Program Components and Requirements
Didactic training
Numerous seminar series are available to fellows throughout the training year within the hospital and the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, the Division or Center housing each fellowship sponsors specific clinical and research meetings. A minimum of two hours per week of didactic training is expected. Didactics sponsored by the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science include:
- Psychology Seminar. This department-wide seminar series meets weekly. Seminars are organized into training modules related to a common theme. Faculty, trainees, and outside speakers take responsibility for conducting seminars that are highly interactive.
- Fellows Forum. This required series crafted specifically for fellows by fellows meets approximately twice monthly and covers topics of professional development. Topics include: licensing exam requirements; developing CVs; preparing job talks; establishing research programs; career alternatives and work-life balance. Advanced fellows, faculty, and outside speakers are chosen to speak depending upon their areas of expertise.
Research
Research is a highly valued component of the fellowship and typically involves participation in ongoing projects. Training in the conduct of clinical research in pediatric and school settings is a key element of postdoctoral training at CHOP. Research typically comprises the majority of a fellow’s time, but research effort varies from fellowship to fellowship depending upon the specific offering.
Clinical work
Clinical work is a component of every fellowship, comprising at least 25 percent of the fellow’s effort. This percentage of effort allows the fellow to accrue the required numbers of hours for licensure in PA over the course of two years. Clinical work may include consultation, assessment, and/or intervention and is determined by the specific requirements of the fellowship offering.
Supervision and evaluation
Supervision and mentorship is available through the specified faculty mentor and other additional faculty, depending on the specific fellowship. At least two hours of individual face-to-face supervision is provided per week. Along with ongoing feedback from supervisors, formal written evaluations will be completed quarterly throughout the fellowship year(s). Fellows will be expected to provide periodic feedback regarding training experiences as well as an evaluation of the Post-doctoral Fellowship Training Program at its conclusion. In the event of a grievance, fellows will have access to due process procedures as available in the Human Resources Procedure Manual of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Requirements for completing the postdoctoral fellowship
Completion of fellowship requires a minimum of 2,000 hours of supervised clinical and research experience. Participation on a full-time basis for at least one full year, with two years of fellowship training is strongly recommended to accrue these hours. Part-time fellowship opportunities may be arranged at the discretion of the faculty mentors with approval of the Director of Fellowship Training. The Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) requires that a psychology postdoctoral fellowship include at least nine months of participation on a full-time basis, or its equivalent. Our program adheres to these guidelines.
Successful completion of our fellowship program fulfills the PA State licensure requirements for postdoctoral hours.
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