Psychology Externship

General Information: Outpatient Externships & Application Process:

Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital (MWPH) is a specialty rehabilitation hospital, co-owned and co-operated by the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins. The Outpatient Psychology and Neuropsychology externships are a 12-month placement starting in June or July 2025 and a 2 days per week commitment.

 

For Doctoral Psychology Externship Tracks and Neuropsychology Track applications are due by February 7, 2025. Interviews will be held in February and March. Please email your CV, two letters of recommendation, and a cover letter to the track of interest.

 

Masters Psychology Externship Track

1.  Comprehensive Clinical Child If you are applying to the Comprehensive Clinical Child Externship, email Erica Lee, Psy.D. at [email protected].

 

For Masters Psychology Externship Tracks applications are due by October 10, 2024. Interviews will be held in October and November. Please email your CV, two letters of recommendation, and a cover letter.

 

 Doctoral Psychology Externship Tracks

1. Comprehensive Clinical Child If you are applying to the Comprehensive Clinical Child Externship, email Elizabeth Getzoff Testa, Ph.D. at [email protected].

2. Trauma If you are applying to the Trauma Externship, email Lindsay Gavin, Ph.D. at [email protected].

 

*Please indicate your clinical interest in your cover letter and if you are applying to more than one track. Please note the application deadline for either track is February 7, 2025. 

 

Neuropsychology Externship Track

If you are applying to the Neuropsychology Externship, please email your CV, two letters of recommendation, and a cover letter to Kalina Hurley, Ph.D. at [email protected]. 

Please note the application deadline for neuropsychology is February 7, 2025. 

 

More information on Tracks

 

Comprehensive Clinical Child Track

The Comprehensive Clinical Child Track externship program is a training experience in clinical and pediatric psychology. The externship includes two major aspects 1. outpatient therapy and 2. psychological testing. Externs carry a caseload consisting of children and adolescents. Weekly individual and group supervision as well as didactics are provided. Externs will need to be available on one required day (Friday), as well as a second day that will be determined based on clinical interest.

Externs may choose to pursue specific training within the populations of

·       Internalizing & Externalizing Disorders

·        Behavioral Pain

·        Gender Health

·       Integrated Primary Care for Medically Complicated Youth and Diabetes

·        Autism

 

Trauma and Healing Program

The Trauma and Healing externship is for students who have a strong interest in working with children and families impacted by trauma and have had a full year of child therapy and assessment experience. Primary presentations include children and adolescents with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Developmental Trauma, Complex Trauma and other comorbid mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, disruptive/oppositional disorders, self-harm, suicidality and more. 

 

The extern will also be expected to conduct initial intakes/consultations and trauma-informed evaluations (minimum of 1 case per month). During the year, students in the trauma externship program will gain exposure to several evidence-based treatments for traumatic stress, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT); Attachment, Regulation and Self-Competency (ARC); Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) and more. Externs will have the opportunity to complete the initial 2-3 day formal training in TF-CBT, which is needed for certification in TF-CBT, and will receive supervision in implementation of TF-CBT throughout the year. 

 

Students will also participate in monthly didactics with topics focused on trauma and child maltreatment. The externship position is unique and in addition to clinical work, will also involve community engagement and outreach (e.g., presentations/education to various community groups on topics related to childhood trauma). Experience/training/strong interest in working with children and families exposed to trauma is preferred.

 

Neuropsychology Program

The Neuropsychology Externship program is a training experience in assessment of brain-based medical conditions that impact child development, cognitive skills, and emotional functioning.

·      Conduct neuropsychological evaluations every other week

·      Externs are trained on test administration, data interpretation, case conceptualization, report writing, and participate in feedback sessions.

·      Participate in intakes/initial consultations and opportunities for advanced opportunities include Concussion Clinic and Inpatient Assessment. 

·      Weekly individual and group supervision, as well as didactics, case presentations, and Brain Cuttings at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

 

Common medical conditions that are referred for evaluation include: prematurity, in-utero substance exposure, traumatic brain injury, stroke, genetic conditions, epilepsy, and brain tumors.