Adult Neuropsychology Track

This specialty track offers a 50% neuropsychology internship training program that is in accordance with the Houston Conference Guidelines and the Minnesota Conference Guidelines. Interns matching into the Neuropsychology track (NPT) will complete a one-year neuropsychological assessment rotation. The rotation is full-time (3-days per week), except for designated blocks to accommodate required rotations. The required rotations for the NPT parallel rotations that are required in the health service psychology track with some modifications: 

  • Assessment (the psychological assessment rotation is replaced with neuropsychological assessment)
  • Outpatient psychological treatment (one half-day of continuity clinic and one-half day of a cognitive rehabilitation skills group)
  • Consultation and Liaison (C/L; choice of Family Medicine or Behavioral Medicine)
  • Adult psychiatric inpatient

Interns will participate in a one block (4 week) rotation in the ADHD evaluation clinic simultaneously while on the inpatient rotation. Following completion of the required inpatient and C/L rotations, NPT interns may elect to participate in an optional rotation for one block/month or resume full-time neuropsychological assessment/interventions. Interns will participate in weekly multisite neuropsychology-focused didactic presentations. Supervision is both group and individual based. In addition to the program-wide required teaching experiences, interns will present one grand round presentation focused on neuropsychological evaluations.

Neuropsychology rotations: 

  • Neuropsychological assessment: Interns will have supervised clinical experiences in outpatient neuropsychological assessments. Assessment experiences include assessment of neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and medical and psychiatric disorders affecting cognitive functioning. 
  • ADHD clinic: The purpose of this clinic is to provide evidence-based assessment of adults referred for an ADHD evaluation. Interns are expected to assess for ADHD, as well as any other conditions/causes that may be exacerbating or contributing to their presentation. As noted above, this is a one-block long rotation. 
  • Cognitive rehabilitation skills group: Interns will co-lead a cognitive skills group with neuropsychology post-doctoral fellows. Options include CogSMART and/or ME-CCT-MCI. These are skills groups to help patients develop strategies in areas of attention, problem-solving, executive functioning, and memory. Both groups were originally developed at University of San Diego and San Diego VA. 

Additional required rotations: 

  • Outpatient psychological treatment: This required rotation is designed to hone skills in delivering evidence-based, best-practice interventions in the ambulatory behavioral medicine setting (Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry). Health Service Psychology track interns provide individual psychological therapy to adult patients referred by psychiatry and internal medicine/psychiatry colleagues in the department, as well as community partners. Interventions commonly provided include CBT and Third Wave CBT approaches. This rotation runs throughout the year, with NPT interns offering one half clinic day per week. 
  • Adult psychiatry inpatient: The internship experience on the inpatient psychiatry service is designed to provide broad, active participation in the multidisciplinary treatment of adult psychiatry inpatients. Working closely with the team, psychology interns participate in diagnosis, treatment planning, rounds and discharge planning daily and provide direct services to selected patients in the form of brief psychological psychotherapy. They participate as co-leaders of the daily 1:15 p.m. group therapy session under the supervision of psychology faculty. This rotation is typically one month in duration.
  • Consultation liaison: Interns may choose between two options for this required rotation. On the Behavioral Medicine Consultation Service, interns work with a team of residents and psychiatry attendings to provide consultation services for patients in the emergency department or for patients with psychiatric concerns admitted for medical conditions. Common consultation requests focus on psychiatric emergencies, risk assessment, and capacity. Dr. Weisenmuller provides clinical supervision for interns who select this option. On the Family Medicine Consultation Service, interns work with a team of family medicine residents and attendings to assess and support the behavioral health needs of patients admitted for medical interventions under the care of the Family Medicine department. Dr. Scott Fields provides clinical supervision of interns who select this option. For either option, interns gain experience in health psychology, the integration of behavioral health within the larger system of care and effective work within an interdisciplinary team.

Optional rotations:

Please review Health Service Psychology Track’s page for additional details. NPT interns may select one optional rotation during the second half of the year once the C/L and inpatient required rotations have been completed. 

  • Cardiac rehabilitation
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy training
  • Dialectical behavioral therapy training
  • Integrated primary care
  • Research
  • Women's health application process 

Application process

Interns who wish to be considered for the adult neuropsychological track are encouraged to specify in their cover letter and on their APPI. Applicants must include at least one de-identified sample neuropsychological evaluation report.