Training Objectives
Training in the Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is specific to each focus area but is expected to take place in clinical care (not less than 25 percent), research, teaching, administration, professional development and community activities. Each program is developed with a focus area such that the fellow will be eligible for licensure at the end of the fellowship.
Areas of professional activities
- Clinical Care -- Each fellow will be expected to provide clinical care that is based in theoretical and empirical knowledge bases for at least 25 percent of the fellowship time. Neuropsychology fellows spend 70% of their fellowship time in delivery of clinical services. The specific nature of the clinical care will depend on the focus area chosen. Each fellow's clinical care will be primarily in his/her focus area. Each clinical case (assessment, treatment, psychosocial provider, or consultation) is assigned to a supervisor. This supervisor reviews each case and signs all treatment and discharge notes.
In addition, in accordance with Ohio state law, each individual receiving clinical care receives a letter documenting the supervised nature of the services that they are receiving. At the beginning of the year, when the training director reviews the goals and objectives for each fellow, he will review their schedule to insure there is a minimum of two hours a week of supervision regarding clinical care delivery. Evaluation for clinical care will take place by the primary clinical supervisors and will be based on the degree of competence in the specific areas of practice of the fellow, the responsiveness and timeliness of their communications with multidisciplinary colleagues and family members, and documentation and records. - Research -- Each fellow also will be involved in the conduct of research that is significant, empirically sound, and ethically appropriate. The degree of involvement and the specific projects will be set at the beginning of the fellowship with each mentor. Specific concrete goals will be set for each six-month period. Every postdoctoral fellow will attend the psychology research seminar that occurs once a month. Each postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to present his/her own proposals/manuscripts as well as be the reviewer on another individual's work.
For each session, faculty will also be assigned to the review and will provide guidance to the postdoctoral fellow. The fellow presenting will work closely with their mentor during preparation. Research will be evaluated on the basis of significance, scientific merit, innovation, and human subjects' issues. In addition, many of the focus areas have specific journal clubs pertinent to their subject area to which all fellows are invited to attend. Evaluation for research will take place by determining the degree to which the fellow is accomplishing goals. Goals may be changed at any point with the collaboration of the mentor and the fellow. - Teaching/Mentoring -- Each fellow will be expected to provide formal lectures to those of other disciplines, areas of focus, or different levels of training. Some fellows will be involved in "umbrella supervision." Umbrella supervision as defined by Ohio State law is "the supervision of a candidate for licensure to help him/her develop supervisory skills. It exists when a supervisee supervises other psychology supervisees in hazardous practices." Evaluation for teaching will take place by determining whether the fellow has accomplished the specific teaching activities set as objectives. In addition, formal evaluation forms, faculty observation, and informal feedback from participants will be used.
- Professional Development/Relationships -- Each fellow will be expected to work closely with others of different disciplines or areas of focus. It is expected that the fellow will be respectful of the knowledge base of those from other disciplines or areas of focus. It is also expected that the fellow will provide consultation to those from other disciplines or areas of focus. For all of the focus areas, the fellow is automatically a part of at least one multidisciplinary activity or team. The particular teams in which the fellow will participate will be identified at the beginning of the training year. Evaluation will occur by assessing the fellows' competence as members of their multidisciplinary team.
Didactic Seminars
Each fellow is required to participate in a minimum of two hours a week of didactic learning experiences. It is anticipated that most hours will be completed in seminars related to the fellow's focus area. However, there are three monthly seminars that all postdoctoral fellows are required to attend. In addition, there are a number of general seminars that the fellow and his/her mentor can choose. The fellow will be asked to keep a monthly log of seminars attended that will be turned into his/her mentor and the director of training every six months.
Goal Setting and Evaluation of Progress
At the beginning of each training year, the mentor and the postdoctoral fellow will develop goals for the year, and timelines and sequences for accomplishing those goals in each of the four areas listed above. This will include how the fellow's time will be spent in each of the four areas. This will be accomplished using the forms specifically designed for postdoctoral evaluation, which have been mirrored after those used by the faculty for their yearly evaluations.
Fellows from each of the three focus areas will meet twice a year as a group with the director of training. The purpose of these meetings is to establish a relationship with the director of training and to review global issues regarding professionalism and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's Postdoctoral Program.
Review of progress will be incorporated into each supervisory session, and will be done at six months (Cincinnati Center for Developmental Disorders, four months). At that time, each fellow will meet with his/her mentor to develop a brief description of progress, which will become part of the fellow's training folder. If needed, the training director will meet with the fellow and the mentor(s). At the end of each year, the fellow will prepare formal documentation similar to the faculty review.
Again, the training director will meet with the fellow and the mentor(s) as needed. Information on due process/grievance procedures is detailed in the program manual provided to each fellow at the beginning of his/her fellowship and the policies of the General Medical Education Committee of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
