Clinical Rotations

Major Adult Rotations

Graduates from 2005 & 2006 presenting at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
The Inpatient Psychiatric Unit is a locked 22-bed unit within the general hospital for adult, geriatric and adolescent psychiatric patients. This rotation provides an excellent opportunity for interns to be exposed to severe psychopathology, to work within a multi-disciplinary treatment team, and to hone their psychological assessment skills. Interns on this service serve as primary therapists for patients presenting with a range of affective, psychotic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Interns are responsible for conducting the initial diagnostic evaluation, providing individual and family psychotherapy, and working in close collaboration with the attending psychiatrist and social worker to monitor patients' response to treatment and formulate disposition plans. Interns also participate in the Unit's group therapy program, as group leaders and peer supervisors. During this rotation, Interns have the opportunity to perform brief psychological and neuropsychological assessments and to observe patients with unusual neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. This service is also a training ward for psychiatrists, neurologists, social workers, nurses and art therapists.

Adult Psychiatry Outpatient Department (AOPD)
The AOPD is a heterogeneous catchment area clinic serving over 900 outpatients with a variety of psychiatric disorders. Disorders treated in this clinic include various mood and anxiety disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders, and psychiatric disorders associated with HIV disease. Interns are responsible for all phases of outpatient psychiatric care including structured assessment/evaluation and provision of psychotherapy. Interns receive comprehensive supervision from psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and dialectical behavioral perspectives. Interns may elect to treat 1-2 patients for the entire year. Interns also co-lead therapy groups and work as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team.

Psychiatric Observation Suite
The psychiatric observation suite is a five-bed crisis intervention service within the general medical emergency room. This rotation introduces interns to patients who are in an acute state of decompensation and distress. Interns learn to quickly diagnose patients, make triage and referral decisions, perform suicide and violence potential assessments, and do crisis intervention.

Addiction Medicine Program
The Addiction Medicine Program provides consultation services for medical inpatients regarding their substance abuse problems. During this rotation, interns participate as part of a multi-disciplinary team, under the supervision of a substance abuse psychologist, conducting substance abuse evaluations and making referrals to appropriate programs after the patient has been discharged from the hospital. Interns develop considerable expertise in substance abuse evaluation and treatment, using a variety of models.

Neuropsychology Service
The Neuropsychology Service provides assessment and treatment planning for individuals of all ages, suspected of having brain disease. Interns also have the opportunity to observe brain mapping and WADA procedures. During this rotation, interns develop expertise in the neuropsychology of medical and psychiatric disorders.

Major Child/Adolescent Rotations

Dr. Rego and Psychology Intern Shelby Harris presenting at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

Child Outpatient Clinic
The child outpatient clinic treats a heterogeneous group of children and adolescents (ages 4-17) with diagnoses ranging from disruptive behavior disorders, anxiety and depressive disorders, psychotic disorders to adjustment disorders and learning disabilities. During this rotation, interns receive intensive training and supervision in psychodynamic psychotherapy, family therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, group therapy, and play therapy. Interns have the opportunity to co-lead both the parenting and child components of the Incredible Years program for treating children with disruptive behavior disorders. Interns also learn how to liaison with schools, foster care agencies, the Committee on Special Education, and other relevant organizations.

Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program
The adolescent depression and suicide program is a specialty outpatient program serving depressed and suicidal teens (ages 12-19) and their families. Many of these adolescents have experienced significant abuse and have comorbid anxiety, substance related, personality and disruptive behavior disorders. During this rotation, interns learn to conduct semi-structured diagnostic interviews, and to intervene intensively using dialectical behavior, cognitive behavior, brief psychodynamic and family systems therapies as well as crisis intervention. Various group therapies are also employed, including parent training, and the CBT Coping with Depression course. Lastly, interns have the opportunity to participate in academic activities, including authoring articles, presenting at conferences, conducting research, and leading workshops at local schools regarding adolescent suicide.

Child/Adolescent Testing
Interns develop proficiency in child/adolescent psychological and neuropsychological testing. At a minimum, interns administer 5 comprehensive psychological evaluations during the year, with more available for those interested in developing special expertise. Referral questions typically include assessing for the presence and type of learning disabilities;assessing for the presence of a wide range of diagnoses including ADHD, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders, and the potential need for medication; differential diagnosis; and evaluating the presence of neuropsychological deficits. Supervision highlights the impact of cultural differences and bilingualism, and employs a developmental framework. Exposure to more traditional instruments as well as newer, empirically-driven, and computerized instruments is offered. Training in the cross-battery approach to defining learning disabilities is integrated with more conventional theories.

Elective Rotations

Child Advocacy Center
The Child Advocacy Center is a multi-disciplinary service within the Department of Community Pediatrics which specializes in issues surrounding child abuse. Patients are evaluated from a psychological, medical, and legal perspective. Interns have the opportunity to participate in these evaluations, treat patients with on-going psychological problems, and offer parent training.

Geropsychology
The geropsychology elective offers interns the opportunity to learn about the special needs and challenges of geriatric patients. The geriatric population is faced with mounting health problems, issues relating to death and dying, and a decrease in ability for independent living. Interns will be assigned geriatric outpatient cases, and, if interested, may also provide care at area nursing homes. Supervision is provided by psychologists and psychiatrists with special expertise in this area.

Morbid Obesity
The morbid obesity elective gives interns the opportunity to learn about this major public health problem. The elective takes place in the Department of Surgery and involves patients who are in the process of having gastric bypass surgery. Interns will perform pre-surgical psychological assessments and co-lead post-surgical support groups.

School-Based Mental Health Program
The school-based mental health program is located at a nearby elementary school. Students are referred by pediatricians based at the school health clinic, teachers, school administrators, and guidance counselors. Interns learn to liaison with school representatives and to provide psychotherapeutic treatment in a setting where it is easy to access mental health services.

Sleep-Wake Disorders Center
The Sleep-Wake Disorders Center (SWDC) specializes in the diagnoses and treatment of patients who have severe or long standing problems associated with sleep and waking. The first accredited sleep disorders center in the USA, the SWDC is staffed by neurologists and a supervising clinical psychologist. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in the evaluation and treatment of patients who have insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, nightmares and CPAP compliance difficulties. The SWDC also offers overnight polysomnography, and interns will be given the opportunity to observe sleep studies.

Substance Abuse Treatment Program
The substance abuse treatment program constitute three separate off-site clinics for opiate dependent patients. Most of these patients are polysubstance abusers, and have co-morbid mood and/or anxiety disorders, personality disorders, or adjustment difficulties to chronic medical disorders. During this rotation, interns learn psychotherapeutic approaches for substance abuse patients in various phases of recovery, i.e. patients who have newly entered treatment to patients who have been abstinent for many years.

Supporting Healthy Marriage Program
The supporting healthy marriage program is a new marriage education program for low income couples in the Bronx. Using a didactic, prevention-based approach, the program teaches relationship skills in a group format. Since these couples are under considerable stress, the program also provides case management to help them access important employment and treatment services. Interns learn to deliver the marriage education curriculum and have an opportunity to participate in a multi-site research study of the effectiveness of this intervention.

University Behavioral Associates (UBA)
UBA is an innovative managed care company founded by the Department of Psychiatry at MMC which delivers behavioral health services to a large population in the Bronx. Interns learn about models of managed care, utilization review, case management, and reimbursement methodologies. 

For more information about our Psychology Internship Program,
call (718) 920-4797.