Supervisor(s): Monica Jacobs, Psy.D., ABPP-CN
Location: Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 1601 23rd Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37212
Clinical or Research Rotation: Clinical
Number of Positions Available: 1
Anticipated Number of Face-to-Face Clinical Hours per Week: 3-4 Description:
Description: This is an outpatient adult neuropsychological rotation at the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. Interns will see patients referred from the Vanderbilt Epilepsy Program, including patients with intractable epilepsy referred as part of their pre- and post-surgical workups, patients with cognitive impairment related to epilepsy, and patients with non- epileptic spells. Interns may also have the opportunity to observe Wada testing and participate in multidisciplinary case conferences. Interns will see one patient per week and will be responsible for interviewing, testing scoring, and report writing. Turnaround time for reports is one week. Interns will also be expected to set up times to provide feedback to patients regarding test results. It is expected that interns will have some experience with the administration of neuropsychological batteries and report writing. By the end of internship, it is expected that interns will be able to discuss lateralization and localization of deficits in patients with epilepsy, be able to make pertinent recommendations for patients with epilepsy related cognitive impairment, and differentiate between psychogenic and neurologically based cognitive impairment. It is also expected that interns will be proficient at writing reports that integrate information obtained from the clinical interview and medical records with the test findings, and will be able to convey this information to patients and their families in feedback sessions.
Competency Goals: Interns selecting this training experience will develop the following competencies:
- Proficient in the administration and interpretation of clinical neuropsychological measures commonly used in the evaluation of individuals with a seizure disorder;
- Demonstrable understanding of the neuropathology, differential diagnosis, and treatment of seizure disorders;
- Communicating results of psychological/neuropsychological assessments and subsequent recommendations to patients and their families, and other healthcare professionals in the context of a multidisciplinary team setting;
Prerequisites: Graduate level coursework and practicum experience in neuropsychological assessment.
Contact Information: For more information, please contact Dr. Monica Jacobs at monica.jacobs@vanderbilt.edu.