Developmental Track

The Behavioral Science Division at the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is pleased to announce the availability of a yearlong fulltime pediatric psychology postdoctoral fellowship with emphasis on diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, starting August 2022.

The Pediatric Psychology Postdoctoral fellowship program at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is designed to prepare individuals who will be uniquely suited to work at the interface of pediatrics, clinical psychology, and behavioral medicine. The program provides postdoctoral training experiences necessary to meet clinical hours and supervision requirements for licensure. The postdoctoral fellow will gain extensive experience in clinical child and pediatric psychology through inpatient and outpatient services.

The fellowship consists of a primary rotation in Developmental Medicine and the Child Development Unit (CDU), which comprises psychologists, developmental/behavioral pediatricians, and developmental neurologists. The primary role of the psychology fellow will be to conduct diagnostic evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in young children, consisting of record review, clinical interview, and assessment with standardized measures such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Second Edition (ADOS-2). The fellow will use the information obtained from the evaluation to inform diagnosis, case conceptualization, and treatment recommendations. The fellow also will assist parents or other caregivers in connecting with the right level of intervention for their child.

In addition to the primary rotation, the postdoctoral fellowship in Developmental Medicine includes two to four minor rotations over the course of the fellowship year. Potential rotations may include: Behavioral Sleep Medicine and Pulmonology, General Pediatric Psychology Outpatient Clinic, Neurology/Movement Disorders Clinic, Chronic Pain Clinic, Hematology/Oncology, Endocrinology, and the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit.

Supervision is provided by staff within the Behavioral Science Division. The fellow will be provided at least two hours of individual supervision per week, as well as direct observation and consultation during regularly scheduled rotations. Individualized goals will be established and reviewed with the primary supervisor on a quarterly basis.

Didactic experiences include half-day weekly trainings/presentations alongside Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellows. Specific training in ethics, supervision models, and consultation models also will be provided. Fellows will attend a professional development seminar. Fellows routinely attend case conferences and grand rounds offered through collaborating departments.

Our program is primarily a clinical training program; however, faculty has access to existing databases and participate in ongoing research and program development. Depending on fellow interest and skill, research opportunities may exist. As part of the training requirement, the fellow will develop and carry out an individual project or case presentation.

The Behavioral Sciences Division of UPMC Children’s Hospital is offering one postdoctoral fellowship position in Developmental Medicine for 2022–2023. Training begins August 2022. The fellowship is for a one-year period and is fulltime. Benefits provided include paid holidays, paid time off, and health insurance.

Candidates must have completed all requirements for their doctoral degree prior to beginning the fellowship and must be a graduate from an APA accredited doctoral program. APA accredited or APPIC member internship program training is preferred. It is essential that applicants have prior experience in working with children with ASD and/or children with other developmental disabilities. Prior experience with the ADOS-2 is not required and, as part of the training experience, the fellow can expect to establish clinical competence administering Modules T, 1, 2, and 3.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. The final deadline for all application materials is Friday, December 3, 2021. Virtual interviews for selected applicants will take place in January 2022.

Applications should include:

1. A letter of interest describing training experiences, desired postdoctoral training objectives and professional goals for training.
2. A current curriculum vitae.
3. Three letters of reference, with at least two from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic and clinical training.
4. An official copy of graduate transcripts.

Application materials should be directed to:

Kaycee Weir, PhD
Director of Training, Behavioral Science Division
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
BH_trainingcommittee@chp.edu
412-692-7547

All application materials should be submitted electronically to the above email address, in a Word or PDF file.

If the applicant is unable to send a transcript electronically, please send them to:

Attn: Kaycee Weir, PhD
Behavioral Science Division
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Lawrenceville Medical Building, 3rd Floor
4117 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Any questions regarding the application process can be directed to our training committee by email: BH_trainingcommittee@chp.edu or by phone: 412-692-6120. For more information regarding UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, please visit: www.chp.edu

Questions specific to the Developmental fellowship can be directed to:

Ryan Anderson, PhD
Lead Psychologist, Developmental Medicine & Child Development Unit
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
ryan.anderson@chp.edu