University of Utah Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Our Team
We are excited to have you join our team and for us to be involved in your continued development as a psychologist, researcher, and professional. We strongly believe that professional practice in rehabilitation psychology benefits from supervised postdoctoral training providing both foundational and functional competences expected of a specialist in rehabilitation psychology.
Postdoctoral Training
Our 2-year postdoctoral fellowship program offers a Major Area of Study in Rehabilitation Psychology. This program is designed to conform to the proposals from the National Conference on Postdoctoral Training in Professional Psychology and the Baltimore Conference Rehabilitation Psychology training guidelines.
Clinical Time
Fulfills eligibility requirements for board certification in Rehabilitation Psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. Fellows will spend at least 80% of their time in supervised experience involving at least 50% time devoted to clinical care of persons with disability receiving rehabilitation services, and their family members and care teams. Our fellowship program estimates 80% of time will be devoted to clinical care.
Rotations
Fellows will complete four, six-month rotations working with both inpatients and outpatients who have traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries (SCIs), chronic pain, cerebrovascular accidents, severe burn injury, chronic neurologic conditions, amputation, polytrauma, and a variety of other conditions that impact functioning.
Scholarly Activities
Rehabilitation psychology fellows are encouraged to engage in a variety of scholarly activities, which will be tailored according to their interests, professional goals, and departmental support. This can include research, publications, professional presentations, development of a clinical/teaching/and/or/research portfolio, or creation of a job talk. Additional information can be found in our Fellowship Handbook.
Notable Dates:
2024-2026 Cycle Information
Application Opens: 9/29/2023
Applications Due: 12/16/2023
Interviews: 1/19/2024 and/or 1/26/2024 (Virtually) Following Common Hold Date Guidelines
Anticipated Start Date: 9/3/2024
REHAB PSYCHOLOGY
+ Training Director: Michelle Accardi-Ravid, PhD
+ The primary goal of the Rehab Psychology program is to equip psychologists with the skills and knowledge required to provide competent assessment, treatment, consultation, and research in the field of rehabilitation psychology specialty practice.
Training Director
Michelle Accardi-Ravid, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) is a rehabilitation psychologist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation who works across the inpatient medical rehabilitation units at the Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital with patients who have had spinal cord injuries/disorders, amputations, stroke, and/or brain injury. Her special interests include interdisciplinary management of pain as well as stigma and bias, especially as it relates to chronic pain and substance use disorders. She has lived in 5 states and dreams of visiting every national park. She enjoys making pizza and exploring local parks and restaurants with her toddler, husband, and dog. She is the Training Director of the Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.
Rehabilitation Services
Our purpose is to help adult patients with acquired injuries and disabilities rebuild, reimagine, and reinvent themselves and their lives to fully realize their purpose. Our dedicated teams are composed of regionally and nationally respected specialists dedicated to supporting patients and families from acute rehabilitation through wellness and independence. After patients leave our inpatient center, we continue to provide specialized rehabilitation care through outpatient physician services in our outpatient therapy services, wellness programs, ongoing patient education, and access to support groups. We are also the only CARF accredited Brain Injury, Stroke, and TBI specialty programs in Utah.
Our rehabilitation services are primarily located in a brand new facility — Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. This new building features the latest advances in rehabilitation technology to help patients recover quicker from serious life-changing injuries and conditions. The values and goals of the University of Utah Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program fall under the mission of the University of Utah Hospital and Health Care System.
Goal & Objective
To train psychologists to be equipped to provide competent assessment, treatment, consultation, and research in rehabilitation psychology specialty practice. As a full member of the Council of Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Training Programs, we adhere to the Baltimore Conference guidelines for postdoctoral training.
Associated Objectives
- Assessment
- Intervention
- Consultation
- Research and scholarly inquiry
- Administration and management
- Professionalism
Our Mission
The University of Utah Health Sciences Center serves the people of Utah and beyond by continually improving individual and community health and quality of life. This is achieved through excellence in patient care, education, and research; each is vital to our mission and each makes the others stronger.
- We provide compassionate care without compromise
- We educate scientists and health care professionals for the future
- We engage in research to advance knowledge and well-being
Current and Past Fellows
Jordan Kwamanakweenda, PsyD
Internship: Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow: 2023-2025
Jenny Jones-Medina, Ph.D.
Internship: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System
Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow: 2022-2024
Kate Trimm, Psy.D.
Internship: Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System
Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship: 2021-2023
Madison Niermeyer, Ph.D.
Internship: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow: 2019-2021
Quyen Nichols, Ph.D.
Internship: Denver Health
Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow: 2018-2019
Tracy Brown, Ph.D.
Internship: VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow: 2017-2018
Larissa McGarrity, Ph.D.
Internship: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Rehabilitation Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow: 2016-2017
Contact Us
Rehabilitation Psychology
Program Coordinator
Andi Giardina
Email: andi.giardina@hsc.utah.edu
Phone: (801) 581-6228
Mailing Address:
85 N Medical Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84132
