Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Fellowship

The postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Utah School of Medicine is a two-year fellowship offering the specialized training necessary for independent practice as a board-eligible neuropsychologist with sub-specialized competency in evaluating and treating rehabilitation and geriatric patients. The growing PM&R neuropsychology team currently includes two neuropsychologists, three psychometrists, one postdoctoral fellow, and two practicum trainees. Collaborating faculty in other departments offer additional clinical rotations, lead didactics, and provide research mentorship.

The clinical and educational experiences of the fellowship are modeled after guidelines identified by the Houston Conference on Specialty Education and Training in Clinical Neuropsychology.

The PM&R neuropsychology service specializes in comprehensive and focused evaluations of adults and older adults with a broad range of neurodegenerative disorders as well as with patients who have sustained neurotrauma. Referrals from the Department of PM&R include diagnoses such as traumatic brain injury and concussion, stroke and other cerebrovascular events, central nervous system tumors, and multiple sclerosis. Other referral questions include mild cognitive impairment versus dementia among neurodegenerative diseases and memory disorder cases as well as differential diagnosis of neurologic versus psychiatric contributions. Outside referral sources include geriatric medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, geriatric psychiatry, and primary care.

The primary training locations are the outpatient and inpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics located in the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital of the University of Utah Hospital. Clinical minor rotation locations may include the Department of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics (housed at Primary Children’s Hospital), and Department of Psychiatry, as well as a research/academic rotation offered in the Department of Psychology.

Didactic Opportunities

The fellowship includes weekly didactics pertinent to clinical neuropsychology in the Department of PM&R Neuropsychology Grand Rounds. These didactics qualify for continuing education credit. The University of Utah School of Medicine offers many continuing education grand rounds as well as presentations and training opportunities, and the fellow can attend these when possible. Additional didactic opportunities include Neuropathology Autopsy Conference, PM&R Resident Didactics, PM&R Grand Rounds, Neurology Grand Rounds, Psychiatry Grand Rounds, and Neurosurgery Grand Rounds.

For detailed information, please view our brochure: Fellowship Brochure 

Application Process

The Neuropsychology program will participate in the Match process on a yearly basis. This residency site agrees to abide by the APPCN policy that no person at this facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any residency applicant. To be considered, applicants must have completed an APA or CPA-accredited doctoral program and a one-year APA-or CPA-accredited internship prior to the scheduled start of the fellowship. Applicants are expected to have had formal training in neuropsychological assessment of adults and older adults, including standardized test administration and scoring, interpretation, and report writing both in graduate school and during internship.

Applicants are required to submit the following:

1. A one-page cover letter describing your experience in neuropsychological assessment and research as well as your interest in our program
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Two de-identified sample reports
4. Three letters of recommendation, with at least one from a training supervisor from your graduate program and one from a supervisor at your internship.
5. APPCN’s Completion of Doctoral Training form: http://www.appcn.org/assets/1748/doctorate_verification_form.pdf
6. Please send your application (as one PDF, if possible) to the attention of Katherine Kitchen Andren, PhD, ABPP by email to Andi Giardina at andi.giardina@hsc.utah.edu
7. Applications will be reviewed by the PM&R neuropsychology faculty and some collaborating faculty in other departments. Selected applicants will be invited to a virtual interview prior to the annual meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS).