We offer longitudinal interdisciplinary education in the areas of clinical care, education, research and advocacy. Our fellows perform extensive diagnostic assessments and provide developmental/behavioral follow-up care to infants, children and adolescents from 0-21 years of age. Fellows are trained to administer developmental/behavioral screening instruments, in the interpretation of psychological measures of cognition/adaptive function and to utilize the results of speech and language testing to inform the development of comprehensive patient-care plans. 

Additional required clinical rotations take place in pediatric physiatry, premature infant follow-up and genetics. Electives in audiology, occupational/physical therapy, ophthalmology and neuromuscular diseases are also available. First-year fellows are mentored by core program faculty on how to perform a literature search, choosing a topic of scholarly interest, and in the preparation of a protocol for IRB submission. Educational activities include departmental and division grand rounds, DBP seminars and child and adolescent psychiatry seminars. 

Fellows are encouraged to participate in a wide array of interdepartmental conferences offered throughout the institution. Advocacy training includes participation in local community and national advocacy initiatives. Opportunities to participate in teaching rotating residents and medical students, and in community agencies, also exist in the second and third years of training.

Additionally, fellows participate in the RFK CERC Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program. As LEND trainees, fellows obtain additional graduate-level interdisciplinary leadership training, with the goal of preparing trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields and demonstrate high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence. That’s accomplished through both didactic and experiential training.