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Child Development Program Externship

Clinical and Developmental Psychology doctoral students are welcome to apply for an externship in the Child Development Program. The position offers supervised training in evaluation of infants and young children referred for developmental and behavioral problems, primarily in the range of birth to age three years. The presenting problems include but are not limited to complications around the time of birth (e.g., extreme prematurity, birth asphyxia), motor delays, language delays, global developmental delay, intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder. Many of the children have complex medical conditions, underlying neurologic disorders and/or genetic disorders. The extern will be exposed to children from a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic conditions.

Under direct supervision, the extern will conduct structured interviews of parents, administer standardized tests, such as the Bayley Scales of Infant Development 4th edition, the Differential Ability Scales (DAS-II) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales in addition to scoring and interpreting parent- and teacher-report measures.
In addition, the extern will have the opportunity to observe administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2), as well as inpatient consultations. Trainees and their supervisors will integrate information from community resources (including schools and early intervention programs) and the medical record, help formulate a therapeutic plan, provide parent feedback and write the assessment report. The extern will also learn about strategies and interventions to help with common behavior and developmental challenges for this age range. The extern will have the opportunity to present their case as part of afternoon rounds. An opportunity to join inpatient consultations, as well as developmental rounds in the NICU and/or CICU/HKU, is also available.
Graduate-level coursework in child development and assessment is expected. Some assessment experience and strong writing skills are preferred.
Five externs will be recruited for this position.
Please email a current CV, a letter of interest and two letters of recommendation to:
Cristiano Santostefano, Psy.D. | Email
Children’s National Hospital – 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Suite 3800, Washington DC 20010
A commitment of 16 hours a week is expected. The specific days will be worked out to suit the extern's schedule.

Coronavirus Update:What patients and families need to know

Child Development Program Externship

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