UCHSC Psychology Training Program

Introduction
Summary of Training Experiences
Major Rotations
Minor Rotations
Additional Required Rotations
Required Seminars
Optional Seminars
Application Procedures
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Psychology Faculty
Supplemental Application
Affirmative Action

For additional information about the UCHSC Psychology Predoctoral Internship, please call or write: 

Clinical Psychology 
UCHSC
Box C258-48
4200 E. 9th Ave.
Denver, CO 80262
(303) 315-8848

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National Jewish Medical and Research Center
Adult Neuropyschological Assessment

The National Jewish Medical and Research Center is a University affiliated hospital specializing in evaluation and treatment of patients with immunologic and respiratory diseases. The Adult Neuropsychology Unit has a training program with the following goals for psychology trainees.

Goals of the training program:

     

  1. To educate trainees about the cognitive and psychological functioning of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory difficulties

    2.  

  2. To teach trainees administration and interpretation of a 2 hour neuropsychological screening battery

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  3. To teach trainees to participate in a multi-disciplinary clinical team.

    4. Objectives of the training program:

     

  4. The psychology intern will be trained to administer and score a standardized neuropsychological screening battery which includes: estimated Full Scale Intelligence score, simple and complex auditory attention, sustained visual attention, verbal abstract reasoning, new sequential abilities, verbal and nonverbal memory, auditory comprehension, naming to confrontation, oral verbal fluency to letter and semantic cues, and visuoconstructional abilities. Brief psychological screening measures for depression and anxiety will also be administered.

    5.  

  5. The psychology trainee will learn to administer a detailed neuromedical history with a specific focus on prior neurologic illness, head injury, learning difficulties, substance abuse, psychiatric history, medical illness and medication use.

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  6. The psychology trainee will learn to document and communicate behavioral observations which occur during the neuropsychological assessment.

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  7. The psychology trainee will learn to write a concise neuropsychological report which includes background information, behavioral observations, neuropsychological and psychological tests results, as well as summary and recommendations.

    8.  

  8. The psychology trainee will participate in the feedback session with individual patients regarding neuropsychological test results including summary and recommendations.

    9.  

  9. The psychology trainee will work with members from other disciplines including physical therapy, speech therapy, social work, psychiatry, nursing and pulmonary medicine.

Specific Training Activities:

Required Activities:

Neuropsychological assessments: Each month the interns will complete administration, scoring and a report on two neuropsychological evaluations administered to patients with pulmonary disease.

Feedback sessions: The intern will be supervised in the feedback of neuro-psychological test results and recommendations to individual patients.

Optional Activities:

Multi-disciplinary treatment group (the trainee may participate in a weekly seminar and feedback group which involves multiple team members in the recommendations and progress of pulmonary patients in rehabilitation).

Additional Courses:

The neuropsychology seminar (4-month seminar) will be available to any of the trainees through the psychology intern program.

Theoretical Approaches:

The Adult Neuropsychology Unit at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center aims to provide assessment of brain function in pulmonology patients who are at risk for neurobehavioral deficits. A neuropsychological screening battery has been empirically developed specifically for pulmonary patients. This battery is used to assess CNS integrity and recommend strategies for compensation in deficit areas.

Types of Clinical Approaches:

     

  • Neuropsychological diagnostic service.
  • Multi-disciplinary recommendations for rehabilitation

Population of Clients:

The persons referred to National Jewish Medical and Research Center Adult Neuropsychology Unit are typically ages 18 and over with a pulmonary or immunologic disease. For the purpose of the internship program, the intern will focus on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (i.e., emphysema, chronic bronchitis).

Supervision:

The intern will receive supervision for all aspects of the neuropsychological evaluation. This includes the administration and scoring of the neuropsychological battery, interpretation, and report writing. Supervision will occur on site from the current neuropsychology technician, as well as the neuropsychologist.

Classes/Case Conferences/Scholarly Opportunities:

The Neuropsychology Seminar: This meets for one hour weekly from September through December to address the overall goals and methods of neuropsychological assessment.

Supervisors:

Elizabeth Kozora, Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology, University of Cincinnati, 1989)

Areas of expertise include neuropsychological assessment in persons with respiratory and autoimmune diseases (i.e., systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, occupational toxic exposures).