The postdoctoral positions within Cleveland Clinic's Section of Neuropsychology in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology are designed for individuals who have met the basic academic and training requisites for the doctorate degree in clinical psychology, and have a strong academic and clinical training background in the fundamentals of neuroscience and neuropsychological assessment.
Cleveland Clinic's Postdoctoral Residency Program in Neuropsychology is a founding member of the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN; www.appcn.org). The program operates in accordance to the INS-Division 40 guidelines (The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 1987, 1, 29-34) and the goals espoused by the Houston conference (Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 1998, 2, 203-240). Our postdoctoral positions are designed to provide residents with the didactic and experiential opportunities necessary to develop clinical interpretative and consultation skills at a professional level while under the supervision of experienced neuropsychologists. In addition, specific training goals include active involvement in clinical research and educational opportunities within the context of a nationally known tertiary medical center.
Our residency begins on or about September 1. The two-year experience will be divided into time periods that allow for general clinical training, specialization in particular clinical areas (i.e., pediatrics or adult neuropsychology with the opportunity for specialization with a particular population such as epilepsy patients), research, teaching, and participation in didactics. During the first weeks of each rotation, training concentrates on skill building and refinement in the areas of test administration, test interpretation, and report writing. For the first 12 months, two four-month rotations will be completed with the resident’s primary population (e.g., adult or pediatric neuropsychology) and one four-month rotation with the other population. A resident with “lifespan” interests will alternate between adult and child rotations for the first 16 months. The second year consists of rotations tailored as much as possible to meet the resident’s specific interests and training needs; the ultimate goal is preparation for the initial professional position.
First year:
- Child Focus: Pediatric rotation, adult rotation, pediatric rotation (4 months each)
- Adult Focus: Adult rotation, pediatric rotation, adult rotation (4 months each)
- Lifespan: Adult rotation, pediatric rotation, adult rotation, pediatric rotation (4 months each)
Second year:
Advanced Specialization and Special Projects (8-12 months).
Examples: A resident with interests in adult neuropsychology, particularly dementia, had rotations in general adult neuropsychology and movement disorders including deep brain stimulation. The clinical demands were adjusted to accommodate a year-long experience evaluating patients for dementia syndromes at the Center for Brain Health.
A resident with interests in pediatric neuropsychology had rotations in pediatric neuropsychology emphasizing epilepsy and oncology populations and rehabilitation neuropsychology. The clinical demands were adjusted to accommodate year-long experiences 1) evaluating adult patients in the The Burkhardt Brain Tumor Center and 2) providing group therapy for children with epilepsy and, separately, their parents with supervision by a pediatric health psychologist.
A resident with interests in adult neuropsychology, particularly epilepsy, had rotations in adult epilepsy, general adult neuropsychology, and movement disorders including deep brain stimulation. The clinical demands were adjusted to accommodate a year-long clinical research project for which the resident sought and received grant funding (Epilepsy Foundation) in the first year.