Pediatric Psychology Fellowship Handbook

The UAMS Pediatric Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship is a multi-site program consisting of three full-time, 12-month positions, with the Fellowship providing 2000 hours of supervised training (which meets APPIC standards and Arkansas Psychology Board licensure requirements for postdoctoral training hours).  The Fellowship program is part of a comprehensive interdisciplinary training effort within the Department of Pediatrics (DOP) at UAMS, and involves other trainees such as medical fellows, residents, students, social work interns and speech/language pathology interns. Psychologists are also embedded in other sections within the DOP (i.e., Children at Risk, Adolescent Medicine, Behavioral Pediatrics, Center for Applied Research and Evaluation). The Fellowship is under the direction of the Section of Pediatric Psychology and Schmieding Developmental Center (SDC), which consists of 17 doctoral-level psychologists, three postdoctoral fellows and three master’s-level psychological examiners. The Fellowship consists of two tracks: pediatric psychology (Little Rock) and pediatric neuropsychology (Northwest Arkansas).

 

Pediatric Psychology Track (two positions)

The Pediatric Psychology track includes rotations in ACH outpatient clinics, inpatient consultation and the UAMS Dennis Developmental Center (DDC) with 60% of the clinical rotations being pediatric psychology focused. Fellows in the Pediatric Psychology Track are housed at the Little Rock site with the Pediatric Psychology Section. Please see the ACH and DDC descriptions below for rotation and training details.

 

Pediatric Neuropsychology Track (one position)

The pediatric neuropsychology track has a focus on assessment with a minimum of 50% assessment per rotation and allows for pediatric and neuropsychology opportunities. This program also satisfies requirements for board certification in pediatric neuropsychology as part of a two-year training program through the clinical training and additional structured didactics/seminars. Fellows in the neuropsychology track are housed in Springdale, Arkansas in the SDC. Please see the SDC descriptions below for rotation and training details.

 

COVID-19 Specific Updates

ACH and UAMS are dedicated to providing safe and patient centered care. While we anticipate services returning to in-person by the start of the training year, UAMS and ACH have worked hard to build telehealth programs that will continue beyond the COVID-19 crisis. There will continue to be a combination of in-person and virtual clinical and educational experiences.

 

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 reports 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.

 

Competencies

Competencies expected for postdoctoral fellows are outlined within the goals and objectives noted above and are consistent with APA Core Competencies guidelines suggesting advanced practice in the areas of patient care, clinical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and systems-based practice (please also see Methods of Evaluation). This fellowship satisfies guidelines for postdoctoral training and supervision in the state of Arkansas. Fellows will be evaluated at the end of each rotation by all supervising faculty (forms available upon request). Additionally, Fellows will evaluate their supervisors at the end of each rotation and conduct an exit interview to give their feedback of the Fellowship program.

 

Training Locations and Resources

The DOP at UAMS has more than 200 faculty members and provides its clinical services through the Arkansas Children’s system, which includes the sixth largest pediatric hospital in the nation and provides outstanding clinical facilities across the state. Working at both UAMS and ACH, Fellows also have access to both the UAMS and ACH medical libraries, Employee Health, fitness center and campus resources. Fellows share dedicated office space in the section where the faculty are also located. Fellows receive administrative support from the Psychology Fellowship Coordinator and Office Manager. The Fellows are provided laptops with carrying bags, docking stations, desks, additional filing cabinets, pagers, telephones, business cards and access to a variety of training materials including books. Fellows receive training in the electronic medical record systems used on campus, EPIC Hyperspace.

 

Little Rock, Arkansas

Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) 

ACH is the only pediatric medical center and pediatric Trauma 1 facility in Arkansas. Known for being one of the largest pediatric medical providers with 336 beds and spanning 36 city blocks, ACH proudly provides world-class medical care to children and families throughout Arkansas and surrounding states. Pediatric Psychology Fellows cover several outpatient medical clinics including Cardiology, CPAP Adherence, Pulmonary/CF, GI/Liver, High-Risk Newborn, Audiology and Hearing Impairment, Weight Management, Sleep, Burn/Plastics, and Chronic Pain. Also, Fellows cover the Inpatient Consultation/Liaison Service for all of ACH. Fellows may select from various elective experiences, which include developmental disabilities, research, medical crisis and loss and various pediatric subspecialty outpatient clinics. ACH takes a patient-family centered approach to care, including several patient and family led initiatives and an extensive Family Engagement Center. For more information on specific clinics, resources and programs please see the Arkansas Children’s website at: https://www.archildrens.org/.

UAMS J.L. Dennis Developmental Center (DDC)

The DDC is an outpatient interdisciplinary evaluation and treatment center that serves a variety of patient populations with a focus on children with developmental, learning and/or behavioral problems from birth through 13 years of age. At the DDC, Fellows can participate in psychoeducational assessment, autism spectrum disorders, behavioral assessment, multidisciplinary team assessment and psychotherapy. For more information on specific clinics, resources and programs please visit the UAMS DDS website.  

Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND)

The Pediatric Psychology track is partially funded by a grant to the Partners for Inclusive Communities. Fellows in Little Rock participate in the LEND interdisciplinary training program. The LEND program is federally funded through the Maternal Child Health Bureau. The purpose of the LEND program is to provide trainees with experiences to competently apply knowledge and skills to the care of persons with developmental disabilities and their families; effectively participate in an interdisciplinary process of designing, evaluating, and implementing programs; and effectively work in an interprofessional team. In addition to these clinical and training experiences, the fellows are encouraged to initiate research and/or participate in ongoing faculty research efforts. For more information, please visit the AUCD LEND website.

 

 

Living in Little Rock

As the capital city of Arkansas, Little Rock provides many of the benefits of living in a large city, without the negative aspects such as traffic congestion and high cost of living. The population of the greater Little Rock area is approximately 500,000. Fellows enjoy spending time outdoors at Pinnacle Mountain, the River Trail, Eureka Springs. There are numerous community events and among Fellow favorites are Trivia Nights, Science After Dark, Brew at the Zoo, Shop and Sip, Arkansas Travelers baseball games and food festivals. The resort city of Hot Springs is a 1-hour drive from Little Rock and the Ozark Mountains are a 2-hour drive. Stretching along the Arkansas River, Little Rock is truly a wonderful place to live, work and play. In November 2004, Little Rock celebrated the opening of the Clinton Presidential Library. Little Rock sits among the gentle rolling hills of central Arkansas. Summers can be hot at times while winter remains mild for the most part, with an occasional snow fall. Arkansas boasts all her beauty in spring and fall with endless flowers in the spring and vibrant colors in the fall. The weather during these seasons can truly be described as perfect.

 

Springdale, Arkansas

UAMS Schmieding Developmental Center (SDC)

SDC is an outpatient interdisciplinary evaluation and treatment center also serving a variety of patient populations with a focus on neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental assessments, complex learning problems, multidisciplinary team assessments, medical psychology and concussion management from birth through 18 years of age.  The outpatient clinics operate similarly with a medical psychologist and resident providing support in these clinical settings as requested by subspecialists. Learn more about the clinics and programs the SDC.

 

Living in Northwest Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas is the fastest growing area in the state. It also offers many benefits of living in a big city such as performing arts, concerts, a minor league baseball team and is home to the Arkansas Razorbacks, providing ample opportunities to enjoy collegiate sports in the SEC. Bentonville is becoming an arts destination and is home to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and a growing number of restaurants and art galleries.

Bentonville also hosts a film festival in May, attracting top celebrities and independent film makers from around the nation, while Fayetteville has a nationally renowned local theatre featuring original works as well as touring acts. The temperatures remain moderate much of the year and residents enjoy four seasons, and many outdoor activities to include water sports, hiking, world-class mountain biking and an amazing system of walking trails which connect Northwest Arkansas. This year, Fayetteville, Ark. was ranked the 7^th Best Place to Live by U. S. News & World Report.

 

Summary of Clinical Training and Supervision

Typical work hours are approximately 40-50 hours/week with approximately 75% time in direct face-to-face psychological services and 25% in supervision, professional development, didactic and other related activities.

Areas of training include:

• Diagnostic interviews, consultations and brief interventions within outpatient medical subspecialty clinics.
• Psychoeducational, developmental, neuropsychological and behavioral assessment, outpatient psychotherapy and inpatient hospital consultation-liaison.
• Interprofessional developmental and collaboration.
• Program development with possibilities for working with faculty on Q/I and research projects.
• Time allocated for additional conferences and trainings.

 

Direct Clinical Services

 Fellows provide direct face-to-face clinical services in outpatient hospital clinics as well as inpatient consultations (Little Rock only). Each clinic is scheduled for a half day and typically lasts around three or four hours. Inpatient consults are completed as time is available throughout the day and after clinic. Clinical rotations last three to six months depending on Fellows’ training goals and clinic needs. Fellows’ work with the Training Director to choose the rotation schedule. Clinical activities include face-to-face psychological services, case conceptualization, targeted readings and report writing, scoring and interpretation. View a sample of a rotation schedule showing all rotation options.

 

Curriculum and Learning Activities

Fellows begin the training year with a three-week orientation period where they can shadow faculty in clinical areas where they provide direct services, didactic lectures on specific medical populations and evidence-based behavioral interventions. In the fall, the Psychology Section conference offers opportunities for fellows to learn from faculty peer-review case presentations. Over the course of the year fellows transition to leading the peer-review cases and educational presentations to facilitate discussion in a collegial manner. Fellows also participate in Child Development and Behavioral Conference (CDBC) which focuses on clinical skills and developmental theories in the fall and progress toward specific clinical and ethical consideration in the spring. Samples of the CDBC schedule is on the website:
https://medicine.uams.edu/pediatrics/education-training/fellowships/psychology/other-training-psychology-fellowship-curriculum-and-supervision/

Fellows participate in a series of didactic and training activities (see below table for descriptions) including LEND training, pediatric and psychosocial grand rounds, a monthly administrative meeting, monthly peer review/case conferences and psychology presentations. Numerous additional presentations are also available in various specialty areas. Fellows spend two to six hours per week in direct learning activities.

Training activities focus on:

• Clinical experience in a variety of medical and developmental clinics
• Participation in multidisciplinary team assessment and treatment planning
• Direct observation of clinical skills
• Core reading manual and supplemental readings
• Case Presentation/Peer Review
• Required presentation to the section with evaluation/feedback to trainee

 

Supervision

All supervision is conducted following the ASPPB Supervision Guidelines (ASPPB, 2015) and meets the APPIC-standard of a minimum of two to three hours per week. Fellows meet individually for at least one hour weekly with the Primary Supervisor with a focus on monitoring progress of all required activities, ethical and best practice skills, setting and tracking professional development goals and mentoring. Fellows spend one to two hours per week in individual supervision for direct clinical services with a licensed psychologist. Primary and scheduled clinical face-to-face supervision occurs during fellows’ administrative time. Faculty are also available throughout the week as needed via phone, email and unscheduled face-to-face supervision. All supervision is more intensive during the first and second rotations with fellows spending closer to four hours each week in individual face-to-face supervision. As fellows’ competence increases and they move toward independent licensure, supervision is less intensive. Fellows meet weekly for an hour of group supervision where they bring clinical, ethical and professional development questions for discussion with faculty.

 

Didactic and Learning Activities

Activity	Description
Child Development and Behavior Conference (CDBC) 1 hour weekly	Psychology, psychiatry and developmental behavioral pediatric trainees, nurses, social workers and respective faculty attend weekly educational and didactic lectures with topics focusing on diagnosis and treatment of child developmental, genetic, congenital and mental health.
Department of Pediatrics Fellows Conference 1 hour monthly	Monthly conference for all Pediatric Fellows with the goal of providing Fellows with tools to transition successfully into academic, private or research positions.
Ethics Grand Rounds 1 hour monthly	Ethics Grand Rounds is an educational forum on a wide range of ethical issues in healthcare. All ACH and UAMS staff (and other parties interested in these topics) are invited to attend on-site at ACH or through videoconferencing.
LEND 4 hours weekly September-April	See description in above explanation of training sites.
Pediatric Grand Rounds 1 hour bi-weekly	All faculty, trainees and providers who work at ACH are invited to attend CME lectures designed to provide information that will enhance providers’ clinical skills to diagnose and treat patients in the areas of pediatric subspecialty and primary care.
PEDS PLACE 1 hour bi-weekly	An interactive bi-weekly pediatric teleconference jointly sponsored by UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH).  A variety of pediatric topics are presented by ACH physicians as well as physicians from around the state and across the country.
Psychosocial Grand Rounds 1 hour monthly	Social work, Child Life, Pastoral Care, Patient Engagement, Behavioral Health providers and Department of Pediatrics faculty and trainees attend lectures designed to provide information that will enhance the impact of psychosocial determinants on medical outcomes, psychosocial resources and innovative behavioral health initiatives to improve patient care.
Psychology Noon conference 1 hour weekly	All Faculty, trainees and staff in Pediatric Psychology section attend weekly meetings including the following topics: administrative meeting, ethical considerations, profession development, peer review of clinical cases and educational presentations.
Quarterly Collaborative Office Rounds Journal Club	Psychology, psychiatry and developmental behavioral pediatric Fellows led discussion of an article chosen by the Fellow and approved program director with the goal of critically analyzing and evaluating research in medical literature and use evidence-based practices.

 

Methods of Evaluation

Competencies expected for postdoctoral fellows are are consistent with APA Core Competencies guidelines suggesting advanced practice in the areas of patient care, clinical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. Competencies have been specifically designed to help track progress in these areas. Fellows typcially enter at the intermediate to advanced levels in basic clinical skills and move toward the proficient level at the end of Fellowship (ADPTC & CCTC, 2007). Fellows are provided a copy of the competencies at the start of the training year and will be evaluated at the end of each rotation (three to six months depending on training needs and interests) by all supervising faculty (forms available on website). Fellows will then be evalauted a total of two to four times per rotation. Fellows will evaluate their supervisors at the end of each rotation and conduct an exit interview to give their feedback of the Fellowship program.

Our guiding philosophy is that most problems are best resolved through direct interaction between the fellow and supervisor or other staff member as part of the ongoing working relationship. Fellows are encouraged to first discuss any problems or concerns with the supervisor or staff member involved. In turn, supervisors and staff members are expected to be receptive to complaints, attempt to develop a solution with the fellow, and to seek appropriate consultation. In addition to the evaluations, the Training Committee meets monthly to discuss broader training issues and fellows’ progress. Should any concerns be noted by the Training Committee, fellows will be notified within one week by the Training Director or a faculty mentor to address cocnerns for timely feedback. Please see the Due Process and Grievance Policies and Procedures document regarding concerns for fellow performance and/or behavior and concerns.

Stipend and Benefits

The current 12-month stipend is $48,000. Typical work hours are approximately 40 hours/week with 80% time in clinical service and related activities. A $2,500 E-fund is available to the fellow for professional expenses such as conference fees, association dues, licensing fees, etc. Fellows are eligible for the UAMS health insurance plan including vision and dental, short and long-term disability, and retirement planning. UAMS offers 11 paid holidays and fellows accrue 22 vacation and 10 sick days (please note time off must be taken in accordance with all clinic leave policies). For more details, please visit the UAMS Division of People and Culture.

Director of Training

The fellowship program is under the responsibilities of the Director of Training (DOT), Dr. Brandi Whitaker, and Associate Directors (ADOT) Dr. Tiffany Howell and Dr. Damon Lipinski. The DOT and ADOT’s responsibilities include but are not limited to: oversight of the fellowship program and fellows progress toward achieving the stated goals and objectives (and related competencies), central role in the first month’s orientation and structured training experiences, ongoing individual supervision with fellows rotating with her and group supervision for all fellows in the program, documenting the structured evaluation and feedback process for fellows.

Dr. Whitaker trained in an APA-approved graduate school program, completed a clinical psychology internship, and a pediatric psychology postdoctoral fellowship. She has been working clinically in the field of pediatric psychology and has a record of extensive leadership training (e.g., LEND, UAMS Leadership Academy), educating health care providers on a variety of pediatric psychology issues and is actively engaged in research in pediatric psychology with related publications. She has earned the Educator of the Year Award in 2019 and additional writing awards for peer-reviewed documents educating medical providers on mental health screening and implementation. Dr. Whitaker provides direct clinical services to medically fragile children, gastroenterology/hepatology populations (e.g., functional disorders, fatty liver and inflammatory bowel disease), pulmonary populations (e.g., cystic fibrosis, respiratory technology dependent and severe asthma) through assessment, consultation liaison and therapy. Dr. Whitaker is involved in advocacy and policy through serving on national committees and taking part in the creation and implementation of mental health screening guidelines.

 

Associate Training Directors

Dr. Tiffany Atkins Howell, Ph.D. completed her APA-approved graduate training at the University of Georgia and her pediatric psychology fellowship at Arkansas Children’s Hospital/ UAMS. She returned as faculty in 2018 and currently sees patients in several outpatient clinics including Pain, Headache, Sickle Cell, PANS/PANDAS, Vascular Anomalies, and Tic Disorder Clinic. She is part of several on-going research studies within the departments of Neurology and Hematology/Oncology. She also conducts traditional therapy at the Dennis Developmental Center for children and adolescents with chronic illnesses. Dr. Howell specializes in non-pharmacological interventions for pain, biofeedback and treatments for anxiety/ depression.

 

Dr. Damon Lipinski is the Clinical Director of Schmieding Developmental Center’s Concussion Clinic and an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. As a pediatric neuropsychologist, Dr. Lipinski treats children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Traumatic Brain Injury, and many other neurological disorders impacting learning and cognition. Besides conducting clinics during the week, Dr. Lipinski is also involved with concussion research as a member of the University of Arkansas’ Sports Concussion Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board. This group was contacted by the Arkansas Department of Health to create concussion education and guidelines for physicians and coaches to treat and test young athletes. Dr. Lipinski completed his Neuropsychological Fellowship at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in 2011 and finished his Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Memphis in 2009. Dr. Lipinski has supervision experience with pediatric psychologists on the child neuropsychological assessment tract and provided learning experiences to graduate student and medical students.

 

Faculty Psychologists

Little Rock

Jayne Bellando, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Texas Tech, 1988) Pediatric Psychology. Areas of interest include: psychological and educational testing, social skills and anxiety issues with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders; community outreach and educational programs; diabetes adherence and adjustment.

Mark Edwards, Ph.D. (Professor, Virginia Tech., 1990) Pediatric Psychology. Areas of interest include: parent training, behavioral assessment and treatment, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, pediatric headache disorders, recurrent abdominal pain, and pediatric behavioral medicine, program development and evaluation.

Shari Gaudette, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, University of Utah, 2006) Areas of interest include: psychoeducational assessment, treatment of anxiety disorders, and behavioral management and emotional support of overweight youth.

Tiffany Howell, Ph.D.  (Assistant Professor, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; Ph.D. 2012) Areas of interest include: Chronic Pain, Headache, PANS/PANDAS, Sickle Cell Disease, and Treatment Adherence.

 Elizabeth Pulliam, Psy.D. (Assistant Professor, Nova Southeastern University, 2004). Pediatric Psychology. Areas of interest include: feeding disorders in young children, psychological and educational evaluation, treatment of emotional, behavioral, and adherence concerns in children with medical and/or developmental challenges.

 Seth Sorenson, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, University of Arizona, 2014) Clinical Neuropsychology. Areas of interest include: Cognitive development, and clinical assessment of neuromedical, neuropsychiatric, and developmental conditions.

 Janine Watson, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, University of Canterbury, 1987) Center for Applied Research and Evaluation. Areas of interest include: feeding disorders in young children, failure to thrive, and developmental effects of drug exposure.

Brandi Whitaker, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Washington State University 2011). Pediatric Psychology. Director of Pediatric Psychology. Areas of interest: health-related quality of life, adherence to treatment and treatment outcomes, chronic pain, obesity, cystic fibrosis, and working with patients with medically complex patients and their families.

Brooke Yancey-Ward, Psy.D. (Assistant Professor, University of Indianapolis, 2019). Areas of interest include: feeding disorders in young children, maternal mental health in NICU populations, developmental testing for infants and young children, treatment of emotional, behavioral, and adherence concerns in medically complex patients, and working with medically complex children and their families.

 

Springdale

Amy Seay, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas 2010). Pediatric Psychology and Integrated Behavioral Health. Areas of Interest: identifying and treating maladaptive health behaviors, providing behavioral health services for issues related to pediatric health conditions, and addressing emotional and behavioral functioning and promoting health-related quality of life for patients with acute and chronic health conditions. Dr. Seay also has interest in advocacy and policy and currently serves as President of the State Psychological Association.

Damon Lipinski, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, University of Memphis 2009). Neuropsychology and Child Clinical Psychology. Areas of Interest: Traumatic Brain Injury, Epilepsy, Neurological Disorders, Learning Disorders and the Multidisciplinary Management of Concussion. He currently directs the SDC Concussion program and multidisciplinary team at UAMS Northwest.

Mara Wood, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, University of Central Arkansas, 2015). Pediatric Neuropsychology and School Psychology. Areas of interest: oncology late effects, genetic disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, learning disabilities including dyslexia, and special education. She services as the clerkship supervisor at Schmieding Developmental Center.

Mary Ann Scott, Ph.D., ABPP (Professor, Oklahoma State University 1993). Pediatric Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology. Areas of interest: Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Genetic Disorders, Congenital Heart Disorders, Neuro-oncology, Sensory Impaired Children, and working with medical specialists, families and educational systems to enhance outcomes. She serves as the program director and Section Chief for Schmieding Developmental Center.

Mina D. Nguyen-Driver, Psy.D. (Professor, Alliant University/CSPP, 2000) Pediatric Psychology. Areas of interest include: providing evaluation and treatment for children with complex developmental and medical concerns, using a variety of modalities including comprehensive assessment and consultation, and short and long-term cognitive behavioral therapy. Diagnoses: adjustment disorder, depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Dr. Nguyen-Driver is passionate about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and serves as the diversity chair of the Northwest Women’s Faculty Development Committee at UAMS.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must complete all requirements for their doctoral degree prior to beginning fellowship. Only graduates of an APA or CPA accredited programs are eligible for consideration. Applicants should have completed a predoctoral internship accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). All incoming Fellows must obtain a Provisional License (https://psychologyboard.arkansas.gov). Candidates should have well-established clinical interests and experience in pediatric psychology, child psychology and/or behavioral medicine.

Application Deadlines and Materials

Early Review 11/1/2022
Deadline 11/28/2022

Applicants must submit the following:

• Letter of intent
• Curriculum Vitae
• Verification of graduate training requirements form
• Graduate transcript
• Three letters of recommendation

Please identify the track you wish to be considered for and your specific qualifications for and interest in our program in your cover letter. Applicants can submit their applications via APPA CAS or send materials directly to:

Mayumi Godwin
Fellowship Coordinator
MGodwin2@uams.edu

 

Interviews

Early applicants will be notified by December 5, 2022, and later applicants will be notified by January 2, 2023, if they received an interview. On-site interviews are not being offered this year due to COVID-19 and interviews will be conducted via Zoom. Interviews begin with an overview of the program and then include individual sessions with one or two members of the training faculty. Interviews will be scheduled for four hours with possible follow-up meetings with specific faculty to further discuss training opportunities as needed. Additional information regarding the interview structure will be provided at the time of scheduling.

 

Further Information

UAMS is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.  Our program emphasizes a broad conceptualization of diversity and strongly encourages applicants with a desire to work with diverse, and in particular underserved, populations to apply. To the extent that applicants and fellows are comfortable, questions regarding values and how they may help or hinder work with underserved minority populations will be addressed in the during the fellowship.

Brandi N. Whitaker, Ph.D.
Director of Training
BNWhitaker@uams.edu

Mayumi Godwin
Fellowship Coordinator/Admin. Analyst
Pediatric Psychology
Dept. of Pediatrics, College of Medicine
UAMS at Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Office: 501-364-1021 | Fax: 501-364-1095
MGodwin2@uams.edu