While the training schedules might vary somewhat depending on the needs and special interests of the Intern, the following will serve as a guide for the prospective Interns in anticipating the sequence of formal training during his/her internship program.

During the first two weeks of the internship, the Interns will be introduced to hospital and departmental protocols (e.g., seeing patients within specified time frames, maintaining patient confidentiality, etc); learn documentation requirements; develop appropriate documentation skills including dictation into a hospital-wide dictation system and learn to access patient records on the computer. This will be learned primarily in the context of patient care. The Interns will shadow the supervising psychologists during this two week period to develop the essential skills necessary for carrying out their duties in the hospital.

During the first two months of internship the Interns will be introduced to and trained in the administration of several key clinical/diagnostic neuropsychological tests that are used in bedside and outpatient exams. We require Interns to become familiar with Strub and Black’s, Mental Status Examination in Neurology and to begin developing their skill in the administration and interpretation of the mental status examination with hospitalized patients. Training in the administration and interpretation of other neuropsychological tests, including the Halstead-Reitan battery, will continue throughout the remainder of the internship.

Also during the initial 1-2 months on internship, the student will be given formal training in relaxation therapy and biofeedback which is often used on an outpatient basis for patients with anxiety and pain disorders. As the Intern becomes more knowledgeable in the assessment and treatment of chronic pain disorders he/she will be scheduled to see patients at the Fibromyalgia Clinic.

One of the primary clinical responsibilities for the Interns will be assessing and treating patients from acute care hospitalization through the Rehabilitation Hospital and finally to outpatient follow-up. This will allow for continuity of care and afford the intern the opportunity to follow a patient from the point of an acute illness/injury through discharge to an outpatient setting. As the Intern becomes comfortable in the assessment and treatment of medically ill patients he/she will begin scheduling outpatient follow-ups with the patients they had been following in the hospital and/or Rehabilitation Hospital. The Intern can expect to spend part of the week seeing hospitalized patients and part in the outpatient clinic.

One of the responsibilities for Interns on the outpatient side will be to evaluate and make treatment recommendations for patients suspected of having dementias. Initially, the Intern will observe the supervising psychologist in the Memory Disorders Program both during the evaluative phase as well as in follow-up with the patient and their family. The Intern will also have the opportunity to observe the Neurologist conducting neurological exams and the Geriatrician doing physical exams. The Intern will learn to appreciate the meaning of basic lab results and radiological studies (e.g. CT and MRI scans). The Intern will then perform a series of neuropsychological exams with patients at the Memory Disorders Program while being directly observed by the supervising psychologist. The Intern will, at the discretion of the psychologist, begin seeing patients with intermittent direct observation. It is likely that the supervising psychologist will always be present at the follow-up family meetings, which affords patients and family members access to experienced clinicians for questions they might have. It is anticipated that the Intern will continue to see patients at the Memory Disorders Program throughout the remainder of their internship.

As the Intern becomes more proficient with neuropsychological assessment and treatment, patients requiring more comprehensive diagnostic evaluations will be selected by the supervising psychologists for the Intern to evaluate and treat. These might include patients with traumatic brain injuries, strokes, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders. On average, two to three comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations are scheduled each week at our outpatient clinic giving ample opportunity for the Intern to participate in the care of patients requiring comprehensive neuropsychological assessment.