Rehabilitation Psychology & Neuropsychology Internship

Interdisciplinary Team & Staff

Psychologists at TIRR Memorial Hermann function as part of an interdisciplinary team, which includes physiatrists, rehabilitation nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language therapists, social workers, case managers, chaplains, vocational counselors, music therapists, recreational therapists, respiratory therapists and consultative physicians (including psychiatrists and neuropsychiatrists). Interns are housed in the Rehabilitation Psychology/Neuropsychology department. There are clinical neuropsychologists and clinical psychologists on the interdisciplinary teams at TIRR Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center, TIRR Memorial Hermann - Kirby Glen, TIRR Memorial Hermann – The Woodlands, TIRR Memorial Hermann Outpatient Rehabilitation - West University and Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital - Katy. Additionally, there are three neuropsychologists, and two clinical psychologists in the TIRR Memorial Hermann Research Center. Interns have the opportunity to interact with and receive supervision and training from many of these staff members.

Core Training Experiences

The core training experiences are divided into four three-month rotations: Inpatient Brain Injury and Stroke Program, Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury and Specialty Rehabilitation, Outpatient Rehabilitation Psychology/Neuropsychology Clinic, and the TIRR Memorial Hermann Challenge Program (an outpatient post-acute brain injury rehabilitation program focused on community integration). In addition, interns will have the choice of focusing on two 6-month minor rotations which are detailed below.

Inpatient Services

While on the inpatient rotations, interns are involved in performing medical record review, intake evaluations, neuropsychological evaluations (bedside screenings and more comprehensive evaluations), and evaluations of emotional and behavioral functioning. Interns are responsible for test administration, interpretation and integrated report writing with supervision from staff neuropsychologists. Interns share results of evaluations with the interdisciplinary team, patient, and family members and gain significant experience in formulating recommendations to assist the team in working most effectively with the patient. In addition, interns are involved with providing brief individual psychotherapy to inpatients, focused on specific issues that will enhance the individual’s ability to participate maximally in the rehabilitation program. Given the relatively brief lengths of stay (3-6 weeks on average), interventions are necessarily solution-focused. Additionally, interns gain experience in patient and family education, behavioral assessment and behavior management; and co-treatment with other specialties. Rehabilitation is a collaborative process and experience with other disciplines as part of the interdisciplinary team is an invaluable part of the training experience.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Spinal Cord Injury and Specialty Rehabilitation

This rotation will expose the intern to acute rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from spinal cord injuries and various other injuries or conditions requiring medical intervention and rehabilitation. Patients on the specialty rehabilitation service are quite varied and include amputations, orthopedic interventions (i.e. hip replacements, spinal surgery, etc.), as well as patients suffering from various neurological conditions such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), burn injuries and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The intern will perform psychological and neuropsychological screenings, provide family education and supportive psychotherapy to aid with adjustment. The intern will provide targeted interventions for conditions that may impede progress in rehabilitation including pain, sleep, anxiety, and depression.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Brain Injury Specialty

This rotation provides the intern with exposure to acute rehabilitation with patients who have suffered from acquired or traumatic brain injuries. The intern gains experience assessing patients with varying levels of consciousness and functional abilities by performing bedside evaluations that require adaptations of standardized measures to assess the abilities of persons with varying sensory and motor functioning. The intern will perform neuropsychological screenings/comprehensive testing and report writing. In addition, interns gain experience in assessment of problem behaviors, will lead development of behavior management plans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, and will provide patient/family education and supportive counseling.

Outpatient Services

The intern participates in the provision of outpatient services in the TIRR Memorial Hermann Challenge Program and in the Rehabilitation Psychology/Neuropsychology Outpatient Clinic.

Outpatient Post-Acute Brain Injury Rehabilitation (TIRR Memorial Hermann Challenge Program

The TIRR Memorial Hermann Challenge Program is an outpatient rotation in a holistic post-acute brain injury rehabilitation setting which focuses on community reintegration. Clients in this program focus on returning to independent living, school, or work settings. Interns gain experience in working with clients with acquired brain injury who are in the post-acute phase of recovery and transitioning back to community life. This milieu-focused treatment program involves multiple group therapies, including cognitive rehabilitation, psychoeducational, and process groups. Interns are involved in providing group therapies and individual interventions, including psychotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation. Additionally, interns participate in conducting cognitive screening evaluations and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations. Supervision is provided by staff neuropsychologists. This rotation takes place in our off-site outpatient facility about two miles from th