Clinical Psychology Fellowship Training Program
Neuropsychology and Psychology Rotation 2020-2021
Bridge Medical is a private outpatient center dedicated to the scientific study of brain-behavior relationship and the training of graduate students in the field of neuropsychology and psychology. Bridge Medical provides comprehensive neuropsychological assessments, cognitive remediation treatment, and psychotherapy for adults and children who struggle with cognitive deficits, particularly Traumatic Brain Injury. Neuropsychology is a subspecialty of clinical psychology that is focused on understanding the brain–behavior relationship. Neuropsychology seeks to uncover the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional difficulties that can result from known or suspected brain dysfunction. Neuropsychological evaluation consists of a comprehensive examination of cognitive and behavioral functioning. Evaluations comprise measures that are standardized, scored objectively, and have established psychometric properties. The duration of testing takes approximately 2-4 hours. The n europsychological evaluation includes a clinical interview with the patient, a collateral interview with caregivers/family, and review of relevant medical records. The evaluation is administered by paper and pencil and computer-based assessments and measures a patient’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
The multiple areas of cognition that are assessed:
• intelligence
• attention
• executive functioning
• working memory
• speed of processing
• learning and memory
• visual spatial skills
• fine motor skills
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Bridge Medical offers c ognitive treatment that consists of exercises through the use of computer softwares based on a number of theoretical models of cognitive functions, for example, attention, memory, executive function, memory among others cognitive domains. The parameters usually monitored in the cognitive rehabilitation interventions used at the Bridge Medical include reaction time, level of exercise difficulty, average number of correct responses, and average number of incorrect responses, among others. The proportion of successes in any session is closely monitored by our trained therapists. The overall purpose is to restore, reinforce, compensate and teach compensatory strategies in order to reach optimal cognitive improvement.
Psychotherapy
At Bridge Medical psychotherapy, otherwise known as talk therapy, is a method of mental health treatment aimed at helping people with a variety of psychiatric disorders and stressors post-traumatic brain injury. Therapy can help reduce suffering, provide a different way of conceptualizing a difficult situation, improve problem-solving skills, help individuals achieve their respective goals, and increase overall quality of life. Furthermore, according to the National Institutes of Health, there is growing evidence to show the relationship and importance of understanding the mind-body connection. In other words, understanding the bidirectional relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and physical wellbeing.
Fellowship Training Program
Bridge Medical is designed to be an intensive, clinically-rich experience, combined with an academic curriculum which includes seminars, literature reviews, and case studies. It is a 5 to 6 months program, with at least 750 hours of fellow participation. Ongoing guidance, support and supervision by a senior staff psychologist while services are being performed by the fellow is a very important feature of the program. Two hours of face to face supervision with the Director of Clinical Training and one hour of supervision with a Clinical Supervisor is provided weekly to the fellow.
GOALS OF THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Program at the Bridge Medical is to train highly qualified doctoral level clinical neuropsychologists/psychologist who will have very well-developed expertise in the selection, administration, and interpretation of neuropsychological/psychological instruments, and who are able to intervene effectively on behalf of their patients and their families through the use of cognitive rehabilitation, and psychotherapy. Our mission is to provide the best quality of patient care service. The fellow at the Bridge Medical obtains a total of two weekly hours of supervision from two licensed psychologists. Two weekly hours of clinical face to face supervision are received from the Director of Clinical Training. In addition to this, the fellow participates in ongoing guidance and support by staff psychologists throughout their training. The responsibility for all procedures implemented with the patients at Bridge Medical rests on the member of the professional team (staff psychologists, Chief Psychologist, Director of Clinical Training, or Clinical Supervisors) to whom the case has been assigned upon arrival at the facility. The fellow at the Bridge Medical will receive written evaluation by the assigned Clinical Supervisor and by the Director of Clinical Training at the end of the training program. Such evaluation is based on parameters relevant to the fellow’s clinical and nonclinical activities established during the supervisory procedures. These parameters are reflected by the Neuropsychology/Psychology fellow Evaluation. Bridge Medical offers a neuropsychology and psychology fellowship training program. The training program is committed to the recruitment of culturally ethnically diverse fellows. We encourage inquiries and applications from all qualified individuals.
Please see requirements below:
Bridge Medical
418 East 71 st street, New York, NY 10021
Number of Slots: 1
Time Commitment: 30 to 35 hours per week
Date: Spring Semester/ Fall Semester
Requirements
● be enrolled in at least the 3 rd year of an APA accredited Doctoral Program in Clinical,
Psychology, Neuropsychology, Counseling, or Health (so must be at least 2 nd year at the
time of application)
● have completed coursework in cognitive assessment and personality assessment
● have completed coursework in clinical neuropsychological assessment
● have experience with child, adolescent and adult assessment
● have proof of malpractice coverage: must be provided by the fellow’s training institution
or by the fellow prior to the start date
● be available to start the fellowship on January 6 th , 2021 (Spring Program) or August 3 rd ,
2021 (Fall Program) and the following two weeks for MANDATORY ORIENTATION
● completion of the attestation form with signature
● Trainees selected for fellowship will be subject to drug screening and criminal
background checks. Unacceptable results on the criminal background check or drug
screening may result in dismissal from the program.
Application Procedures
A completed application consists of the following materials:
1. Curriculum Vitae
2. One letter of recommendation
3. List of neuropsychological/psychological assessments with experience
Estimated Weekly Schedule
In a typical week, the fellow will spend two full work days week in direct collaboration with a staff psychologist in the process of selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of neuropsychological instruments as well as writing reports based on neuropsychological evaluation procedures, two full work days in direct patient intervention performing services cognitive rehabilitation and one day in direct patient intervention performing services of individual psychotherapy. Weekly didactic activities are held on Tuesdays followed by an hour of staff meeting in which relevant administrative and patient coordination issues are discussed. Two hours of face-to-face supervision with the Director of Clinical Training and one hour of supervision with a designated Clinical Supervisor is provided weekly to the fellow. An approximation of the fellow’s weekly training activities are shown below. Specific clinical activities may vary somewhat depending on the fellow interest.
Bridge Medical
418 East 71 st street, New York, NY 10021
Service Activities Hours/Week
Direct Face-to-Face Patient Intervention: 18
– -cognitive rehabilitation
– individual psychotherapy
Neuropsychological Evaluation: 12
– selection
– administration
– scoring
– interpretation of neuropsychological instruments
– report writing
Training Activities
– Individual Supervision with Director of Clinical Training 2
– Individual Supervision with Clinical Supervisor 1
– Didactic Activities 1
Other Activities
– Administrative Issues /Coordination/ Discussion 1
– Miscellaneous Administrative Responsibilities 1
Total Hours/Week 36
Email Application to:
Dr. Karen Valdesuso, PsyD
drkvaldesuso@bridge-medical.net
Clinical Neuropsychologist
Bridge Medical
418 East 71st street, New York, NY 10021