University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Logo University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department of Pediatrics: Pediatric Psychology Fellowship Program

Goals and Objectives of Training

  1. To train postdoctoral fellows for independent practice in the area of pediatric psychology including assessment and treatment of individuals coping with a variety of medical and developmental disorders.
  2. To provide structured educational and clinical experiences toward that goal, and corrective feedback as Fellows progress toward that goal.
    1. Fellows will understand the variety of factors that affect the mental and physical health of individuals (medical, developmental, genetic, familial, social, behavioral, emotional)
    2. Fellows will be able to distinguish normal versus atypical reactions to acute and chronic illness.
    3. Fellows will learn diagnostic assessment for patients across the age span.
    4. Fellows will learn a variety of objective measurements of cognitive, developmental, adaptive behavior, academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning to supplement their clinical interview and facilitate comprehensive assessment of patients seen in health care settings. They will further develop the knowledge of health-related assessment including health beliefs, adherence, quality of life, and coping.
    5. Fellows will demonstrate the ability to write comprehensive diagnostic assessment report including summarizing relevant objective assessment data, interview data, and clinical impressions. They will further demonstrate the ability to assess a variety of differential diagnoses, provide a concise case conceptualization, and design an appropriate treatment plan for patients and their families and document these elements within the context of this diagnostic report.
    6. Fellows will understand behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, and other theories of behavioral change as they relate to healthy development, psychopathology, health-risk behavior, and prevention of disease throughout childhood and adolescence.
    7. Fellows will develop expertise in empirically-supported interventions with children, parents, and families for use in health care settings. Fellows will have a working knowledge of best-practice methods for a variety of behavioral, emotional, and developmental conditions seen in medical settings, and cultivate a respect for and understanding of the empirical support for best-practice methods and treatment protocols.
    8. Fellows will demonstrate the ability to document summaries of the provision of services within treatment sessions, as well as overall treatment progress, and revise the treatment plan as needed based on this progress.
    9. Fellows will demonstrate the ability to communicate and coordinate assessment and treatment efforts with a variety of health care disciplines.
    10. Fellows will have experience on multidisciplinary assessment and treatment teams providing clinical care.
    11. Fellows will participate in a consultation-liaison service and understand the consultative role of psychology in the context of an inpatient medical setting.
    12. Fellows will be exposed to advocacy in pediatric health care.
    13. Fellows will gain a basic understanding of disease processes and their medical management.
    14. Fellows will appreciate important professional, ethical, and legal issues related to clinical work in health care settings.
    15. Fellows will cultivate an appreciation for cultural and ethnic aspects of clinical care and have experience working with patients from diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds in health care settings.