Allergy and Immunology
This externship is ideally suited for advanced practicum students seeking further training in pediatric psychology. The extern will work under the direct clinical supervision of Linda Herbert, Ph.D., and Ashley Ramos, Ph.D.
The Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children's National Hospital provides services to a diverse population of children and adolescents who are diagnosed with food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, asthma, eczema, urticaria and immunodeficiency disorders and live throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Externs will have the opportunity to collaborate with a social worker to assist families from lower income backgrounds and interpreters to assist with non-English-speaking families.
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This externship offers experience with:
- Consultation/Liaison Services during Oral Food Challenge Clinic. On Mondays at the main hospital, externs will conduct consultation-liaison services during an oral food challenge clinic. Externs will conduct psychosocial assessments about food allergy management practices and impact of food allergy on quality of life with approximately three to six patients per week ranging in age from infancy to young adulthood. Externs will also provide procedural support. Primary concerns during this clinic are patient and parent anxiety related to potentially experiencing an allergic reaction during the oral food challenge.
- Consultation/Liaison Services during Eosinophilic Esophagitis Clinic. On the second Thursday of the month at the Friendship Heights clinic, externs will conduct consultation-liaison services during multidisciplinary eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) clinics, during which patients diagnosed with EoE meet with allergy, gastroenterology, nutrition and psychology in one clinic. Externs will see approximately six to eight patients per month ranging in age from young child to young adult. Primary concerns are patient/parent stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms related to illness management, which may include elimination diets or daily medication.
- Outpatient Therapy Services. The primary mental health concerns addressed during outpatient therapy are anxiety and depressive symptoms related to food allergies, EoE and primary immunodeficiency disorders, adherence to medical routines, needle phobia and adjustment to new diagnosis. Externs may also engage in feeding therapy for anxiety related to food allergy or mild ARFID cases. Externs may complete brief consultations with parents of young children who are navigating a new diagnosis or need assistance with a developmental transition related to their child’s medical diagnosis (e.g., preparation for school). Therapy includes medical psychoeducation and CBT and exposure techniques.
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Applicants must be in at least the third year of a doctoral program and have prior practicum experience with child and adolescent assessment and therapy. Experience with pediatric populations is desired, but not required. Preference will be given to advanced doctoral students.
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One extern will be recruited for this externship.
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Please email a letter of interest, CV/resume and two letters of recommendation:
Linda Herbert, Ph.D. | Email
Interested applicants should also complete this survey one time, regardless of how many externships you are applying for.
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- Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, DC 20010
- Children's National Friendship Heights, 5028 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
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Sixteen hours per week. Mondays are at the main hospital and Thursdays are at the Friendship Heights allergy clinic. There is flexibility regarding telehealth versus in-person services for outpatient therapy.