practicum on individual seminar presentation

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 15 May 2019

Ways to give an effective seminar about your research project

• Ananya Sen 0

Ananya Sen is a PhD student in microbiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

In my first year of graduate school, I was terrified of giving presentations. I would put too much information on my slides, talk too fast and constantly forget or trip over certain words. Unsuprisingly, the reception was lukewarm at best.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-01574-z

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. You can get in touch with the editor at [email protected].

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The Center for Brain/Mind Medicine

Training and Education

The CBMM offers training and education programs in behavioral neurology, neuropsychiatry, and neuropsychology for students and professionals

Neuropsychology Practicum

Practicum training in Clinical Neuropsychology is provided through the Center for Brain Mind Medicine (CBMM) at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. The CBMM provides state of the art diagnostic and treatment services to patients with a range of neurological and neuropsychiatric syndromes at the interface of brain and behavior. Patient populations include those with neurodegenerative conditions, epilepsy, stroke, brain tumors, cancer, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, primary psychiatric syndromes, and neurodevelopmental syndromes.  Practicum students will gain experience with all aspects of the evaluation process, including clinical interviewing, test administration and scoring, case conceptualization, report writing, and providing feedback to patients and families.  Additionally, students have multiple opportunities to enhance their learning through didactic trainings, individual and group supervision, and collaboration with colleagues across varied disciplines.

OBJECTIVES To provide robust clinical and didactic training and lay the foundation for careers in neuropsychology.  Specific goals will vary based on prior experience, and are detailed below.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE The practicum begins on July 1 and concludes on June 30. The experience entails approximately 20 hours per week, though this is somewhat negotiable depending on individual circumstances.

There are two tracks within the practicum program, depending on students’ level of experience.  While both tracks share core features of the training (provision of clinical services, didactic learning, supervision), students in the advanced track will assume greater responsibility for independent case conceptualization, report writing, presenting cases, and providing feedback, with the goal of preparing students for a full-time internship in clinical neuropsychology.

• PRACTICUM I (Foundational) This program is designed for students who are newer to the field of neuropsychology and are interested in obtaining a solid foundation in test administration and scoring, learning about the role of neuropsychological assessment in a fast-paced academic medical center, and broadening their knowledge of brain-behavior relationships.  Students will spend the first part of the year learning to administer and score a wide range of neuropsychological measures, conduct chart reviews, observe clinical interviews and feedback sessions, and conceptualize cases in supervision. Students who master these foundational skills will also have the opportunity to begin writing shadow reports and participate in clinical interviews and feedback sessions, with the goal of fostering independent case conceptualization skills. Students will also have the opportunity to observe and/or co-lead cognitive remediation groups and participate in ongoing research, if interested and have the time to do so. At the completion of this training year, students will be well-prepared to move on to advanced training in neuropsychology. Previous experience in psychological testing and clinical interviewing are highly desirable but not mandatory.
• PRACTICUM II (Advanced) This program is designed for students in their 3rd or 4th year of clinical training, who have a solid foundation in neuropsychological assessment and plan to pursue advanced training and board certification in clinical neuropsychology. The goal of this track is to prepare students for a full-time APA accredited internship in neuropsychology by increasing autonomy in all aspects of the evaluation process.  Specifically, the focus of training is on clinical interviewing, report writing, providing feedback, and continuing to refine skills in conceptualization and case presentations.  Students are expected to have a minimum of a one-year, full-time training in neuropsychological testing, as these foundational skills are not a focus of training at this stage.  Advanced students are expected to present cases at the Center for Brain/Mind Medicine clinical teaching rounds at some point during the training year.  Other opportunities include leading/co-leading cognitive skills training groups and participating in ongoing research, if interns are interested in doing so and have the time to take on these additional activities.  At the completion of this training year, students will be well prepared to pursue advanced training in neuropsychology at an academic medical center.

CLINICAL EXPECTATIONS Practicum students will generally see two patients per week.

SUPERVISION

• Individual supervision – 1-2 hours weekly for each case assigned
• Group supervision – 1 hour weekly

DIDACTICS There are numerous opportunities for didactic learning within the department of neurology, as well as the larger BWH and HMS communities.  Several of these didactics are required for neuropsychology trainees, while others are available as optional learning.  These include:

• CBMM Clinical Teaching Rounds: Weekly 2-hour meeting with colleagues in Neuropsychology, Behavioral Neurology, Neuropsychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry and Social Work. Rounds are held on Wednesdays from 10-12 and are required for all students (unless arranged otherwise).
• Neuropsychology Seminar:  A 10-month, weekly seminar focusing on professional issues related to neuropsychology practice, neuroanatomy and neuroimaging, development and neurodevelopmental syndromes, clinical neurology, acquired CNS syndromes, and dementia.  This seminar is hosted by MGH, and practicum students may attend virtually.
• Psychology Didactic Seminar Series: A weekly 2-hour seminar covering topics related general practice, diversity and inclusion, psychotherapy skills, assessment skills, supervision, and recovery practice. Psychology practicum students and trainees from other disciplines including neuropsychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing and/or occupational therapy may attend case presentations within the seminar series during the year.
• Ethical Conflicts in Psychology : A monthly ethics seminar for all psychology trainees. The seminar series is taught by an expert in the field and generally consists of a one-hour presentation followed by ethically oriented case presentations.
• Introductory Topics in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry (July & August): Weekly one-hour seminar series for incoming behavioral neurology and neuropsychology fellows.  Topics include content related to the neurological exam, neuroimaging, psychopharmacology, classification of neurocognitive syndromes, and neuropsychological testing.
• CBMM Seminar Series: A monthly seminar series on brain/behavior related topics.  Speakers are recruited from various disciplines to provide diverse perspectives on brain functioning.
• Journal Club: A 10-month, weekly conference with colleagues in related disciplines to discuss current research relevant to the field.

TRAINING FACULTY

Mary-Ellen Meadows PhD ABBP – Chief, Clinical Director Pamela Friedman PsyD ABPP – Director, Neuropsychology Internship and Practicum Training Deborah Green PhD ABPP -Director, Neuropsychology Fellowship Training Kim Willment PhD ABPP – Co-Director, RENEW Program Abby Altman PhD – Co-Director, RENEW Program Rebecca Amariglio PhD Lauren Bolden PhD Katelyn Bourgea PhD Margaret O’Connor PhD ABPP Kathryn Papp PhD Deepti Putcha PhD ABPP Dorene Rentz PhD Gretchen Reynolds PhD Emma Weizenbaum, PhD Joseph Kim, PhD Catherine Munro, PhD

REQUIREMENTS

• Students applying for Practicum I (Foundational) do not need any prior experience with neuropsychology.   Familiarity with cognition and/or assessment, through coursework or in other clinical settings, is helpful, but not required.
• Students applying for Practicum II (Advanced) Students are expected to have a minimum of a one-year, full-time training in neuropsychological testing.

COMPENSATION The practicum training program is not a paid position.

HOW TO APPLY Interested students are invited to apply by forwarding a cover letter, CV and three letters of recommendation by January 8, 2023 using this link.

Additional program details are available here.

Pamela Friedman, Psy.D., ABBP Director of Neuropsychology Internship and Practicum Training Mass General Brigham/Brigham and Women’s Hospital [email protected]

University Counseling Services

Division of student affairs, practicum training.

University Counseling Services (UCS) provides practicum training for doctoral-level students in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. The UCS training model is developmental in nature, and the Practicum Seminar coordinates the practical learning experience for Counseling Psychology graduate students. Trainees are assisted in learning, applying, and refining their basic counseling skills, theoretical orientation, and conceptualization of clients through collaborative instruction, group supervision, case consultation, and peer feedback. Formal and informal feedback about the practicum experience and the individual trainee's development is solicited and exchanged throughout the year, and evaluative information is communicated to the Psychology Department.

Practicum students make a commitment for two consecutive semesters at UCS, which includes participation in UCS Training Orientation, weekly Practicum Seminar meetings, weekly Clinical Consultation meetings, and Outreach activities. Practicum students also have the option to attend weekly Clinical Disposition Team meetings to learn more about the client assignment process and identify clients of clinical interest. The hours indicated below do not include additional training activities.

Average Activity Per Week

Direct services.

• Individual therapy: 5 hours
• RAM (initial contact) appointments: 2 hours
• Outreach & Prevention programming: variable (participation in 5+ outreach activities over the course of the practicum experience)

Supervision

• Individual supervision: 1-1.5 hours
• Practicum Seminar: 2 hours
• Friday Clinical Consult Team meetings: 1 hour

Administrative Activities

• Clinical paperwork: 1-2 hours
• Preparation for case presentations: 1-2 hours
• Practicum Seminar readings: 1-2 hours
• Clinical Disposition Team meetings (optional): .5 hour

It should be noted that these numbers represent weekly averages. Actual time spent in many activities varies with the ebb and flow of clinical demands during the academic year.

UCS does not permit practicum students to provide couples therapy or co-lead group therapy (see Advanced Practicum ).

Evaluation of practicum students involves completion of the UCS evaluation forms by individual supervisors and practicum seminar leaders. Practicum students will be provided verbal feedback about their progress at mid-semester and written feedback at the end of each semester. A copy of the written evaluations will be provided to the department. All evaluation forms will be placed in the practicum student's file.

• MyHealth Portal

Training Program

Psychology practicum program, counseling practicum program overview, caps overview.

CAPS provides mental health services to the UCSB student community. Services include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, outreach/consultation, testing, and mental health peer services.

The counseling practicum is designed to provide an introduction to psychological services within a university counseling center and facilitate the development of clinical skills required for these services. Practicum students will gain experience in individual and group therapy (subject to interest and availability) under the supervision of staff psychologists and doctoral psychology interns.

Qualifications

• At least one year experience in a supervised practicum setting (preferably with adult population). 
• Course work in psychotherapy, psychopathology, assessment, and groups. 

Time Requirements

A minimum of 10-12 hours per week for one academic year (three consecutive quarters).

Application Requirements

• Application deadline: April 15, 2024
• Cover letter describing interest, special skills, and a statement of personal and professional goals for this training experience. 
• Most recent CV

Please email  these two items to: Juan R. Riker, Ph.D. ( [email protected] )  Training Director Counseling and Psychological Services University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 93106-7030

For more information, please  email Dr. Riker .

Description of CAPS Practicum Training

During the practicum experience, developing clinicians begin to formulate their own counseling style, refine their therapeutic and assessment skills, and grow in personal and professional areas.

The training program is designed to support the skills the practicum student possesses, as well as challenge the student's self-awareness and how this impacts the therapeutic process.

The practicum experience is a time for clinical skills to be integrated with conceptual/theoretical knowledge. This involves developing a sense of one's personal style, and blending that style with the counseling process and with the skills of assessment and conceptualization.

The practicum training program provides clinical experience with a student population through CAPS. Over the course of the year, practicum students will be expected to develop their skills on both a personal and professional level through individual supervision, discussing clinical cases and professional issues in the training seminar, and working with clients individually and in groups.

Practicum students will be developing a sense of the ongoing therapy process, including building rapport with clients, assessing and setting counseling goals, and continuing through the process to termination.

By the end of the year, students will be expected to demonstrate:

• Conceptual skills - being able to generate an overview of client dynamics within the context of therapy and the client's world.
• Assessment skills - being able to accurately evaluate the client's primary conflict areas, personality dynamics, and background.
• Treatment plans - utilizing assessment and conceptual skills to formulate appropriate goals and a time frame for counseling.
• Group skills (if applicable) - develop a beginning level of understanding of group dynamics and develop the ability to function as a group co-leader.

Personal growth will also be a primary area of emphasis, with students expected to demonstrate:

• Affective/cognitive components of self in relating to the client and understanding the therapy process.
• Knowledge of self dynamics and how these impact oneself, the client, and the process.

Professional development is the final area of emphasis. Students will be expected to demonstrate:

• Ethical awareness of client/therapy issues, including one's own limitations with clients, and how to make appropriate referrals.
• Articulation of professional knowledge and presentation of case material to one's colleagues.

Training Activities

• Brief Therapy
• Longer Term Therapy
• Weekly Individual Supervision
• Quarterly Case Presentations
• Weekly Supervision with group leaders
• Final Group Presentation
• Intake Interviewing and Write-ups
• Treatment Summaries
• Training Seminar/Group Supervision

In addition to seeing clients, the practicum student will have one hour of individual supervision and two hours of training seminar/group supervision per week. In Fall quarter, the practicum student will sit in on intake interviews with staff members before conducting intakes on their own. The opportunity to co-lead a group will be provided based on availability, interest, and skill level.

Practicum students will be required to produce video recordings of their counseling sessions for use by their individual supervisors. Case presentations will be required at the end of Winter and Spring quarters.

Evaluation forms will be completed and discussed each quarter by the practicum student and the individual supervisor. Informal evaluations in the form of feedback will be an ongoing part of the process both in supervision and in seminar.