Supervisor:
Lisa D. Stanford, Ph.D, ABPP-CN

The Pediatric Neuropsychology Rotation is designed to provide a primary training experience in neuropsychological assessment for individuals interested in pursuing a career in the specialty of clinical neuropsychology. As such, a year long experience in pediatric neuropsychology is the hallmark of this experience, although 6-month rotations are offered as well depending on the training needs of the intern. The Neuropsychology Program adheres to the Houston Conference model for internship training in clinical neuropsychology, and is designed to prepare the intern for advanced postdoctoral residency work in the field.

The Neuropsychology Clinic rotation is geared toward refining skills in the neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental assessment of infant through young adult inpatients and outpatients drawn from the medical center's Departments of Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Neuropsychiatry, Rehabilitation, Neurology, Neurogenetics, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, and Medicine, as well as from outside referral sources and school settings. These referrals span the entire list of neuropathological conditions such as cerebrovascular disorders, hydrocephalus, tumor, HIV, epilepsy, degenerative disorders, ADHD, mood and anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism/PDD, and traumatic brain injury. Interns receive supervised experience in planning test selection, implementing, and writing up neuropsychological evaluations using a broad range of tests and procedures, as well as oral communication of test results to referral sources and families. Opportunity for joint training in adult neuropsychology is also available as individual interest dictates.

As part of the training experience in the neuropsychology rotation, the intern also attends the Behavioral Neurosciences Seminar which is a weekly meeting devoted to special topics and case presentations in the clinical neurosciences as well as attends group supervision/case conferences. Other seminars of interest to those on a career trajectory in neuropsychology include: Neuropathology Rounds, which is devoted to the examination of gross brain anatomy, and is geared towards understanding the neuropathology of neurological diseases, Neuroradiology Rounds, and Neurology/Neurosurgery Grand Rounds.

The Neuropsychology Division is also part of the Department's premier neuroimaging clinical research group, the Center for Cognitive Medicine. Interested interns may also arrange to participate in ongoing funded neurobehavioral and neuroimaging research as a separate training experience. Interns completing rotations in the Neuropsychology Program will master the following specific competencies:

• Assessment and treatment of psychological disorders stemming from cognitive, psychiatric, and medical disability
• Selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of neuropsychological tests
• Case conceptualization through integration of history, test data, and behavioral observation
• Communication of test results through written reports and oral presentation
• Development of a working knowledge and experiential base in neurological and psychiatric diagnosis
• Capacity for neuropsychological consultation to medicine, neuropsychiatry, neurosurgery, neurology, pediatrics, other medical services, schools, and other referral sources • Provision of feedback to patients and families
• Psychotherapy/play therapy with neurologically compromised patients
• Consultation with school personnel regarding recommendations and educational plans
• Opportunity for participation in or developmental of pediatric neuropsychology research projects