accept letters sent by the applicant. Mailed hard copies should be signed across the seal of the envelope.
Official graduate transcripts sent from your graduate institution(s), electronically or by mail.

Letters of recommendation and transcripts should be sent to:

Laura Kenealy, PhD, ABPP-CN
Division of Neuropsychology
15245 Shady Grove Rd, Suite 350,
Rockville, MD 20850
Email (preferred)
Fax: 301-765-5497

Resident Matching Program and Interviews

Children’s National is a member of the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) and participates in the APPCN Resident Matching Program (the “Match”) administered by the National Matching Service. All applicants must register with the National Matching Service prior to the published NMS deadline. This residency site agrees to abide by the APPCN policy that no person at this facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking related information from any residency applicant.

Interviews for selected applicants will be available virtually in January.