Clinical Training

Training
Didactic Experiences
Clinical Training

Assessment: (~20 externs total)

Intervention: (1 extern each):

Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) therapy track
Gender, Autism and Neurodiversity (mixed assessment and intervention) consultation, assessment and therapy track

Neuropsychology assessment externs learn to administer tests assessing a broad range of neuropsychological functions, including intelligence, attention, executive function, language, visual processing, learning and memory, social cognition, fine motor skills and emotional adjustment. Externs are taught to interpret test data, formulate diagnoses and conceptualize each patient’s unique pattern of neuropsychological strengths and weaknesses, assist with report writing, and participate in clinical interviews and/or parent feedback conferences when possible. This service works in close consultation with Children’s National Hospital physicians and multi-disciplinary teams. This externship is designed for students who are interested in developing advanced skills in assessment of children-young adult patients, as well as those with a specific interest in the specialty of pediatric neuropsychology, either with a broad range of patient populations or a focused population (SCORE and CASD).

A typical assessment training week would include one clinic day when the extern will be directly evaluating a patient (child-young adult) and scoring test instruments. The second training day allows for supervision, report writing and didactics. A typical therapy training week involves seeing patients on both days, individual supervision, multidisciplinary group supervision (e.g., psychology, psychiatry, speech and language) and participation in didactics.

Pediatric Neuropsychology / General (~8 externs)

This track provides broad, general training in pediatric neuropsychological assessment to children and adolescents. The extern receives exposure to a wide range of pediatric populations with neurodevelopmental (e.g., ADHD, learning disabilities, genetic conditions, etc.) and medical/neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, brain tumors, concussions and other injuries). Our patients are typically school-age through late adolescence, with opportunities to see preschool-aged patients and occasionally young adults. Clinical experiences provide opportunities to develop facility with: test battery selection and administration; process-driven behavioral observations; case formulation; report writing; and involvement in clinical interviews and feedbacks.

Locations include: Children’s National Hospital in D.C., Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Takoma Theatre.

Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (SCORE) (~5 externs)

This track provides a foundation of general training in pediatric neuropsychology through specific experiences working with children who have sustained mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI)/concussion. Externs will be specially trained to provide focused evaluation and develop behaviorally-based treatment plans through the SCORE Program within the Division of Neuropsychology. The extern will also have the opportunity to participate in didactics, including presentations by variety of medical professionals (e.g., emergency department, sports medicine, neurology, athletic trainers) regarding evaluation and treatment of mild TBI/concussion.

Locations include: Children’s National Hospital in D.C., Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Takoma Theatre.

CASD - Assessment Track (~8 externs)

The CASD Assessment Track includes the three rotations listed below. Participation in the rotations may include ASD diagnostic evaluations (e.g., exposure to, and possible training in administration of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2).

Neuropsychological evaluation: Training and experience with providing comprehensive neuropsychological and diagnostic evaluations for school-age children-young adults suspected of being on the spectrum. Assessment experiences include a broad range of neuropsychological assessment tools and standard autism diagnostic measures, report writing, providing feedback and consultation with families. This rotation is best suited for students with prior evaluation experiences.
Preschool evaluation: The trainee will gain experience and facility in assessment of preschool age children with or suspected of having ASD. These half-day evaluations include cognitive (e.g., WPPSI-IV or DAS-II) and pre-academic testing (e.g., Bracken) and often diagnostic evaluation with the ADOS-2. This rotation is best suited for students with experience with young children.
Evaluation in context of limited language: The trainee will gain experience and facility in assessment of children and adolescents with (or suspected of having) ASD and limited language skills and/or cognitive impairment. These half-day evaluations include cognitive testing, often involving nonverbal IQ measures (e.g., CTONI-2) or out of age level testing (e.g., Mullen, DAS-II), and diagnostic evaluation with the ADOS-2.

CASD externs involved in assessment learn about cognitive-behavioral treatments (e.g., interventions for anxiety, executive functions and social cognition/skills).

Locations include: Children’s National Hospital in D.C., Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Takoma Theatre.

CASD - Therapy-Only Track (1 extern)

Training focuses on outpatient psychotherapy with children and adolescents with ASD and their families. Externs will gain experience implementing cognitive-behavioral treatments for children with an ASD, including executive functioning and anxiety interventions. Additional opportunities for social skills and parent training are also available. Externs will carry a caseload of six to eight individual therapy patients per week (i.e., three to four patients per day). If interested, co-leading one a psychotherapy group (i.e., preschool, executive functioning and/or transition groups) is an option.

CASD - Gender, Autism and Neurodiversity Track (1 extern)

Training focuses on consultation and evaluation with autistic and neurodiverse young people who are transgender, gender diverse and/or gender dysphoric. The extern will gain experience in autism diagnosis, gender dysphoria assessment/evaluation and in psychotherapeutic techniques for supporting gender discernment and autism-related needs. In addition to training through CASD, the extern will work with the broader transgender medical team (endocrinology, gynecology) and help to lead the Gender, Autism and Neurodiversity support group program.

Additional CASD experiences available to all externs (depending on their schedule) include: weekly multidisciplinary team evaluation discussions, case conferences and didactic seminars with our clinical psychologists, child psychiatrists, speech and language pathologists. In addition, students participating in assessment placements may have opportunities to participate in group and individual therapy.