Psychology Externship Positions

Externship opportunities available to graduate students in psychology span a variety of topics and specialties throughout Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Please go to our PENDELDOT site for a list of available positions and their descriptions.

For a quick overview of current positions, please see our externship grid to get a side-by-side snapshot of all the experiences.

Download the externship grid

Supervisors:  Emily Edelson, PsyD (ADHD Diagnostic Assessment with Psychoeducational Testing), Becca Heiden, PhD (ADHD Diagnostic Assessment)

Position: These are 2 related but different externship experiences. If you are only interested in one of these experiences please indicate this in your cover letter.  Both are 8 hour training experiences (1 full day a week – Wed) enabling the extern to obtain training in ADHD clinical diagnostic evaluations and if working with Dr. Edelson there will also be the opportunity to engage in psychoeducational assessments of ADHD patients to identify potential learning needs. Both experiences will build clinical report writing skills and provide opportunities to deliver feedback to patients and families. These externships are appropriate for an advanced graduate student with prior experience with psychoeducational testing, diagnostic assessment and report writing.

Externs will be trained to conduct diagnostic evaluations using semi-structured clinical interview techniques and integrating this data with parent, teacher and child rating scales in accordance with evidence-based practice. Externs engaged in psychoeducational testing will also have the opportunity to administer psychoeducational evaluation instruments including but not limited to cognitive measures (WPPSI-IV, WISC-V, CTONI-2) and academic achievement (WJ-IV, WIAT-4). Externs will then receive supervision and support on data integration, case conceptualization, differential diagnosis and formulating treatment recommendations as well as opportunities to convey results and recommendations to patients and families through feedback sessions.

Externs may have the opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration with psychiatry, developmental pediatrics and case management.

Training objectives

• Understand the ADHD diagnostic criteria and how to evaluate for these criteria
• Understand common co-existing behavioral health diagnoses and how to evaluate for them
• Interpret and synthesize ADHD and behavioral health rating scales
• Administer and score psychoeducational assessment measures (Dr. Edelson's rotation)
• Develop a comprehensive psychoeducational and clinical evaluation report
• Understand evidence-based follow-up recommendations based on assessment outcomes
• Understand how to convey assessment findings to patients and families

Qualifications: These Externships are designed for advanced graduate students who have some experience in diagnostic evaluation, psychoeducational testing and report writing and who would like to gain additional experience and increased depth of knowledge in these areas.  Foundational knowledge of ADHD is preferred.  Start date: July. These are both 8 hour intervention rotations occurring in person at our outpatient facility on Wednesdays. An Extern will only be eligible to participate in one of these experiences but may apply to both.

Start Date: July 1

Supervisors: Tom Power, PhD, ABPP; Jenelle Nissley-Tsiopinis, PhD; Emily Edelson, PsyD; and Jennifer Engelhardt, Psy

Position: This externship is a 4 to 8 hour training experience (up to two evenings per week) enabling the extern to obtain training in group parent training programs within the Center for Management of ADHD as well as in a school-based organizational skills training program as part of an IES-funded research study. As schedule and interest permit, the extern may also have the opportunity to participate in additional assessment and treatment activities with psychologists at the Center for Management of ADHD. This externship is appropriate for an advanced graduate student with prior experience with behavioral interventions and school consultation.

The extern will be trained to conduct group parenting interventions for parents of children with ADHD through the Center for Management of ADHD. The ADHD Center's parent group treatment programs (ADHD Boot Camp, Family-School Success [FSS]) are intended to support diagnosis acceptance and treatment initiation/adherence. Additionally, the groups focus on developing and maintaining strong, collaborative family-school relationships to support educational success. Group participants are parents of children with ADHD in kindergarten through grade 5. Children also participate in a portion of each group session.

The extern will also be trained to implement the Organizational Skills Training program – Middle School version (MOST) for middle school students (grades 5 to 9) by conducting this intervention with two groups of children through the ADHD Clinic. After this initial training, the extern will then engage in training, consulting with, and coaching school partners in implementing the MOST intervention. This portion of the externship will focus on the acquisition of advanced clinical and research skills related to school-based intervention, organizational skills training for children, and training and consultation provided to elementary school personnel.

Training objectives:

• Understand the "active ingredients" of parent training programs provided through the CHOP ADHD Center
• Acquire skills in case conceptualization and application of group family behavior therapy interventions for children with ADHD
• Acquire skills in school-based consultation and coaching to train school staff in the implementation of a treatment protocol
• ADHD Boot Camp: Understand the process by which parents move from initial acceptance of the diagnosis to engagement in evidence-based treatment
• Family School Success: Learn skills to build parent-child, family-school and student-teacher relationships to promote the success of children with ADHD
• MOST: Learn key components of a skills-based training intervention for ADHD that addresses ADHD-related implementation challenges and executive functioning deficits

Qualifications: This externship is designed for advanced graduate students who have some experience in providing behavioral treatment, family-behavior therapy or school consultation and who would like to gain additional experience providing such interventions in a group setting. Foundational knowledge of ADHD is preferred. Access to a car is required for travel to schools.

Start date: July. This is a 4- to 8-hour training experience (up to two evenings per week)

Supervisors: Lisa Blaskey, PhD, Laura Cubit, Ph.D., Kathleen Davis, PhD, Whitney Guthrie, Ph.D., John Herrington, PhD, Mina Kim, Ph.D., NCSP, Emily Kuschner, PhD, Erica Lehman, Ph.D., Elizabeth McKernan, Ph.D., Judith Miller, PhD, Maya Mosner, Ph.D., Juhi Pandey, PhD, Lauren Steinbeck, Ph.D., Benjamin Yerys, PhD, or Casey Zampella, Ph.D.

Positions: Psychology externships related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are coordinated through the Center for Autism Research (CAR) and the Autism Integrated Care Program. Opportunities that provide a mix of both assessment and outpatient intervention can be tailored to meet the extern's interests and level of previous experience; however, the majority of positions have a primary assessment training focus.  Specialized experiences with specific age ranges, from early childhood (infant/toddler/preschool) through adulthood are also possible.

Externship students work under the close supervision of licensed psychologists and will have a primary supervisor and secondary supervisor if appropriate (e.g., a primary supervisor for assessment, with a secondary for intervention). Externs are also invited to our autism clinical and research discussions (select Tuesdays at 3:30).

Opportunities that can be integrated into the externship:

Assessment-Related

• Administer, score and interpret measures of cognitive, academic, behavioral, and emotional functioning for toddlers, school-age children, and/or adolescents and adults with concerns related to ASD or other related conditions (ADHD, anxiety, language disorder, intellectual disability).
• Obtain training in the characterization and diagnosis of ASD and use of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). Extent of ADOS training (e.g., observation vs administration) will vary based on previous experience and knowledge base.
• Provide or participate in verbal feedback of testing results and recommendations to families.
• Complete written reports of assessment results.
• Observe our interdisciplinary diagnostic clinic at the Regional Autism Center (disciplines include Psychology, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Speech and Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, and Social Work).
• Externs with a special interest in neuropsychology can apply to do a "hybrid" training experience between the Autism program and the Broad Neuropsychology Outpatient program.  This experience would involve 1 day/week for each of these experiences throughout the entire training year.  This program is for advanced trainees who have had prior assessment practica. Please indicate your interest in this program in your cover letter.

Intervention-Related

• Participate in outpatient intervention, generally focused on behavioral and/or cognitive behavioral interventions for school-age youth and adolescents. Modalities may include parent management training, direct child therapy interventions, and group social skills training (e.g., PEERS intervention).
• Attend our NextSteps workshops for parents and professionals. NextSteps workshops occur monthly and rotate between workshops for families with newly diagnosed children, adolescents, adults and professionals.
• Observe and/or help youth participate in research-based hospital procedures such as EEG and neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI, and magnetoencephalography (MEG)).

Qualifications:

• Enrollment in a graduate program in clinical or school psychology (second year of externship or above)
• Foundational experience in assessment of cognitive and behavioral functioning of children
• Ability to complete documentation within a reasonable timeframe, including integrating edits and feedback from the supervisor
• Ability to prepare for and be responsive to supervision in individual and group ats

How the externship activities are determined: After interviews, we will identify opportunities that meet the extern's training goals and availability. Externs with a preference for training with a particular age group (e.g., early childhood) should indicate this preference in their application. The externship can be either one or two days per week. There may also be opportunity for a half-day (4 hour/week) intervention experience.

Starting date: flexible between July 1 and September 1.

Supervisor: Nick Seivert, PhD

Start date: July 1, 2024

# of positions: 1

Hours per week: 8 (FTF contact time= 2-3 hours general cardiology outpatients, 1-2 hours FORWARD Clinic [on average with 1 clinic per month, 4-5 patients per clinic], plus 1-2 hours supervision, 1 hour meetings, 1 hour documentation)

Required availability includes the third Thursday morning of each month + fifth Thursday morning (if applicable) and 1-2 afternoons per week (time arranged with supervisor).

Types of experience: outpatient intervention, multidisciplinary consultation

Prior experience: 3rd year or above, prior child intervention experience required

Stipend: None

Position: The Cardiac Center at CHOP offers an externship for advanced psychology graduate students who have previous experience with clinical intervention and assessment for children, adolescents, and their families. The student works under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist in the CHOP Cardiac Center at the Main Hospital. The externship position aims to build competencies in pediatric psychology, multidisciplinary consultation, and child/family intervention.

Primary duties: The externship provides students with opportunities to participate in pediatric psychology programming activities and offers training in outpatient consultation and psychotherapy. Training will include participation in the Fontan Rehabilitation, Wellness, Activity and Resilience Development (FORWARD) Program, a multidisciplinary clinic that follows patients born with single ventricle congenital heart disease. Trainee will gain experience working on this team with several medical subspecialties, including providing psychological consultation to patients, families, and medical providers. Student will work closely with FORWARD Program psychologist to provide brief psychological evaluation and consultation to patients in this program and their families. Trainee will also gain individual and family intervention and consultation experience with a range of outpatient referrals from the Division of Cardiology at CHOP. Patient population is primarily children who have heart disease, both congenital and acquired, and their families. Consultation and intervention patients vary in age (young children to young adults) and cardiac diagnoses. Common reasons for referral including adjustment/coping with chronic illness, problems with medical adherence, emotional/behavioral concerns impacting medical care, as well as general emotional/behavioral issues in the context of having a heart condition. The position offers the opportunity to learn consultation skills as an effective part of a robust multidisciplinary team. Patient contact will occur through both telehealth and in-person sessions. The primary mode of supervision is live individual supervision during the consultation and treatment with additional time scheduled outside of patient contact hours.

Qualifications:

• Enrolled in a doctoral program in school, clinical, or counseling psychology at the third year level or beyond.
• Prior psychological assessment and intervention experience with children/adolescents and their families is required.
• Experience and/or familiarity with empirically supported treatments for children/adolescents and their families.
• Interest in pediatric psychology, including desire to work with medically complex patients as well as desire to gain experience in being part of a multidisciplinary medical team.

Interviews:

Interviews will be conducted virtually and arranged on an individual basis.

Director: Evelyn Brooks Ridgeway, PhD

Externship description: Children from low-income families often are not afforded a variety of necessary early experiences to promote positive development, consequently placing them at risk for developmental delays and poor educational and health outcomes. The Early Head Start Program was developed to respond to this issue for low-income pregnant women and families with children birth to age 3. Early Head Start aims to:

1. Promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women
2. Enhance the growth and development of very young children, and
3. Promote healthy family functioning

In addition, Early Head Start is charged with ensuring that at least 10 percent of the services provided are for children who are eligible for Part C services under the state's Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The Early Head Start Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (EHS at CHOP) uses a relationship-based approach with families to assess families' needs, and jointly develop goals to address the areas of risk and/or need. Home visitors with training in early child development provide weekly home-based services to the 124 families participating in the home-based option, while the center-based option provides quality care in a group setting for 12 infants and toddlers. The home visitors and center-based liaison are supported by the EHS multidisciplinary team in providing quarterly Family Review case conferences, regular developmental screenings and assessments, assisting families in accessing community based services and resources, and providing opportunities for families to connect with each other for education and support. EHS at CHOP is based at the CHOP Karabots Primary Care Center in West Philadelphia.

Depending on the extern's level of experience and interest, extern will work closely with the Child Development and Mental Health Manager (licensed psychologist) and participate in EHS activities which support and promote Infant Mental Health, including:

• Participating on Monday Multidisciplinary Family Case Reviews
• Assisting home visitors with completing developmental and other required screenings
• Assisting with mental health consultations for both parents and children, including completing Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) for Infants and Toddlers, Preschoolers, or, when indicated, using the Clinical assessment
• Facilitating staff and/or parent workshops on child development or mental health issues
• Creating educational materials for parents
• Supporting staff and parents in child development activities during socialization groups
• Supporting families during Early Intervention or other developmental/behavioral evaluations and/or review meetings at external agencies

Past externs have:

• Created and facilitated Positive Parenting workshop series for enrolled parents
• Facilitated dialogic reading training for staff
• Co-presented at the EHS National Conference in Washington, DC, with CHOP EHS staff
• Assisted in consultation including completing biopsychosocial reports
• Written articles for parent newsletter
• Participated in various child and parent focused activities at EHS

Please note that this externship experience will NOT fulfill requirements for therapy or assessment experience.

Start Date: Flexible (June - October)

There are two tracks in this program. Please see the descriptions below for each.

Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment Program

Track 1: Outpatient Family Based Treatment/Intensive Outpatient Program/Partial Hospitalization Program (2 days/week)

Supervisors: Katrina Lenz, Psy.D., Alexandra Perloe, PhD, Matthew Lerner, Ph.D., Amani Piers, Ph.D.

Position: The psychology externship student works with an interdisciplinary team comprised of psychology, medicine, nutrition and social work to treat children and adolescents with an eating disorder (primarily anorexia nervosa).

The Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment Program serves a range of children and their families. Children and adolescents are primarily 12-18 years of age, but it is possible to see children/adolescents outside this age range. The majority of adolescents present with anorexia nervosa, but there may be opportunities to treat adolescents with other eating disorders as well (e.g., ARFID).

Students receive training in conducting comprehensive evaluations for eating disorders and Family-based Treatment (FBT). FBT is the leading evidence-based treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. In this treatment, parents are charge with re-nourishing their child. The therapist works with parents and a multidisciplinary team to support them in this process. If appropriate, externs may also receive training in evidence-based treatments for ARFID. Externs on Track 1 will spend one day per week in our outpatient program providing family-based treatment and one day per week in our partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient program providing skills groups, family-informed sessions, individual sessions, and/or parent groups. Depending on the extern's schedule and availability, externs may also have the opportunity to participate in weekly PHP/IOP rounds that include psychiatry, social work, and psychology. For those interested, research opportunities are available.

Externs receive weekly individual supervision with a licensed psychologist and participate in group supervision/didactics. Externs will work with two different supervisors- one for their outpatient day and one for their IOP/PHP day. Externs are asked to read the Family Based Treatment manual and other relevant articles/readings prior to the start of externship.

Updated COVID-19 statement: Due to the status of COVID-19, telehealth remains an for our patients. Thus, externs may gain exposure to a hybrid model of both in-person and telehealth services in the outpatient setting. IOP/PHP activities will be all in-person. These changes will be updated in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.

Primary duties (outpatient day):

• Complete comprehensive evaluations for pediatric eating disorders
• Provide evidence-based treatment for eating disorders under supervision of psychologist
• Prepare for and participate in weekly group and individual supervision
• Develop treatment plan
• Complete appropriate paperwork
• Communicate with multidisciplinary treatment team to coordinate care
• Fulfill other assigned responsibilities as appropriate

 Primary duties (IOP/PHP day):

• Complete level of care evaluations for pediatric and adolescent eating disorders
• Co-facilitate CBT, ACT, DBT, CRT skills groups for children and adolescents with eating disorders under supervision of psychologist
• Conduct family-informed and individual treatment sessions under supervision of psychologist
• Co-facilitate group meals and snacks
• Co-facilitate parent psychoeducational and multi-family groups
• Participate in treatment and discharge planning
• Prepare for and participate in weekly group and individual supervision
• Attend weekly rounds and present case updates
• Complete appropriate paperwork
• Communicate with multidisciplinary team to coordinate care
• Fulfill other assigned responsibilities as appropriate

Qualifications:

• Enrolled in a doctoral program in clinical or counseling psychology (third or fourth year)
• Experience with eating disorders preferred but not necessary
• Clinical experience with families preferred but not necessary

Start date: July 2023

Track 2: Outpatient Family Based Treatment/Inpatient Consultation Liaison with Adolescent Medicine (2 days/week)

Outpatient Supervisors (see above)

Inpatient Supervisors:  Jeanna Stokes, Psy.D. and C. Alix Timko, Ph.D.

Position: The inpatient position is a joint collaboration with the Division of Adolescent Medicine and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Inpatient Medical Stabilization at CHOP aims to address the medical needs of children and adolescents presenting with significant physical symptoms of malnutrition secondary to eating disorders or eating problems.

When children and adolescents with eating disorders are admitted to CHOP due to medical complications of malnutrition, the inpatient BHIP team provides behavioral health assessment, brief interventions, psychoeducation about eating disorders, and recommendations for treatment. In this track, externs will spend two days in the inpatient setting to allow externs the opportunity to follow malnutrition patients during their medical hospitalization.

Opportunities for the practicum student include attending inpatient rounds (i.e. consultation-liaison and adolescent medicine), inpatient consultation and follow-up, co-facilitating a psychoeducation group for caregivers of patients with eating disorders, collaborating with outpatient providers, and establishing aftercare recommendations. All direct patient care activities are face-to-face. On their outpatient day, practicum students will gain experience conducting comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and providing family-based treatment for child and adolescent eating disorders.

Externs receive weekly individual supervision with a licensed psychologist and participate in group supervision/didactics.  See below for outpatient responsibilities.

Primary duties (inpatient day):

• Complete initial inpatient consultation and progress notes
• Attend consultation-liaison (Behavioral Health Integrated Program) and adolescent medicine rounds
• Prepare for and participate in weekly group as well as individual supervision
• Observe and provide psychoeducational group to caregivers
• Participate in multidisciplinary family meetings
• Assist with quality improvement projects for eating disorder program

Primary duties (outpatient day):

• Complete comprehensive evaluations for pediatric eating disorders
• Provide evidence-based treatment for eating disorders under supervision of psychologist
• Prepare for and participate in weekly group and individual supervision
• Develop treatment plan
• Complete appropriate paperwork
• Communicate with multidisciplinary treatment team to coordinate care
• Fulfill other assigned responsibilities as appropriate

Qualifications:

• Enrolled in a doctoral program in clinical or counseling psychology (third or fourth year)
• Experience with eating disorders preferred but not necessary
• Clinical experience with families preferred but not necessary

Start date: July 2024

Supervisor: Leela Morrow, PsyD

Hours per week: 16

Position: The rotation is intended to provide the extern with training in brief consultation and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) while working with patients with endocrine conditions (e.g. hyperinsulinism, precocious puberty, differences in sexual development (DSD), Turner syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome) in the inpatient and outpatient setting.

Common reasons patients present for treatment are: difficulties with adherence to the medical regimen, problems coping with chronic illness, and patient/family coping with diagnosis. The extern will gain supervised experience in inpatient and outpatient consultation, assessment (clinical interview, medical chart review), and intervention. Specific intervention strategies include: use of CBT strategies to promote adherence to the medical regimen, to improve coping and functioning, and psychoeducation about the relationship between endocrine conditions and mood/emotions.

Externs will be expected to practice within a multidisciplinary care model, including endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, dieticians, social workers, and a child life specialist. The extern may gain exposure to inpatient consultation, assessment, and intervention with the hyperinsulinism population.

Qualification: Enrolled in a doctoral program in school, clinical or counseling psychology at least the third year level or equivalent years of training

Start date: July 2023

The CHOP Gender and Sexuality Development Program is offering 3rd or 4th year doctoral students' intervention and evaluation opportunities within a specialized and marginalized population. The population served are transgender, gender non-binary, and gender expansive children, youth, and their families. We work with children and youth up until the age of 21. Providing psychosocial diagnostic evaluations, resource recommendations, family support, educational sessions, and a wide range of clinical interventions to help the families we serve.

Supervisor: Jaclyn Bellino, PhD

Position Expectations:

• Develop an understanding of the needs when working with transgender, gender non-binary, and gender expansive youth and their families.
• Learn how to complete evaluations for gender dysphoria, helping children and families explore gender fluidity.
• Identify and implement appropriate clinical interventions for the whole family, and appropriate resources to guide families through the gender exploration process.
• Develop consultation skills when working with other mental health professionals to aid in the care for families in the gender program.

Required Training Activities:

• Review of intake process, prepping for sessions, 3-4 weekly family evaluations (90-minute evaluations), gathering information, family system collaborations, and resource recommendations.
• Providing psychoeducation and feedback to families, patients, and a larger multidisciplinary team.
• Learn how to take notes during an evaluation and write up diagnostic summaries. Expected to be completed by end of day or within 24 hours of last session.
• Opportunities to meet with medical providers to discuss gender affirming medical care for families.
• Optional attendance at weekly behavioral health seminars (Thursdays at 8am) and grand rounds (Thursdays at 12pm, once a month).
• Weekly individual supervision and live direct supervision

Preferences:

• A 3rd or 4th year PhD or PsyD Doctoral Student
• Prior training or experience working with the LGBTQ+ Community

Submit a writing sample of either a redacted assessment report or diagnostic evaluation

Start Date: July 2024

This rotation is an eight-hour single day, taking place on Wednesdays from 8:30am-5pm. al hours may be obtained, but not guaranteed, on Thursdays (Virtual Only).

Position: This rotation aims to provide the extern with practice opportunities in providing psychosocial consultation and brief intervention to children and adolescents with overweight/obesity and their families in the context of a multidisciplinary family-based weight management program. Additional goals include education on the potential harm of weight focused intervention, weight stigma and weight discrimination as well as strategies for supporting healthy lifestyles while mitigating such harms. This rotation also emphasizes the importance of addressing health inequities of all kinds and provides an opportunity for clinical experiences addressing the needs of diverse and often underserved families in the Philadelphia area.

Common presenting concerns include: nonadherence to medical recommendations, psychosocial difficulties interfering in health behavior goals (depression, anxiety, disruptive behavior, impulsivity), negative image, low motivation for health behavior change, emotional eating,  binge eating, mild ive eating, food sneaking, parent-child conflict around health behaviors and parent management training in regards to health behavior promotion.

Externs will be expected to practice within a multidisciplinary care model, including physicians, dieticians, social workers, and physical activity specialists. If schedules allow, the extern may gain exposure to assessment of readiness for bariatric surgery within the CHOP- Penn Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program or the multidisciplinary Healthy Habits Clinic for Children with Autism.

Qualifications: Advanced child clinical doctoral student with previous practicum experience in evidenced based intervention for common child psychological diagnoses.

Days/Times: Possible days at 3550 Market St - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (includes bariatrics); King of Prussia - Monday

Hours per week: 8

SPECIFIC EXTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION

This is a 16-hour placement with the opportunity to provide consultation and brief intervention with pediatric patients across two settings: The Pediatric Health and Behavior (PHAB) program and the Behavioral Health Integrated Program (BHIP). Externs can expect to receive supervision in both settings. Externs may rank their preferences for the following three tracks:

• Track 1: Outpatient (PHAB) pediatric psychology consultation and brief intervention (16 hours)
• Track 2: Inpatient (BHIP) pediatric psychology consultation and brief intervention (16 hours)
• Track 3: Outpatient/Inpatient combined (PHAB, 8 hours; BHIP, 8 hours)

Training objectives:

• Develop an understanding of the impact of chronic illness and medical traumatic stress on development and family functioning
• Cultivate interdisciplinary and consultation skills by communicating regularly with medical and social work leagues
• Build comfort applying brief CBT and ACT based interventions in the context of chronic illness
• Learn to integrate conversations about family culture and entity within pediatric psychology assessments and interventions

Pediatric Health and Behavior (PHAB) (Supervisors: Colette Gramszlo, PhD; Emily Mariotti, PhD)

PHAB provides outpatient consultation and intervention to youth with a wide range of medical conditions (e.g., neuromuscular disorders, metabolic conditions, rheumatologic diagnoses including lupus and arthritis, neuroinflammatory diseases, functional neurological symptom disorder) who are experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulties secondary to their medical diagnosis or treatment. Psychological services provided include:

1. Assessment of patient and family coping with chronic medical conditions and comorbid emotional or behavioral difficulties, including trauma focused assessment following medical trauma or traumatic injury.
2. Individual and/or family therapy including CBT, TF-CBT, ACT, and collaborative Problem Solving modalities within a broad age range (ages 3 to 19).
3. Consultation with medical teams and social work leagues around behavioral intervention, school accommodations, and patient/family coping.

Typical referral concerns include: adjustment to new diagnosis or progression of symptoms; difficulties with self-management or adherence; medical trauma or anxiety related to medical setting (including needle phobia); and behavioral concerns secondary to neurodevelopmental differences associated with medical diagnosis.

Required training activities include:

• Completing psychology evaluations with patients and families in the outpatient clinic setting, which typically includes gathering information from the patient's medical team/medical record review, integrating medical history and psychosocial information, and providing feedback to referring providers.
• Participating in the creation and implementation of treatment plans that appropriately target behavioral health symptoms within the context of developmental level, medical diagnosis, and family culture.
• Weekly individual supervision.

Paperwork expectations:

• One-to-two-page report following all initial evaluations, to be completed within one week of conducting evaluation.
• Outpatient follow-up notes each time a patient is seen, within 48 hours of seeing the patient.

Behavioral Health Integrated Program (BHIP) (Supervisors: Kate Berghuis, PhD, Carla Bernstein, PsyD, Whitney Guerry, PhD, Jessica Harpel, PsyD, Ana Ross, PhD)

BHIP is the consult-liaison service for the CHOP Philadelphia campus and is comprised of psychosocial members (psychologists and social workers) and psychiatry (psychiatrists and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners).  BHIP psychologists provide inpatient services to patients who are experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulties, often secondary to their medical diagnosis or treatment. Presenting concerns include eating disorders, problems in patient or family coping and adaptation to illness or injury, somatic symptom and related disorder presentations, and other mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety) that are interfering with hospital-based treatment. BHIP clinicians seek to integrate identification, evaluation, and intervention for behavioral health concerns into patient's multidisciplinary care through attending daily rounds, providing on-going education to medical trainees, and other methods. Opportunities for collaboration will occur with other behavioral health care providers (psychiatry, behavior analysts (BCBAs), social work, child life) and nursing and medical providers.

Required training activities include:

• Completing psychology evaluations with patients and families in the hospital, which typically includes gathering information from the patient's medical team/medical record review, integrating medical history and psychosocial information, and providing feedback to family and referring providers.
• Conducting brief, problem-focused intervention that appropriately targets behavioral health symptoms within the context of developmental level, medical diagnosis, and family culture.
• Engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration (e.g., attending daily BHIP rounds, medical team rounds, coordination with other treatment teams to co-develop and implement treatment plan).
• Conducting co-treatments with other disciplines (e.g., physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc.) to enhance engagement, adherence, target anxiety, and/or support behavior management in therapies.

Paperwork expectations:

• One-to-two-page report following all initial evaluations, to be completed the same day as the initial evaluation.
• Of note, supervisors take into account turn around time when assigning trainees to cases.
• Brief follow-up notes each time a patient is seen, to be completed the same day the patient is seen.

Start Date: July

Location: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, King of Prussia Campus

Supervisors: Colleen Cadigan, PsyD and Levi DiFilipp, PsyD

Externship Description: This position is designed to provide externs with exposure to and training in interdisciplinary care for pediatric patients and their families. The interdisciplinary team is comprised of medicine, nursing, nutrition, child life, social work, psychiatry, and psychology. As part of this robust team, trainees will provide care to patients and families with diverse backgrounds as they navigate their medical challenges. Externs will gain experience in inpatient consultation, assessment (via clinical interview, medical chart review), intervention, and disposition planning under the supervision of a licensed pediatric psychologist using a co-therapy model and live supervision. In addition to practicing within an integrated care model, interns will have the opportunity to participate in multidisciplinary rounds, if the schedule allows.

Qualifications for the position:

• Enrolled in a doctoral program in school, clinical or counseling psychology at the third year level or beyond
• Prior psychotherapy experience with children/adolescents and their families
• Strong interest pediatric psychology

Start Date: July 2024

We look forward to reviewing your application! If you have questions, please email Dr. Cadigan at cadiganc@chop.edu.

Supervisors: Kavita Tahilani, PhD and Abigail Zisk, PhD

Position: The dual rotation externship in the CHAMP and Mood Disorders PHP programs provides evaluation and intervention services for children and adolescents with depression and other mood disorders at both the outpatient and partial hospitalization levels of service. One area of focus for this externship placement is evaluation and diagnostic assessment. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to conduct thorough semi-structured diagnostic interviews and to provide feedback to patients and families regarding diagnoses, clinical impressions, and treatment recommendations. Students will also have the opportunity to gain individual and group therapy experience. Groups opportunities will occur within the Mood Disorder PHP program and include CBT and DBT skills groups. Individual therapy opportunities occur at both the outpatient level (CHAMP) and the PHP level and include cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy for youth with depression, and DBT informed therapy targeting emotional/behavioral dysregulation and suicide risk. Lastly, students will also participate in multidisciplinary team meetings for each of the two programs and have many didactic opportunities.

Primary duties:

• Complete two comprehensive diagnostic evaluations per month using the K-SADS within CHAMP.
• Obtain collateral information from schools, outside providers, etc., as needed
• Present CHAMP evaluation cases in weekly consensus meeting
• Participate in diagnostic and treatment feedback sessions
• Participate in intake/diagnostic evaluations within the Mood Disorder PHP
• Conduct suicide risk assessments with patients in CHAMP and the  Mood Disorder PHP
• Individual therapy experience with children and/or adolescents presenting with primary concerns related to depression or other mood disorders in both CHAMP and the Mood Disorder PHP
• Co-lead CBT and DBT skills groups within the Mood Disorder PHP

Qualifications: third or fourth year graduate students in clinical child psychology doctoral programs with previous hospital-based externship/practicum experience. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are required days, up to 16 hours a week.

Start date: July, 2024

Supervisors: Cherie Gerstadt, PhD, Jason Lewis, Roberto Uribe, PhD, and Alaina Tucker, PsyD

Position: The dual rotation externship in the CHAMP and Trauma programs within the Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma Section of the Division of Outpatient Behavioral Health provides outpatient evaluation and intervention services for children and adolescents with mood and trauma related disorders. One area of focus for this externship placement is evaluation and diagnostic assessment. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to conduct thorough semi-structured diagnostic interviews and to provide feedback to patients and families regarding diagnoses, clinical impressions, and treatment recommendations. Students will also have the opportunity to gain individual and group therapy experience in both CHAMP and the Trauma Programs. Individual therapy opportunities include cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy for youth with depression, DBT informed therapy targeting emotional/behavioral dysregulation and suicide risk, Trauma Focused CBT, and other evidence-based interventions targeting trauma symptoms. Group intervention opportunities will include CBT for Depression, Trauma Informed CBT skills, and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools. Lastly, students will also participate in multidisciplinary team meetings for each of the two programs and have many didactic opportunities.

Primary duties:

• Complete one comprehensive diagnostic evaluation per month using the K-SADS within CHAMP
• Complete 2-4 comprehensive trauma-informed diagnostic evaluations per week within the Trauma Program
• Participate in diagnostic and treatment feedback session
• Obtain lateral information from schools, outside providers, etc., as needed
• Present CHAMP evaluation cases in weekly consensus meeting
• Conduct suicide risk assessments with patients in CHAMP and the Trauma Program
• Individual therapy experience with children and/or adolescents presenting with primary concerns related to depression or other mood disorders in CHAMP
• Individual therapy experience with youth presenting with primary concerns related to chronic traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress in the Trauma Program
• Opportunities to co-lead CBT skills groups within CHAMP and/or trauma-informed CBT skills within the Trauma Program

Qualifications: third or fourth-year graduate students in clinical child psychology doctoral programs with previous hospital-based externship/practicum experience. There will be two positions:

• Position 1: Tuesdays and Thursdays are required days, 16 hours per week
• Position 2: Tuesdays and Fridays are required days, 16 hours per week.

Start date: July, 2024

There are 3 Tracks for the Neuropsychology Externship Program.  You may apply to all 3 tracks if you wish. Of note, Track 3 is for more advanced students only. Please make it very clear in your cover letter which track(s) you are applying to.

• Track 1: Pediatric Neuropsychology- Broad Focus (special hybrid training in Neuropsychology/ASD or Neuropsychology/Oncology are sometimes available to interested applicants)
• Track 2: Pediatric Neuropsychology- Oncology, NF1, Screening
• Track 3: Advanced Neuropsychology Externship (only for 4th year students and above, must have prior pediatric neuropsychology experience- see below)

TRACK 1: PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGY- BROAD FOCUS

Supervisors: Lauren Krivitzky, PhD, ABPP-Cn, Training Director; Thomas Flynn, PhD, ABPP-Cn,  Neuropsychology Program Director, Sarah Murphy, PsyD, Externship Director, Nina Thomas, PhD, ABPP-Cn; Lisa Blaskey, PhD; Juhi Pandey, PhD; Lyla Hampton, PhD, ABPP-Cn; Jane Schrieber, PhD ABPP-Cn, Chelsea Black, PhD, ABPP-Cn, Matthew Fasano-McCarron, PsyD, Arianna Stefanatos, PhD, Sophie Foss, PhD, Kathryn Ritchie, PhD, Emily DiVirgilio, PhD, Lauren Demers, PhD

Position: The Pediatric Neuropsychology program provides neuropsychological assessment and consultation services for children/adolescents from a wide age range and with varying presenting concerns. The program receives referrals from many different medical services, including neurology, neurosurgery, genetics, metabolism, hematology/oncology and physical medicine and rehabilitation, and from a variety of clinics for neurodevelopmental disorders.

The neuropsychology externship student has the opportunity to work with one of our neuropsychology faculty on outpatient neuropsychological assessments and may also gain exposure to inpatients and the various multidisciplinary teams with whom the neuropsychologists collaborate.

Primary duties:

• Administer/score neuropsychological tests for a range of ages from preschool through adolescent/young adult.
• Participate in parent/child interview and feedback sessions.
• Prepare for and participate in weekly individual supervision sessions.
• Opportunity to participate in didactics through the neuropsychology program and other hospital/department specific didactics.
• Potential opportunity for observing/participating in interdisciplinary team meetings or clinic.

Qualifications: Preference for students with prior exposure to neuropsychology through either course work and/or clinical experience. Also preference for third or fourth year doctoral-level students

Start date: July 2024

TRACK 2: PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGY- Oncology, NF1, Screening

Supervisors: Kelly Janke, PhD, ABPP-CN; Iris Paltin, PhD, ABPP-CN; Hannah Schofield, PhD, ABPP-CN;  Megan Sy, PsyD

Position: The Division of Oncology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia offers a neuropsychological assessment externship for psychology graduate students with previous experience conducting neuropsychological assessments with children and adolescents. The student works under the close supervision of pediatric neuropsychologists within the Division of Oncology.

Patient population: Patient population consists of children, adolescents, and young adults with brain tumors, leukemia, lymphoma, other pediatric cancer conditions, and cancer predisposition syndromes (e.g., neurofibromatosis Type I). Patients are referred for assessment at various points after diagnosis, ranging from recent diagnosis to long-term survivors. Patients range in age from early childhood through young adulthood, with possible option to include infancy and toddlerhood.

Primary duties: During this 16-hour per week placement, the externship student will gain extensive experience conducting family and patient interviews, administering a wide range of measures, scoring, interpreting and integrating results, writing comprehensive reports with targeted recommendations, and providing feedback. Multiple hours of individual supervision provided per case.

Qualifications: Enrolled in a graduate program (third year or above) in school, clinical or counseling psychology. Prior experience conducting assessments with children/adolescents. Familiarity with neuropsychological measures.

Optional meetings/activities: Neuropsychology Seminar, Behavioral Health Seminar, Oncology psychosocial team meetings, Oncology medical rounds, grand rounds

Start date:  July 2024

TRACK 3: ADVANCED PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGY EXTERNSHIP

Position: Advanced neuropsychology externs participate in specialty rotations (typically 2 rotations over the course of the year, one rotation at a time for a 6 month block).  We will work with students to match them with rotations based on clinical interest and schedule.  These may include rotations in the following programs:

1. Pediatric Stroke Clinic (Primary Supervisor, Lauren Krivitzky, PhD, ABPP-Cn): Provide consultation and brief assessment in a multidisciplinary stroke clinic for children with a history of stroke and other vascular disorders.  
2. Early Childhood Assessment Rotations: Cardiac Kids Follow-up Program (CDKP) or Surgery Follow-up Program (Supervisors Lyla Hampton, PhD, ABPP-Cn, Jane Schreiber, PhD, ABPP-Cn), These rotations involves conducting neurodevelopmental evaluations with infants and young children who have congenital heart conditions (CDKP) or who have undergone fetal surgery for myelomeningocele or other intrauterine procedures (Surgery Follow-up Program).
3. Oncology Assessment: See above for summary of clinical experience and supervisors. Externship can be tailored based on advanced students' experiences and interests.
4. Concussion Clinic (Supervisor Mary Iampietro, PhD): This program provides neuropsychological consultation, evaluation, and intervention services to children and adolescents who have sustained mild traumatic brain injuries.
5. Metabolism Clinic (Supervisor Arianna Stefanatos, PhD). This rotation involves conducting serial neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological evaluations of individuals with a range of metabolic and genetic conditions from infancy through young adulthood.
6. Neuroinflammatory Rotation: (Supervisor Chelsea Black, PhD). This experience, co-mentored by Neuropsychology and Neurology, involves administration of a brief, neurocognitive screener and both targeted and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations with patients with a broad variety of neuroinflammatory conditions. Additional research experiences can also be incorporated depending on the extern's interest.
7. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Rotation (Supervisor, Matt Fasano-McCarron, PsyD): This rotation involves providing neuropsychological consultation and evaluation services for children and youth who are d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing, including those who identify as culturally Deaf and/or use American Sign language (ASL) as their primary language. Competence in ASL is preferred, but not required.

Qualifications: This externship is designed for more advanced neuropsychology students (typically 4th year and above).  You must have taken neuropsychology coursework, assessment coursework, and have at least 1 year of prior pediatric neuropsychology clinical experience, preferably in a hospital setting.  If you are not sure if this track is right for you, or if you have further questions, please contact our externship director, Dr. Sarah Murphy (murphysc@chop.edu) to learn more. 

Start Date: July 2024 (This is a 16 hour, two day per week externship over a 12-month period)

Training Year: July 2024 - June 2025

Program Overview: The externship program in pediatric psychology with specialization in oncology is designed to provide externs with exposure to and training in interdisciplinary care for pediatric oncology patients and their families. The oncology interdisciplinary team is comprised of medicine, nursing, child life, social work, psychiatry, and psychology. As part of this robust team, trainees will provide care to patients and families with diverse backgrounds as they navigate their medical challenges.

Within the program, we are excited to offer up to five externship positions for the 2024-2025 academic year. Monthly didactics and peer consultation are required for the oncology psychology extern cohort. We ask that you please indicate which position(s) you would like to be considered for in your cover letter. Feel free to rank in order of preference.

Qualifications for the program:

• Enrolled in a doctoral program in school, clinical or counseling psychology at the fourth year level or beyond
• Prior psychotherapy training and experience with children/adolescents and their families
• Strong interest pediatric psychology

Start Date: July 2024

We look forward to reviewing your application! If you have questions, please email Dr. Cadigan at cadiganc@chop.edu.

Bone Marrow Transplant Position

Supervisor: Torri Jones, PhD

Location: Philadelphia Campus

Time Commitment: 8 hours

Setting: Primarily inpatient with some opportunity for outpatient/telehealth

Focus: Pediatric psychology consultation and intervention with patients undergoing Bone Marrow Transplant.

Oncology Consultation and Intervention Position(s) * up to 3 positions available

Supervisors: Brandy Derosa, PhD, Paige Lembeck, PhD, Natalie Nageeb, PsyD

Locations: Philadelphia Campus and Voorhees NJ

Time Commitment: 8-16 hours

Setting: Outpatient and inpatient (except for Voorhees, which will be outpatient/telehealth)

Focus: Pediatric psychology psychoeducation, consultation, and intervention for pediatric patients with varying cancer diagnoses and presenting problems.

Psychoeducation Position

Supervisor: Lynne Kaplan, PhD

Location: Philadelphia Campus

Time Commitment: 4-6 hours

Setting: Outpatient and inpatient

Focus: Pediatric psychology psychoeducation to help support patients and families with a new oncology diagnosis. Program development focused on caregiver wellness and/or quality improvement. Consultation and psychotherapy opportunities possible based on training and skill level of trainee.

Supervisors: Betsy Turner, PhD, Kari Baber, PhD, Kelly Rodriguez, PhD, Margo Szabo, PhD, Tina Holbein, PhD, Sarah Mayer-Brown, PhD, Caroline Wilkes, PsyD, Lauren Fussner, PhD, Jackie Miller, PsyD

Position: The externship program in pediatric psychology with specialization in gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition is designed to provide the extern with exposure to and training in interdisciplinary outpatient care for pediatric patients with chronic GI conditions (ages 3-21). The GI interdisciplinary team is comprised of medicine, nursing, nutrition, social work, and psychology. Psychologists and trainees provide integrated clinical services and work collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members for patient care.

Training Objectives: The extern will gain supervised experience in outpatient consultation, assessment (clinical interview, medical chart review), and intervention. Common referral requests include coping with chronic illness, pain management, toilet (re)training, treatment adherence, and school avoidance. Referred patients have a variety of GI conditions (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, constipation with or without encopresis, celiac disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, irritable bowel syndrome and other disorders of gut-brain interaction [DGBIs]). Treatment modalities include behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) that are adapted for use with pediatric GI conditions. In addition to practicing within an integrated care model, externs will have the opportunity to participate in multidisciplinary rounds with colleagues from medicine, nursing, nutrition, and social work, if his/her schedule allows. These experiences are expected to build trainee competencies in assessing and treating common presenting concerns in pediatric psychology with a diverse patient population with respect to socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and spiritual and cultural beliefs.

Additionally, there are opportunities to participate in didactics focused on common presenting problems to GI psychology and relevant treatment techniques, with topics including but not limited to adjustment to chronic GI conditions, and behavioral treatment for constipation and encopresis, and gut-directed hypnotherapy for DGBIs. Didactics are currently held virtually one Monday per month from 12-1pm.

Paperwork Expectations:

• EPIC documentation for new patient and follow-up visits within DCAPBS timeframes.
• Communication with interdisciplinary GI team and community partners (e.g., schools, community behavioral health providers) as indicated.

Hours/Supervision:

• This is an 8-16 hour/week practicum placement in GI Psychology and externs can expect to have 1-2 primary clinical supervisors from the GI Psychology team.
• Individual supervision 1 hour weekly.
• Opportunities to participate in monthly group supervision with GI psychology trainees at the externship, internship, and fellowship levels and monthly GI psychosocial rounds with colleagues from psychology, social work, and child life.

Location:

• Positions are available on the Main CHOP campus in Philadelphia, as well as at various satellite clinics in PA (King of Prussia, Chalfont) and NJ (Voorhees, Princeton).
• Additionally, GI psychologists continue to see a large proportion of their caseload via telehealth and thus externs will have the opportunity to participate in clinical services through a video platform embedded within the CHOP electronic medical record system.

Qualifications:

• Enrolled in a doctoral program in school, clinical or counseling psychology at least the third-year level or equivalent years of training.
• Prior psychological intervention experience with children/adolescents and their families (including experience providing cognitive behavioral interventions).

Start date: July 2024

Supervisors: Amanda Riisen, PsyD, Carinna Scotti-Degnan, PhD

Position: The training goal of this rotation is to provide the extern with opportunities in administering psychological services as a member of the interdisciplinary Pediatric Epilepsy Program. Additionally, externs can choose to also have experience delivering Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) for patients with tic disorders. Psychological services provided include:

1. Assessment of patient and families coping with epilepsy and/or tics and comorbid behavioral health diagnoses
2. Individual and/or family CBT based therapy for children within a broad age range (ages 3 to 19)
3. Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics with children ages 6 and up
4. Consultation with medical team around patient/family coping with anti-epileptic drug side effects, epilepsy surgery, ketogenic diet and any additional medical treatments.

Common referral issues include adjustment to illness, treatment adherence, managing medication side effects, child/parent coping with anxiety directly related to seizures, and assessment/treatment for comorbid psychiatric issues such as anxiety, depression, ADHD and behavioral issues.

This rotation is an eight-hour single day or 16-hour two-day rotation, taking place on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Training objectives:

• To develop an understanding of epilepsy and the common psychiatric and educational issues children and families face when seizures and/or tics are present
• To develop skills in completing an initial outpatient evaluation and providing family with appropriate clinical recommendations
• To develop skills in administering CBT-based treatment targeting anxiety, depression and issues related to coping with seizures and/or tics
• To develop skills in administering CBIT treatment for tics
• To develop skills in consultation with medical, nursing, social work and school staff to support patient and family coping with complex medical issues
• Required training activities include:
• Responding to requests for psychology evaluation, which typically come from physicians, nurses or social work. The evaluation involves meeting with the family for an initial assessment, gathering information from the medical team/medical record review, providing feedback to the team about your assessment findings and ongoing weekly intervention when warranted.
• Attending the weekly EEG meetings (Mondays at noon) or epilepsy surgery meetings (Thursdays at 1 p.m.). These meetings are optional however, attendance is especially encouraged if a patient you have previously evaluated or currently follow will be discussed.
• Optional attendance at weekly Neuroscience Grand Rounds (Thursdays at 8 a.m.) and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Thursdays at noon, once a month)
• Weekly individual supervision

Paperwork expectations

• Two- to three-page report following all initial evaluations, to be completed within one week of conducting evaluation
• Outpatient follow-up notes each time a patient is seen, within 48 hours of seeing the patient

Start date: July

Supervisors: Colleen Lukens, PhD, Loretta Martin-Halpine, PsyD, Gabriela Echavarría-Moats, PhD, Alana Telesford, PhD, Jennifer Dawson, PhD

Position: The psychology externship student works with a consultative, interdisciplinary team comprised of psychology, medicine, nutrition, speech therapy and occupational therapy to evaluate feeding disorders. The clinic serves a range of children, primarily from infancy through elementary ages, who demonstrate a variety of feeding problems, such as limited intake of food and/or fluids, limited variety of foods and failure to transition to advanced food textures. The student works under the close supervision of a licensed psychologist. All visits are in-person and on-site.

Primary duties:

• Evaluates behavioral aspects of feeding as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Develops clinical interview skills
• Develops knowledge of when to refer for further evaluation of a feeding disorder
• Completes sections of written evaluations
• Participates in discussion of recommendations with caregivers
• Fulfills other assigned responsibilities as appropriate

Qualifications:

• We are looking for a student who will be in their 3rd year or later.
• School, clinical, or counseling psychology
• Experience with behavioral treatment models preferred
• Clinical experience with young children preferred

For 2024 Training Year: Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, 8 hours.

Start date: July

This is an 8 hour placement with the opportunity to work with pediatric patients across two settings: The Pediatric Headache Program (4 hours) in the Division of Neurology and the Concussion Clinic (4 hours) in the Sports Medicine and Performance Center. Externs can expect to receive supervision in both settings.

Pediatric Headache Program (Supervisor: Christina Murphy, PhD)

The Pediatric Headache Program specializes in the care of children with disabling and hard-to-treat headaches (e.g., chronic migraine, new daily persistent headaches, chronic post-traumatic headache). The multidisciplinary headache program team consists of board-certified neurologists, two nurses, a nurse practitioner, social worker and psychologist.  This externship will focus on both evaluation and treatment of psychological factors related to headaches. The initial evaluation consists of either a joint multidisciplinary assessment conducted by the attending physician or nurse practitioner as well as the psychologist or a psychology-only biopsychosocial assessment. The goals of this evaluation are to provide psychoeducation; to assess emotional functioning, coping and areas of stress; and to help determine appropriate treatment recommendations, which may include cognitive behavioral therapy within the headache program or with community providers if more appropriate.

Psychological intervention within the Pediatric Headache Program consists primarily of evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy and often includes collaboration across a patient's social ecology (e.g., home, school, sports) to help patients learn cognitive and behavioral tools to manage pain and restore functioning.

Primary Duties in Headache Program:

• Conduct Headache Clinic evaluations including:
  • Brief review of ache questionnaire and assessment when applicable
  • Clinical interview
  • Consultation with past/current mental health providers
  • Consultation with Neurologist
• Provide appropriate psychoeducation to patients and families
• Make recommendations to the medical team and families
• Complete documentation, including biopsychosocial assessment and progress notes
• Opportunity to provide cognitive behavioral therapy to 1-2 headache program patients

Concussion Clinic (Supervisor: Jamie Shoop, PhD)

Externs in the concussion clinic will have the opportunity to provide consultation and short-term intervention to support children and adolescents recovering from concussion. Patients are referred from across the Minds Matter Concussion Program at CHOP which includes physicians, advanced practice providers, neuropsychology, and physical and occupational therapists. Initial consultations involve a record review, interpretation of measures assessing functional disability and coping, and clinical interview. The goals of consultation are to identify and provide psychoeducation on biopsychosocial factors impacting concussion recovery and make tailored treatment recommendations which could include short-term intervention with concussion psychology. Short-term intervention is based largely in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and aims to improve overall functioning and symptom management in youth following concussion. Common areas of intervention include pain management, relaxation and other brief coping skills, health behaviors (e.g., sleep, physical activity) and school attendance. Externs may also have the opportunity to participate in an integrated clinic (Friday mornings) in which consultation and short-term interventions are delivered in tandem with patients’ medical appointments.

Primary Duties in Concussion Clinic:

• Conduct initial health and behavior assessments including:
  • Record review
  • Administration and interpretation of standardized screening measures
  • Clinical interview
  • Provide appropriate psychoeducation and recommendations to patients and families
  • Coordinate with multidisciplinary providers at CHOP (e.g., referring medical provider) and, as needed, in the community (e.g., community mental health providers) after obtaining release
  • Complete documentation
• Provide short-term health and behavior intervention
  • Adapt evidence-based treatments to target persistent concussion symptoms and/or emotional adjustment following injury
  • Provide ongoing coordination with multidisciplinary team members (e.g., referring medical provider, neuropsychology, physical therapist) as needed
  • Update treatment plan and recommendations as needed
  • Complete documentation

Qualifications:

• Preference for third or fourth year doctoral-level students in clinical child psychology
• Interest in pediatric psychology
• Clinical experience with adolescents preferred
• This is an 8 hour rotation (4 hours in Headache and 4 hours in Concussion)

Start date: July/August

We are happy to offer two pediatric pain externships:

AMPS / Hematology:

Hematology rotation: (Jen Brereton)

Provide psychological services to patients (newborn up to young adults) and their families in the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center as well as the Comprehensive Bone Marrow Failure program. Services consists of brief consultations during clinic visits, full psychological intakes/assessments, and individual and family therapy. Focuses of treatment include coping with illness, adherence, and pain management. Also opportunities to provide services on an inpatient basis and to co-lead support/psychoed groups. Depending on schedules, there may also be an opportunity to participate in a monthly curative therapy clinic, in which the psychology team's role is to provide any needed support and to assess readiness for a curative treatment for some red blood cell disorders.

Center for Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome: (Kim Miller & Whitney Rog)

Patients suspected of having amplified pain are initially referred for interdisciplinary pain clinic evaluation, which involves psychological evaluation. This psychological evaluation may include interpretation of measures assessing functional disability and quality of life. The evaluation also includes a review of records, focused clinical interview, and gathering of information from lateral resources, as appropriate. The goals of this evaluation are to provide psychoeducation; to assess emotional functioning, coping and areas of stress; and to help determine appropriate treatment recommendations, including evaluation for readiness to participate in CHOP's intensive Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome Program, if deemed medically appropriate

Qualifications: third or fourth-year graduate students in clinical child psychology doctoral programs with previous hospital-based externship/practicum experience. There will be two positions:

• Position 1: Tuesdays and Thursdays are required days, 12-16 hours per week

Pediatric Pain / AADP Clinic:

This position offers the opportunity work with children and adolescents who are experiencing pain, somatic concerns and related functional difficulties across a variety of settings, departments and diagnoses.  Anticipated 8-16 hours per week.

Pediatric Pain - Anesthesiology (Supervisor Jessica Collins, PsyD)

Provide multidisciplinary intake assessments for children and adolescents and their parents experiencing chronic pain.  Potential opportunity for 1-2 cases for ongoing follow up, utilizing a cognitive behavioral approach. Additional opportunities may include: 1) to provide inpatient consultation & liaison services with the Acute Pain Service in the Main Hospital for children experiencing acute and/or post-operative pain, 2) opportunity to provide psychological services to patients (newborn - 21) and their families in the multi-disciplinary Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) clinic. Services consist of brief consultation during multi-d clinic primarily focusing on coping with illness, adherence and pain management

Acquired Autonomic Dysfunction Program (Supervisors Richa Aggarwal Dutta, PhD & Natalie Benjamin, PhD)

Opportunities to provide psychosocial assessment and consultation for patients presenting with autonomic dysfunction and functional somatic concerns within a multidisciplinary clinic. Multidisciplinary conference with various providers (e.g. Cardiology, Neurology, GI, PT, General Pediatrics) is held at noon and at the end of patient visits.

Supervisors: Nancy Braveman, MS, PsyD

Position: The Safe Place Treatment and Support Program (SPTS) provides psychosocial support services and mental health treatment to children and families dealing with sexual abuse. The program typically treats children from 3 to 14 years of age who have been medically evaluated by a CHOP team for known or suspected sexual abuse. Externship students would work at CARE Clinic as part of an outpatient team that includes medicine, social work and psychology, and also provide ongoing psychoeducation, support and trauma treatment (TF-CBT). The externship is offered for 16 hours per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Primary duties:

• Participate in CARE Clinic on Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m.
• Provide time-limited outpatient interventions, including psychoeducation/support and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Treatment on a weekly basis
• Complete progress notes of treatment sessions
• Complete initial assessments of new patients
• Receive at least two hours per week of individual supervision
• Participate in live observation of and by clinical supervisors
• Participate in additional research and didactic activities as appropriate

Qualifications:

• Enrolled in a graduate program in clinical psychology, counseling psychology or clinical social work
• Preferably has had at least two years of supervised clinical experience
• Experience and interest in doing trauma-related work with children and families

Start date: July 2024

Sleep Externships - There are 2 separate positions with a focus in sleep, see the specific descriptions below

• POSITION 1: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Program
• POSITION 2: Behavioral Sleep Medicine Externship

POSITION 1: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Program

Supervisor:  Melissa Xanthopoulos, PhD - xanthop@chop.edu

Position: This position provides externship students the opportunity to work within an interdisciplinary team from pulmonary, neurology, nursing, respiratory therapy, psychiatry and psychology.

Externship students will:

• Gain knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS), with a special emphasis on adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a primary treatment of OSAS.
• Obtain a general understanding of pediatric sleep and sleep disorders, including assessment and intervention.
• Provide assessment and treatment in clinic, as well as follow up over the phone

This is an excellent opportunity for students to learn general behavioral principles and techniques for patients ranging in age from 3 months to 21 years.

Primary duties: Students are responsible for interviewing patients, formulating a treatment plan, and providing follow-up by phone and in-person.

• Hours for both Wednesday and Thursdays are to be determined (6-10 hours a week). Students can participate in morning and/or afternoon clinics depending on availability and hours needed
• Wednesday clinic includes a required weekly didactic from noon to 1 p.m.
• Students are required to complete all reports by the end of each clinic and note all patient telephone contacts in the electronic medical record.
• Throughout the week, externship students will provide telephone follow-up with their cases. This typically adds up to one hour per week.
• Individual supervision occurs during and after each clinic.

Qualifications:  Experience and/or coursework related to children and adolescents. Third or fourth year doctoral students preferred.

Start date: July

POSITION 2: Behavioral Sleep Medicine Externship

Supervisor:  Melanie Franklin (franklinm1@chop.edu)

Position:  This rotation provides externship students the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team from pulmonary, neurology, psychiatry and psychology. Externship students will gain knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of both medically-based and behaviorally-based sleep disorders, with a special emphasis on the behavioral treatment of bedtime problems and night wakings. In addition to learning skills relevant to sleep disorders, this is an excellent opportunity for students to learn general behavioral principles and techniques.

We have clinics on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, where we see patients from ages 3 months to 21 years with a variety of sleep disorders.

Primary duties:  Students are responsible for interviewing patients, ulating diagnoses, creating treatment plans, and providing follow-up care.

• Hours for all clinics are to be determined (6-10 hours a week). Students can participate in morning and/or afternoon clinics depending on availability and hours needed. Rotation will likely be a hybrid of in person and virtual visits.
• Location: Buerger Center
• Available dates/times:
  • Tuesday morning clinic
  • Wednesday morning and/or afternoon clinic
  • Thursday morning and/or afternoon clinic
• The Wednesday clinic includes a required weekly didactic from 12 to 1pm.
• Externship students are required to complete all reports within 24 hours or as determined by supervisor.
• Supervision occurs in vivo throughout clinic, as well as a group supervision held for all trainees (currently scheduled on Fridays 12-1pm)
• There may be additional opportunities for interested externs to participate as sleep interventionists in grant-funded research (1-2 hours/week at most)

Qualifications:  Third or fourth year doctoral students preferred.

Start date: July