Program Description
Since 1992, the Department of Neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has offered a two-year postdoctoral fellowship for advanced training in clinical neuropsychology. The fellowship offers supervised clinical activities, neuropsychological research, and didactic experiences.
The Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship comprises two years of training. Currently, one fellowship position is available every two years on a competitive basis.
Clinical neuropsychology fellows gain exposure to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of neurological disorders affecting adults. Our program offers specializations in geriatric neuropsychology and the neuropsychology of epilepsy.
The Fellowship is based in the Department of Neurology's Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory, and is closely associated with the Memory Disorders Clinic at the UAB School of Medicine, the UAB Alzheimer's Disease Center, the UAB Movement Disorders Program, and the UAB Epilepsy Center. Kristen Triebel, Psy.D. (Fellowship Director), Daniel Marson, J.D., Ph.D. (Fellowship Co-Director), and Roy Martin, Ph.D. are the preceptors for the Fellowship. Dr. Marson specializes in the neuropsychology of dementia and related disorders, Dr. Triebel specializes in the neuropsychology of primary and metastatic brain cancer, dementia, and movement disorders, and Dr. Martin focuses on the neuropsychology of epilepsy, dementia, and movement disorders.
Member of APPCN
The UAB Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship is a member program of the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN). APPCN does not accredit postdoctoral programs, but has developed training standards and a code of conduct for affiliated programs. APPCN also supports and consults with the Committee on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association regarding the development of specialty standards for training in clinical neuropsychology.
Structure of Fellowship
The Fellowship provides training in adult clinical neuropsychology, research training, and multiple didactic opportunities. In general, about 50-60% of a Fellow's time is currently devoted to clinical activity, with research comprising 30-45% and didactics approximately 5%.
Clinical Activity
Fellows receive broad and intensive training in adult clinical neuropsychology, with specialty experience in the areas of geriatric neuropsychology and the neuropsychology of epilepsy. Training emphasis is placed on the writing of comprehensive, concise, and responsive reports. Fellows will also have the opportunity to provide clinical supervision of trainees.
Outpatient referrals come from the Department of Neurology, UAB Memory Disorders Clinic, UAB Epilepsy Center, UAB Movement Disorders Clinic, UAB Division of Neuro-Oncology, Division of Geriatric Medicine, other medical departments at UAB, and from physicians in a several hundred mile radius of Birmingham. Adult patients present with a broad spectrum of neurological disorders, including dementia, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, brain tumor, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and occasionally, psychiatric disorders. A fairly large number of patients with movement disorders are seen in the Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory, including patients being evaluated for Deep Brain Stimulation surgery.
By virtue of the fellowship's affiliation with the UAB Memory Disorders Clinic, Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Epilepsy Center, fellows will have the opportunity to develop particular knowledge and special expertise with Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy patients. Fellows will have the opportunity to receive training in Wada testing for pre-surgery epilepsy patients. Fellows may also have the opportunity to conduct capacity/competency assessments.
Research Training
Research training and activity are an important part of the Fellowship. One to two days a week will be devoted to research. Numerous opportunities exist for Fellows to become involved in ongoing NIH funded research in competency loss in mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and traumatic brain injury. The Cognitive Observations in Seniors study (COINS-2) is , funded by the NIA and involves MRI/neuroimaging research in healthy older adults, patients with mild cognitive impairment, and patients with Alzheimer's disease. Research is also conducted in the areas of brain cancer, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. Fellows will be involved in a variety of scholarship activities, including poster and platform presentations, manuscript submission, and grant writing and assembly.
Didactic Opportunities
A variety of didactic opportunities are available to Fellows. These include weekly Neurology Grand Rounds, weekly Neuropsychology Case Conference, weekly Epilepsy Case Conference, daily Neurology Resident's Noon Lecture, Geriatric Clinical Conference, the Center for Aging Scientific Seminar, Brain Cutting Conference, and numerous other didactic opportunities offered through the UAB School of Medicine.
Supervision
Weekly supervision is provided by Dr. Marson, Dr. Triebel, and Dr. Martin. Supervision is provided in both a structured and informal manner.
Site of Fellowship Training
The Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory is a clinic in the Department of Neurology at UAB. The Laboratory is a busy service, with three staff neuropsychologists (Dr. Marson, Dr. Triebel, and Dr. Martin), one Fellow, a clinic coordinator, three full-time psychometricians, three research coordinators, a neuroimaging lab coordinator, a secretary, and a number of graduate and undergraduate trainees. The Laboratory, located in the newly renovated Sparks Center, has a patient waiting room, two interview rooms, four testing rooms, office space with computers, and work stations for psychologist assistants.
Positions
Currently, one position is available in the Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship Program every two years on a competitive basis. The fellowship begins the first week in September.
Application Information
Applicants are expected to have met all Ph.D. or Psy.D. requirements in clinical psychology from an APA-accredited graduate training program with completion of an APA-accredited clinical internship by the start of the Fellowship. Send CV, cover letter with statement of professional goals, three sample neuropsychological reports, official undergraduate and graduate transcripts, and three letters of recommendation to: Kristen Triebel, Psy.D., Director of Neuropsychology Training, SC 650, 1720 7th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35294-0017. Closing date for applications for the 2012-2014 fellowship position is December 30, 2011.
For additional questions: Please email Dr. Triebel at ktriebel@uab.edu or call 205-934-2334.