Psychology Practicum Extern – Santa Rosa Neuropsychology

Kaiser Permanente is committed to creating a welcoming environment for historically marginalized individuals and communities. Practicum students learn how to conduct neuropsychological interviews, evaluations, and feedback through a cultural framework that considers not only race/ethnicity, but also incorporates age, gender identity, sexual orientation, acculturation, language, socioeconomic status, and other personal/community identities. Kaiser Santa Rosa is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, not only thru didactic training and supervision but also through recruitment and retention of diverse staff. The Training Director/primary supervisor at Kaiser Santa Rosa is a bicultural Latina, with extensive experience/training in cross cultural assessment. Cultural humility and growth are encouraged in supervision.

Didactic training is offered weekly with other Kaiser Neuropsychology practicum students, interns, postdocs, and faculty in Northern and Southern California. Students will present one topic of interest during the practicum year. The neuropsychology lecture series has included presentations on sports concussion, CNS infections, disconnection syndromes, atypical parkinsonism, white matter disorders, executive function, vascular disease, language evaluation, forensic practice, motor neuron disease, neuroanatomy, neuroimaging, psychopharmacology, disability issues in neuropsychological assessment, neuropsychological ethics, cross cultural neuropsychology, and other topics relevant to the field. Didactic training is also offered by the primary supervisor in Santa Rosa.

Students participate in 1 hr of weekly case conference presentations with fellow practicum students, interns, postdoctoral students, and faculty. Students will present at least one case in this seminar. Students also participate in a monthly neuroimaging seminar with the primary supervising neuropsychologist, fellow practicum students, and staff neurologists, as well as providers from Geriatric Medicine and Psychiatry.

Additional opportunities for professional development include observing staff neurologists performing medical exams on patients with various neurologic conditions, observing EEG exams and interpreting readouts with neurologists, and accompanying on call neurologists to the hospital for consults.

The basic training philosophy is a scientist-practitioner model of clinical neuropsychology. The approach to supervision is an apprentice/developmental model with a commitment to helping students develop basic, fundamental skills in adult and geriatric neuropsychology evaluation. To that end, students observe the supervising neuropsychologist performing evaluations initially and then are observed interviewing, testing, and providing feedback on multiple occasions by the supervisor before transitioning to increased independence.

Students receive 1 hour of individual supervision per week and 2 hours of group supervision per week at minimum. Students present case data weekly to fellow students and gain experience in providing and receiving feedback from their colleagues, which fosters professional development.

Students have the opportunity to co-lead a peer psychoeducation support group for caregivers of patients with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). This group is available through partnership with the Lewy Body Dementia Association. Past students have given short psychoeducational presentations to assist with various aspects of care for loved ones with LBD in addition to general group facilitation.

Conducting neuropsychological assessments is the primary focus of this program. Testing typically includes assessment of memory, IQ, attention, motor functioning, language, visual spatial abilities, and executive functioning using a variety of neuropsychological test instruments. Training is provided in assessment of valid responding and mood/personality as well. The number of batteries and comprehensive reports completed will be based on students’ past experience, ability, and interest.

Students are expected to complete full neuropsychological evaluations every other week for the first 1 month of training, increasing to weekly evaluations thereafter, with comprehensive reports prepared after completion of the evaluation. Feedback sessions are completed with the patient and family after preparation of the report.

Practicum students will be placed at Kaiser Permanente Neurology Department in Santa Rosa. The patient population consists of Kaiser Health Plan members (including those with Medicare and Medi-cal) and covers a broad diagnostic spectrum. Ages range from 18 and older, and virtually all neurological conditions are represented. Patients referred to the department are being assessed for brain injury, strokes, dementia, neoplasms, infectious diseases, movement disorders, and other general neurologic conditions. Forensic assessment (if applicable) is limited to medical capacity and assessment of valid responding, with the primary focus on general adult and geriatric neuropsychological evaluations. Assessment is collaborative, with consultation and some training available from staff Neurologists. In addition, there is ongoing interaction between the neuropsychology staff and broader medical services, including but not limited to Primary Care, Geriatric Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Psychiatry. Training opportunities are also available shadowing and performing screening cognitive evaluations in the Geriatric Medicine Department.

By the end of the training program, students will be well-versed in conducting clinical interviews and performing neuropsychological assessments, including the administration, scoring, and interpretation of widely-used neuropsychological instruments. Supervision and training in report writing will also be provided. Individual therapy is optional depending on students interests, school requirements, and patient availability. If available, individual therapy will be brief and focused on cognitive behavioral interventions.