Clinical Psychology Internship in Developmental Disabilities and Pediatric Psychology

Minor Rotations

Interns participate in three four-month minor rotations. Clinical focus of minor rotations is diverse, offering exposure to pediatric psychological practice, specialized assessment experience, and behavioral pediatric treatment models. Minor rotations vary somewhat from year to year and are not guaranteed. Often two of the three minor rotations are set by faculty for the training year and the interns are offered a "choice" rotation during which they can select from available training options. Examples of minor rotations from recent years include:

Behavioral Pediatrics Treatment Program

The Behavioral Pediatric Treatment Program is a subspecialty clinic of the Psychology Treatment Service. The service is designed to respond to the needs of pediatricians and other pediatric health care workers to assist their patients with specific presenting concerns. Behavioral Pediatrics as a field involves short-term, focused treatment of emotional and behavioral difficulties from the perspective of normalcy, by avoiding over-pathologizing presenting concerns. Examples of patient concerns treated include, but are not limited to, elimination problems (e.g., delayed toilet training, enuresis, encopresis), bedtime and sleep problems, mealtime behavior problems, feeding difficulties (e.g., selectivity, refusal), adherence to medical or medication regimens, and common childhood difficulties (e.g., tantrums, noncompliance).

Pediatric Pain Management Clinic

The Pediatric Pain Management Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic providing comprehensive assessment and on-going care to children and adolescents presenting with acute or chronic pain conditions such as pain associated with chronic medical conditions, chronic abdominal pain, and neuropathic pain. The team consists of pain physicians, a pediatric psychologist, a physical therapist, and advanced practice nurses. All patients undergo a thorough initial assessment by the pain management team including evaluation of pain history, complete physical exam, functional/physical therapy evaluation, behavioral assessment, and psychological evaluation. Interns will conduct psychological interviews with caregivers and children to assess pain history and comorbid emotional and behavioral disturbances, will conduct functional analysis of contingencies maintaining pain behaviors, and will administer standardized assessments of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance.

Inpatient Consultation/Liaison

Faculty members of the Division of Psychology provide consultation to children and adolescents receiving inpatient care at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Focus of consultation is typically on evaluating psychosocial status, providing specific treatment recommendations regarding strategies to address acute (e.g., coping with painful medical procedures) or chronic (e.g., nonadherence to regimen) issues, offering recommendations for specific types of outpatient services that appear warranted, and consulting with medical providers regarding how to address psychosocial needs of youth. Inpatient intervention may be offered to youth hospitalized for extended periods of time. Requests for consultation come from many inpatient services, including Hemotology/Oncology, the Pain Service, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and the general floors, to name a few.

Neuropsychology Clinic

The CDRC Neuropsychology Clinic provides initial neuropsychological assessment and follow-up of children with known neurological conditions such as epilepsy and traumatic brain injury. Interns, along with their supervisor, conduct inpatient consultations for the OHSU Division of Pediatric Neurology. In addition, full outpatient neuropsychological evaluations are conducted in a full one-day-a-week clinic. Further, interns develop comprehensive, yet practical, recommendations for intervention, and communicate those to other hospital professionals and families of patients seen.

Younger Autism Clinic

As part of the Autism Program, this clinic services children 5 and younger suspected of having Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, or related conditions. Interdisciplinary evaluations are provided, including psychology, developmental pediatrics, occupational therapy, and speech and language pathology. The primary focus of evaluation is on differential diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Trainees learn Autism-specific (e.g., Autism Diagnostic Observation System) and general assessment tools (e.g., Mullen Scales of Early Learning) for young children.

ADHD/LD Clinic

The ADHD/LD clinic provides initial and secondary diagnostic evaluations related to concerns of inattention, hyperactivity, and learning difficulties. Core team members include developmental pediatrics, psychology, and education. Training focuses on differential diagnosis of ADHD, learning problems, behavior disorders, and other concerns.   

* Other examples include choice of pre-cochlear implant assessment clinic, spina bifida clinic, and development of psycho educational parenting classes. New minor rotations often develop as faculty expand or redesign clinical activities.

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