Fellowship opportunities

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Fellowship Program in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology includes a variety of unique fellowship opportunities. Check the detailed descriptions below for current positions in our four general areas of specialization.

The psychology and neuropsychology fellowships change from year to year. We recommend that you check back periodically, as new positions may become available in the next few months.

Clinical Child/Integrated Primary Care Psychology (C. Gerstadt)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025-2026

The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (DCAPBS) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has an opening for a one-year psychology postdoctoral fellowship in clinical child and integrated primary care psychology starting in Summer 2024. The fellow will have opportunities for clinical training in both an outpatient behavioral health practice and integrated primary care located within the City of Philadelphia.  These clinical programs are part of our multidisciplinary department of child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and licensed clinical social workers. Psychologists and psychology trainees provide clinical services and work collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members for patient care, program development, and quality improvement projects. The psychology fellowship program at CHOP is part of a larger training program including a psychology externship, APA approved internship, and behavioral health training programs through psychiatry, social work, and nursing. More information about the department can be found at our website.

This position is designed to have 65-70% clinical time commitment with the remainder of time dedicated to clinical research/quality improvement activity, supervision and didactics. The fellow will receive clinical training through the Division of Outpatient Behavioral Health in our main ambulatory behavioral health site (4601 Market Street, Philadelphia), as well as through the Division of Community Care and Wellness at a primary care practice in Philadelphia. The fellow will have a primary mentor for the training year, as well as receive 2 hours of supervision per week from assigned licensed, supervising psychologists who are part of our large and diverse training faculty.

Clinical training in the Division of Outpatient Behavioral Health (75% of clinical experience) will include three 12-month intervention rotations within specialty clinical services (e.g., eating disorders, ADHD, autism, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, and mood and eating disorders partial hospitalization programs).  Clinical activities within these programs may include new patient evaluations, individual therapy and group interventions.  Clinical training in the Division of Community Care and Wellness (25% of clinical experience) will occur through the Healthy Minds, Healthy Kids integrated primary care program including a 12 month placement in one primary care site.  Services include a combination of intervention and consultation, plus teaching with pediatrics residents and primary care providers.  Finally, the fellow will complete a Quality Improvement project that can expand upon existing work occurring within Integrated Primary Care or the Division of Outpatient Behavioral Health.  Examples may include: program development and improvement; suicide screening and assessment; and diversity, inclusion and equity projects.

The application information/requirements for this position are all included on our listing through the APPA-CAS portal.

Additional questions can be directed to Lauren Krivitzky, PhD, ABPP-Cn, Director of Fellowship Training (KrivitzkyL@chop.edu) or Cherie Gerstadt, PhD (Gerstadt@chop.edu), Program Director for the position.

Behavioral Oncology Psychology Fellowships (Hocking & Schwartz)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR POSITION 2 FOR 2025-2026

Position one (Primary Mentor: Matt Hocking, PhD)

NOT RECRUITING FOR 2025-2026

This fellowship provides an opportunity for clinical research and advanced practice as part of the Behavioral Oncology Program of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research. The fellow in this position will primarily be involved in the research studies of Dr. Matthew Hocking with the opportunities for collaboration with other Behavioral Oncology research faculty, including Drs. Barakat and Schwartz. Additionally, the fellow will have the opportunity to develop their own research portfolio. Dr. Hocking’s current funded studies focus on the neurodevelopmental consequences of childhood cancer and neurofibromatosis type 1 and employs various methodologies, including neurocognitive testing, neuroimaging, and evaluation of social functioning. Supervision of clinical evaluations will be conducted by Dr. Kelly Janke, a board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist.

General training opportunities include:

• Training in statistical methods, grant preparation, and dissemination of research through poster and paper presentations and manuscripts
• Participation in structured training offered through the CHOP Research Institute, the Department of Pediatrics and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
• Participation in collaborations with other investigators across the CHOP/Penn campus, including those from the Center for Autism Research and Division of Endocrinology, and with investigators from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

This position is designed to have 80 percent research effort with the remainder of time dedicated to clinical training activities as part of our Psycho-oncology Neuropsychology Service and our Consultation/Intervention Service and broader Cancer Center Psychosocial Services Program. The position is a two-year fellowship beginning July or September 1.

The application information/requirements for this position are all included on our listing through the APPA-CAS portal.

Candidates with previous research experiences in pediatric psychology are encouraged to apply. For more information, please email Dr. Matthew Hocking (hockingm@chop.edu).

Position 2 (Primary Mentor: Lisa Schwartz)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025-2026

This fellowship provides an opportunity for clinical research as part of the Behavioral Oncology Program of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research. The fellow in this position will be involved in the multi-disciplinary research studies of Behavioral Oncology Research faculty, Drs. Lamia Barakat and Lisa Schwartz. Additionally, the fellow will have the opportunity to develop their own research portfolio.  

Join a lab focused on self-management in pediatric oncology. Multiple NIH and foundation grants support the lab. Studies include longitudinal tracking of AYA cancer survivors, intervention to re-engage survivors lost to follow-up, tracking physical activity and related ecological momentary assessment, interventions to support families with cancer predisposition, and intervention related to AYA decision making. Many studies have digital health component. Much of the research informed by SMART (Social-ecological Model of AYA Readiness to Transition).  Lab includes multiple coordinators, a current post-doc, and research scientist (with background in pediatric exercise science).

Expectation is to contribute to existing studies, providing leadership, co-management, and support with analysis and dissemination. Additionally, there is an expectation to apply for own funding opportunities (e.g., post doc grants from NIH, American Cancer Society, internal grants, Society of Pediatric Psychology). Should the fellow secure a postdoc grant, the fellowship could be extended beyond 2 years. If postdoc is a clinical psychologist, then clinical hours could be attained in cancer survivorship clinic and the cancer center, in general.

The application information/requirements for this position are all included on our listing through the APPA-CAS portal.

This fellowship will be 2 years or longer, depending on the fellow’s ability to attain funding beyond 2 years.  For more information, please email Dr. Lisa Schwartz (schwartzl@chop.edu).

Autism Spectrum Disorders Positions - Center for Autism Research (CAR)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025-2026

The Center for Autism Research (CAR) was established by CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania to coordinate, sponsor, and support state-of-the-art research into understanding the causes and course of autism. Studies focus on screening, diagnosis, development, mental health, neuropsychology, genetics, and neuroimaging of autistic individuals. CAR has a large training program spanning both research and clinical mentorship. Researchers and clinicians are co-located in our Center, and there are multiple opportunities for cross-discipline discussion around clinical issues and clinically relevant research. This provides a rich environment for fellows interested in pursuing a career in clinical work, research, or a combination. Fellows also have opportunities to participate in didactics and other programming associated with CHOP’s broader post-doctoral fellowship program.

For the 2025-2026 training year, we will have 2 positions available for fellows with interests in autism specialty diagnostic, assessment, and research training experiences.

CHOP: Center for Autism Research - Clinical Postdoctoral Fellowship in Autism & related Disorders: The infant Brain Imaging Study

This clinical postdoctoral fellowship offers specialty experiences in ASD, diagnostic evaluations and opportunities to master assessment of individuals, age newborn through adulthood. Assessments occur in our research clinic with opportunities for outpatient clinical engagement. Opportunities to participate in parent trainings and community presentations could also be available. Providing supervision to junior trainees including interns and externs is a central component of training. Moreover, the fellow provides behavioral support to individuals and families through MRI scans; an experimental paradigm of major importance for these studies. A key goal is to obtain the clinical and supervisory experience needed for licensure. Participation in research development, implementation, and publication is also available, based on the fellow’s career goals, level of experience, and CAR’s needs. This fellow will be a core member of a team comprised of: Clinical Research Assistants, a Psychometrician, and Licensed Psychologists and then network wide, opportunities to learn from and collaborate with neuroscientists, computer vision analysts, psychiatrists – as such, there is ample opportunity for collaboration and leadership.

This fellowship provides comprehensive training within the scope of the Infant Brain Imaging Study, a NIH Autism Center of Excellence project spanning a decade of data collection and ground breaking findings with regard to the early development of autism symptoms. CHOP is one of five sites who evaluate and follow four distinct cohorts: (1) school age cohort of individuals (7-11 years of age) previously assessed by IBIS when infants; (2) adolescent age cohort of individuals with previously assessed by IBIS when infants (12-17 years of age); (3) a new cohort of infants who are at high risk for developing ASD (6 months through 2 or 3 years of age); and (4) a cohort of infants with Down syndrome (6 months through 2 or 3 years of age). As part of their training, fellows will develop a specialization in infant and toddler developmental assessment, with an emphasis on early identification of children with autism spectrum disorders as well as expertise with a broad range of measures necessary for successful and comprehensive evaluation of autism and psychiatric symptoms in school age/early adolescence. For instance, fellows will become experts in the administration and interpretation of core autism diagnostic measures (ADI-R and ADOS) as well as measures frequently used in psychiatric evaluations (K-SADS). Successful candidates will lead clinical evaluations, provide verbal feedback to parents, write developmental and comprehensive diagnostic reports, and participate in supervision activities, all geared toward licensure in clinical psychology. In addition, the study utilizes methodologies such as eye tracking, EEG, and MRI, in which fellows will be required to assist and gain expertise.

Along with opportunities for authorship, fellows will participate actively in network-wide activities, such as regular conferences and research calls, network annual meetings, and conference presentations.

Qualifications:

• Significant experience with developmental, diagnostic, and/or cognitive testing of individuals with a wide range of behavioral presentations
• Experience working with infants/toddlers and/or autistic people of all ages and people with related conditions
• Experience scoring clinical assessments, conceptualizing cases, and writing comprehensive reports
• Exposure to providing verbal feedback of testing results to families  
• Exposure to autism diagnostic procedures is preferred
• Knowledge of the ADOS and/or ADI is a plus

This posting is for a two-year fellowship opportunity with a yearly stipend of $66,300. The position is full-time and includes participation in CHOP’s benefits program.  All applicants must have: (1) attended an APA-accredited doctoral program; (2) completed an APA-accredited internship; and (3) completed all requirements for their doctoral degree prior to beginning the fellowship. A CV, cover letter, and letters of reference are required to apply.

For more information about this fellowship opportunity, please contact Dr. Juhi Pandey at pandeyj@chop.edu.
 

CHOP: Center for Autism Research and Advancing transition and Learning for Adult Success - Postdoctoral Fellowship in Autism: PASSAGE Program

The Partnership with Autistics for Successfully Supporting Adult Goals and Experiences (PASSAGE) Program was established by CAR to support research, clinical care, and training aimed at improving the transition to adulthood for autistic youth. The PASSAGE Program has a strong connection with an advisory committee composed of autistic adults, caregivers, and professionals, with many individuals identifying as being in more than one of the 3 advisor groups. The PASSAGE Program is connected to the new Advancing Transition and Learning for Adult Success (ATLAS) Center in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Studies focus on applied research with immediate impacts for transition-age youth on the autism spectrum, including development of new assessment measures of patient-centered outcomes (quality of life, daily living skills, mental health), evaluating patient-centered outcomes, and development or adaptation of treatments tailored for the transition age range.

This postdoctoral fellowship offers specialty experiences in autism intervention research at both the pre-services stage and intervention development stage, and clinical experiences with diagnostic evaluations and opportunities to master assessment of individuals ages 14 to 25.  Key goals for the fellow are to participate in ongoing research and manuscript preparation to support existing projects and furthering development of their own research questions, obtain the clinical and supervisory experience needed for licensure, and support the PASSAGE Program’s and CAR’s educational and training mission through local community and academic presentations. This fellow will be a core member of a team comprised of: Clinical Research Assistants, Social Workers, a Psychiatrist and Licensed Psychologists – as such, there is ample opportunity for collaboration and leadership.

• This fellowship provides comprehensive training within the scope of two NIH-funded projects within the PASSAGE Program: 
  An NIMH-funded, pre-services longitudinal study that seeks to identify the role that executive function and self-determination play in the development of daily living skills for autistic youth transitioning out of high school, the downstream impact of daily living skills on their quality of life, and the role of social determinants of health in the development of daily living skills. This project aims to identify factors that could enhance the effectiveness of treatments targeting daily living skills. (PI: Dr. Benjamin Yerys)
• An NICHD-funded study that aims to fill the need for comprehensive lifestyle treatment for obesity designed specifically for autistic individuals transitioning to adulthood. This is a mixed methods study grounded in the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) Preparation Phase that will generate a set of stakeholder-generated and prioritized treatment components that can be tested alone or in combination for subsequent treatment optimization. (PI: Dr. Emily Kuschner)

As part of their training, fellows will participate in a research project with brief diagnostic and psychological assessments, qualitative interviews, support and lead data analyses for presentation at national and international conferences (ABCT, INSAR), support and lead manuscript preparation, and develop a specialization in adolescent and young adult assessment, with an emphasis on supporting successful transitions out of high school/secondary education including a comprehensive evaluation of autism and psychiatric symptoms for accessing government services.

Qualifications:

• Experience working with transition-age youth and/or autistic people of all ages 
• Experience with diagnostic, and/or cognitive testing of adolescents and young autistic adults with a wide range of behavioral presentations
• Experience with evidence-based cognitive-behavioral treatments; experience with treatments adapted for autistic people are a plus
• Experience with quantitative data analyses with large datasets; experience with multivariate analyses, including structural equation modeling, is a plus
• Experience with qualitative interviews and thematic analysis is a plus
• Knowledge of the CARS and/or ADOS is a plus

This posting is for a two-year fellowship opportunity. The position is full-time and include participation in CHOP’s benefits program. All applicants must have: (1) attended an APA-accredited doctoral program; (2) completed an APA-accredited internship; and (3) completed all requirements for their doctoral degree prior to beginning the fellowship. A CV, cover letter, and letters of reference  are required to apply.

For more information about this fellowship opportunity, please contact Dr. Emily Kuschner (kuschnere@chop.edu) or Dr. Benjamin Yerys (yerysb@chop.edu).
 

Pediatric psychology positions

Perinatal Mental Health and Early Childhood Program (Cole)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025-2026

We are currently accepting applications for the pediatric psychology fellowship at CHOP in Perinatal Mental Health and Early Childhood Follow-Up. The primary focus of the fellowship is the expansion of psychology services and clinical research within the Richard D. Wood Jr. the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment (CFDT), a multidisciplinary program dedicated to providing specialized services for pregnant patients carrying babies with birth defects and/or complex medical or genetic conditions. Patients receive comprehensive maternal/fetal assessments, close monitoring and prenatal care, and give birth in the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit (SDU) at CHOP, the world’s first obstetrics unit housed within a pediatric hospital. These babies immediately transition to either the Harriet and Ronald Lassin Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit (N/IICU) or the Evelyn and Daniel M. Tabas Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), after birth. 

Clinical practice focuses on supporting parents, as they may experience perinatal mental health challenges often exacerbated when faced with a complication in pregnancy, subsequent neonatal intensive care hospitalization or having to care for a child with complex medical needs. Additional training rotations will be available within various programs across CHOP including opportunities to support infants and families within the newborn intensive care units (N/IICU, CICU), neurodevelopmental follow-up assessments (Cardiac Kids Developmental Follow-Up Program, Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic), and other early childhood clinics (PCIT, Young Child Clinic).

An individualized training program will be developed to support the unique needs of each fellow. Services across the fellowship program will focus on building clinical competence in four main areas: 1) behavioral health care with expectant and postpartum parents, 2) parental-infant attachment and bonding, 3) perinatal bereavement services, and 4) multidisciplinary team consultation. Opportunities for early childhood neuropsychological assessment are also available.  This position is designed to have 65-70 percent clinical time commitment with the remainder of time dedicated to clinical research and program development/quality improvement activities.

The position is a one-year fellowship with the anticipated start date for summer of 2024. Candidates with previous clinical and research experiences in pediatric psychology, family systems and/or women’s health are especially encouraged to apply. Applications are accepted through the APPA-CAS portal and are due Friday, December 1, 2024.

For more information, please contact Joanna CM Cole, PhD, PMH-C at colej3@chop.edu.

Pediatric Psychology: Focus in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (Turner/Fussner)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025-2026

This fellowship provides an opportunity for advanced clinical practice in pediatric psychology services as part of the interdisciplinary team within the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at CHOP. The GI interdisciplinary team is comprised of physician, nursing, nutrition, social work, child life, and psychology providers. Our team consists of 9 full-time GI Psychologists who provide integrated clinical services and work collaboratively with trainees and interdisciplinary team members conducting patient care, program development, quality improvement projects, and scholarly research. The GI Psychology Fellow will have ample opportunity to provide shoulder-to-shoulder care within our various interdisciplinary clinics and umbrella supervision to an advanced clinical psychology graduate student.

While the focus of the fellowship will be in GI psychology, fellows will also have the option to elect two, 6-month, 8-hour minor rotations in other pediatric psychology areas (see section below for a listing of pediatric psychology minor rotations). 

The GI psychology fellow will participate in:

• Outpatient consultation, assessment, and intervention to children and adolescents with a range of GI conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, disorders of gut-brain interaction, constipation, encopresis, gastroparesis, vomiting, and rumination.
• Common referrals include providing cognitive-behavioral and behavioral interventions for coping with and adjustment to chronic GI conditions, pain management, constipation and toileting difficulties, treatment adherence, and school avoidance.
• Involvement in Patient and Family Education Days, the Comfort Ability pain management program, and support groups for children of various ages with specific GI illnesses and their parents.
• Individual and group supervision of GI psychology trainees at the extern and intern level.
• Participation in quality improvement projects, scholarly research, and program development.

The position is a one-year fellowship, with an anticipated start date in the summer of 2024. This position is designed to have 70 percent clinical time commitment with the remainder of time dedicated to clinical research, didactics, and program development activities. Clinical intervention will likely include the provision of telehealth services. The fellow will receive a minimum of two hours of individual supervision weekly. Specific didactics include GI Psychology Group Meetings, GI Psychology Didactic Series, GI Psychosocial Rounds, Pediatric Grand Rounds, Psychiatry Grand Rounds, and Department of Psychiatry Professional Development Series for Fellows.

The application information/requirements for this position are all included on our listing through the APPA-CAS portal.

Additional questions can be directed to the program director, Betsy Turner, PhD, or Lauren Krivitzky, PhD, ABPP-Cn, Director of Fellowship Training (KrivitzkyL@chop.edu).

Pediatric Psychology: Focus in Solid Organ Transplant (Lefkowitz, Plevinsky)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025-2026

This fellowship provides an opportunity for advanced direct practice in providing psychological services as part of interdisciplinary solid organ transplant teams (heart, lung, kidney and liver). Psychology services provided include:

• Pre-transplant psychosocial assessment of children and families (all organs)
• Inpatient intervention services for children and adolescents awaiting heart and/or lung transplant and their families
• Consultation with the transplant medical teams around patient and parent coping and family-staff interaction
• Follow-up of patients through the interdisciplinary outpatient clinic
• Opportunities to provide outpatient psychotherapy are also available. Common referral issues include:
  • Adjustment to illness
  • Prolonged hospitalization
  • Grief and loss
  • Family/team communication
  • Adherence to medical regimens pre- and post-transplant

While the focus of the fellowship will be in Transplant psychology, fellows will also have the option to elect two, 6-month, 8-hour elective minor rotations in other pediatric psychology areas (see section below for a listing of pediatric psychology minor rotations). 

This position is designed to have 65 to 70 percent clinical time commitment with the remainder of time dedicated to clinical research activities.

The application information/requirements for this position are all included on our listing through the APPA-CAS portal.

The position is a one- or two-year fellowship beginning summer/early fall. Candidates with previous clinical and research experiences in pediatric psychology are encouraged to apply. For more information, please email Dr. Lefkowitz.

Pediatric Psychology: Focus in Feeding Psychology (Lukens)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025-2026

Our feeding fellowship provides an opportunity for advanced clinical practice as part of an interdisciplinary feeding team comprised of physicians, nurse practitioners, dietitians, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, psychologists, feeding therapists, and child life specialists. Feeding Center psychologists work collaboratively with these team members to conduct comprehensive assessments and follow up consultations for a wide array of feeding problems in our diverse patient population (e.g., children dependent on supplemental nutrition, children with complex medical and developmental conditions, etc.). As well, Feeding Center psychologists manage care for patients receiving treatment in our intensive feeding therapy program (Day Hospital intervention program).

While the focus of the fellowship will be in Feeding psychology, fellows will also have the opportunity to elect two, 6-month, 8-hour elective minor rotations in other pediatric psychology areas (see section below for a listing of pediatric psychology minor rotations). 

Candidates without prior feeding experience will be actively considered; our national experts in the field will provide comprehensive training in the assessment and treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders. This fellowship is ideal for candidates interested in specializing in early childhood, caregiver teaching, and/or working with individuals with developmental disabilities.

Fellows will:

1. Provide outpatient assessment and consultation for children presenting with Pediatric Feeding Disorders
2. Manage care within the Day Hospital treatment program
3. Participate in program development to expand the psychosocial services provided within the Center and clinical research
4. Supervise and mentor trainees from multiple disciplines rotating through the program, as available

This position is designed to have 65 percent time devoted to clinical activities and 35 percent time devoted to research, training, didactics, and program development activities. The fellow will receive two hours of supervision per week (one hour each with two primary clinical supervisors from Feeding Center). There will be flexible opportunities to observe in other related clinics, interact with fellows outside of the Feeding Center, and participate in shared didactics specifically tailored to the professional development needs of Post-Doctoral Fellows.

The application information/requirements for this position are all included on our listing through the APPA-CAS portal.

The position is a one-year fellowship, with an anticipated start date of Summer 2025. For more information, please email Colleen Taylor Lukens, PhD (lukens@chop.edu).

Pediatric Psychology Fellowship Elective Minor Rotation Offerings

Elective minor rotations are available to pediatric psychology fellows in the GI, Feeding and Transplant focused fellowships.  Fellows should indicate 2-3 rotations they are interested in their cover letter, at the time of their application to the program.  Decisions about the minor rotation will be made at the time of offer acceptance.  They will have the opportunity to participate in 2 elective rotations, each of which will be 6-8 hours/week for 6 months. We will update applicants if additional rotations become available.

Rotation Name: Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome (AMPS) Program
Supervisors:  Jennifer Sherker, Psy.D., Kim Miller, Ph.D., Whitney Rog, Psy.D.
Description:  Fellows participating in the AMPS Program will provide psychological services across two to three settings: AMPS clinic, the intensive AMPS program, and outpatient intervention. Fellows will conduct brief psychological evaluations in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team and provide CBT-based psychotherapy sessions to program patients. Additionally, fellows will have the opportunity to engage in co-treatment sessions with PT/OT providers, regularly collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to information treatment planning, work in a group modality (patient and parents) and facilitate family meetings. Fellows will also be expected to consult with outside mental health treatment providers, as appropriate.

Rotation Name: Behavioral Health Integrated Program (BHIP)
Supervisors: Whitney Guerry, Ph.D., Jeanna Stokes, Psy.D.
Description:  Fellows will have the opportunity to provide consultation and brief intervention services to a variety of inpatients through the Behavioral Health Integrated Program (BHIP), the consult-liaison service for the CHOP Philadelphia campus.  BHIP clinicians seek to integrate identification, evaluation, and intervention for behavioral health concerns into patient’s multidisciplinary care through attending daily rounds, providing on-going education to medical trainees, and other methods.  Fellows who participate in BHIP will provide consultation and brief, problem-focused interventions for patients admitted to a range of pediatric subspecialty services including but not limited to adolescent medicine, gastroenterology, neurology, and pulmonology.  Presenting concerns include eating disorders, problems in patient or family coping and adaptation to illness or injury, psychosomatic presentations, and other mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety) that are interfering with hospital-based treatment.  Opportunities for collaboration will occur with other behavioral health care providers (psychiatry, behavior analysts (BCBAs), social work, child life) and nursing and medical providers. 

Rotation Name: Cancer Center, Very Rare Malignant Tumors Program
Supervisor:  Paige Lembeck, PhD
Description: The pediatric psychology minor fellowship rotation within CHOP Cancer Center’s Very Rare Malignant Tumors Program (VRMTP) will focus on provision of consultation and intervention services for pediatric patients with uncommon diagnoses, including rare subtypes of sarcomas, cancers typically found in adults, neuroendocrine tumors, and pigmented lesions. This rotation offers opportunities for outpatient and inpatient follow up and specialized training in treating referral concerns related to adjustment to rare oncologic (and benign) tumor diagnoses/related treatment, medical decision-making, family communication, and end-of-life. Fellow responsibilities will include participating in Rare Tumor team and family meetings, and collaborating with other members of the multidisciplinary team, which is comprised of oncologists, advanced practice providers, and other psychosocial team members (e.g., social worker, child life specialist). Opportunities are available for participation in program development and psychosocial screening efforts as well. Friday availability is preferred due to the timing of Rare Tumor clinic.

Rotation Name: Endocrinology
Supervisors:  Leela Morrow, Psy.D.
Description:  The Endocrine Psychology Consultation minor rotation will provide fellows with the opportunity to provide consultation and follow-up intervention services. This rotation allows for collaboration with multidisciplinary team members (e.g., physicians, advance practice providers, dieticians, social workers, child life specialists). Behavioral health services range from patients in infancy through young adulthood and parents/caregivers. Presenting concerns are varied but typically include adjustment to and coping with diagnosis and associated care, psychological and behavioral concerns impacting medical care, parental distress related to patient’s hospitalization, and concerns related to the neurodevelopmental impacts of endocrine conditions. Depending on the day, clinics will vary with the following populations: Congenital Hyperinsulinism, Turners syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) and other associated adrenal/puberty conditions.

Rotation Name: Pediatric Epilepsy Program and Tic Treatment
Supervisors: Amanda Riisen, Psy.D., Carinna Scotti-Degnan, Ph.D.
Description: The training goal of this rotation is to provide the fellow with opportunities in administering psychological services as a member of the interdisciplinary Pediatric Epilepsy Program (PEP). Additionally, fellows can choose to also have experience delivering Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics for patients with tic disorders. Psychological services provided include (1) assessment of patient and families coping with epilepsy and/or tics and co-morbid behavioral health diagnoses (2) individual and/or family CBT based therapy for children within a broad age range (ages 3 to 19) (3) comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) for children ages 6 and up and (4) consultation with medical team around patient / family coping with anti-epileptic drug side effects, epilepsy surgery, ketogenic diet, and any additional medical treatments.  Common referral issues include adjustment to illness, treatment adherence, managing medication side effects, child/parent coping with anxiety directly related to seizures, and assessment / treatment for co-morbid psychiatric issues such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and behavioral issues.

Rotation Name: Pediatric Health and Behavior Program (PHAB)
Supervisor:  Colette Gramszlo, Ph.D.
Description: The Pediatric Health and Behavior (PHAB) Program provides outpatient consultation and intervention to youth with a wide range of medical conditions (e.g., neuromuscular disorders, metabolic conditions, rheumatic diseases, neuroinflammatory disorders) who are experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulties secondary to their medical diagnosis or treatment. Typical referral concerns include: adjustment to new diagnosis or progression of symptoms; difficulties with self-management or adherence; medical trauma or anxiety related to the medical setting; and behavioral concerns secondary to neurodevelopmental differences associated with medical diagnosis. Primary treatment modalities used in this clinic include CBT, TF-CBT, ACT, and Collaborative Problem Solving. Fellows will develop breadth of experience with common pediatric medical conditions, and comfort with pediatric psychology intervention from intake through therapy termination. Fellows will be encouraged to identify special interests or gaps in prior training so their rotation caseload can be tailored to their individual training needs or goals.  

Rotation Name: Pediatric Cardiology
Supervisors:  Colleen Driscoll, PhD, Nick Seivert, Ph.D.
Description: The Cardiology Psychology rotation will provide fellows the opportunity to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and provide consultation and treatment to patients with congenital or acquired heart disease and their families across the Cardiac Center (CICU, Cardiac step-down unit, outpatient clinic). Fellows will conduct consultations, make recommendations, and develop and implement intervention plans for a caseload of patients of various ages (patients range from infancy to young adulthood) at various stages of cardiac treatment. Presenting concerns are varied but typically include adjustment to and coping with diagnosis and associated care, psychological and behavioral concerns impacting medical care, parental distress related to child hospitalization, and concerns related to the neurodevelopmental impacts of cardiac conditions. There may also be opportunities to provide behavioral health assessment and intervention within the context of end of life care. This rotation includes opportunities for umbrella supervision of psychology externs and interns. Depending on fellow interest, there may also be opportunities to participate in developmental assessment through the Cardiac Kids Developmental Follow-up Program.

Rotation Name:  Plastic, Reconstructive, & Oral Surgery Minor Rotation
Supervisor:  Leanne Magee, Ph.D.
Description:  This minor rotation will provide fellows with the opportunity to conduct brief health and behavior assessments and possible follow-up intervention services in the outpatient setting. Primary clinical training experiences will be through the Cleft Palate and Craniofacial multidisciplinary teams. This rotation allows for collaboration with multidisciplinary team members (e.g., surgery, nursing, social work, child life, orthodontics, speech language pathology, audiology, ENT, genetics, ophthalmology) to provide behavioral health services to patients from birth through young adulthood. Cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial conditions are associated with medical and surgical treatments throughout childhood and adolescence, as well as increased risk for developmental delays, learning difficulties, and social difficulties. Patients and families often benefit from psychosocial support related to preparing children/families for surgical procedures; coping with appearance-related teasing/bullying; navigating assessment and treatment of school/learning problems; adjustment to birth of child with craniofacial/cleft condition; and decision making in relation to elective surgical procedures.  Additional opportunities may be available through the Adolescent Breast Surgery Program, conducting presurgical psychosocial assessments for patients seeking elective breast surgical procedures.