Purpose

The KU School of Medicine-Wichita Child Psychology Fellowship Program provides advanced training in the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents and families. Clinical training occurs in a multidisciplinary setting and provides opportunities for professional consultation and scholarly activity. 

Clinical Training Experiences

Training in clinical child psychology occurs in several settings under the direction of four faculty supervisors (Zachary Blackhurst, Ph.D., LP; Kirsten S. Engel, Ph.D., LP; Nicole Klaus, Ph.D., ABPP; Kelli Netson, Ph.D., ABPP CN). Training experiences include:

KU Wichita Outpatient Child Psychology Clinic

• Outpatient diagnostic evaluations and treatment are provided for children and adolescents with a variety of presenting complaints, including behavior, anxiety, mood and adjustment issues. Patients range in age from preschool age through 17 years.
• Treatment is primarily provided in an individual or family format. Opportunities for group therapy may be available depending on fellow interest, clinician availability and referrals.

KU Wichita Pediatric Neuropsychology Clinic

• Pediatric neuropsychological evaluations for children and adolescents from birth to young adulthood who experience neurological, developmental, psychiatric or acquired conditions that affect their cognition, emotions and behavior.

Ascension Via Christi Behavioral Health Adolescent Inpatient Unit

• Inpatient consultations are provided for psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents to clarify diagnosis and provide insight into aspects of personality functioning that may affect treatment.
• The fellow will collaborate with Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellows to facilitate inpatient groups.

Wesley Children's Hospital Consultation Service

• Hospital consultations address adjustment to medical diagnoses, compliance with medical regimes, mental health diagnoses that are complicating medical treatment and evaluations for suicidality.
• The fellow will attend weekly interdisciplinary team meetings on the pediatric unit.

Haysville School Based Health Clinic

• School-based integrated primary care clinic offering direct patient assessment and therapy well as consultation and collaboration with pediatrics team.
• Intensive summer behavioral intervention for children with ADHD.

Competencies

The purpose of this fellowship is the development of core competencies necessary for the independent practice of clinical psychology with children and families. Training goals include:

• The fellow will obtain substantial experience and develop advanced competency in conducting child and adolescent intake evaluations. The fellow will become highly skilled in the differential diagnosis and biopsychosocial formulation of child and adolescent psychopathology.
• The fellow will obtain substantial experience in psychological assessment with children and adolescents.
• The fellow will become highly skilled in a wide range of empirically supported psychosocial treatments for children, adolescents and families.
• The fellow will be able to critically evaluate scientific literature and will complete a scholarly project during the fellowship year.
• The fellow will develop professional competence that will allow him or her to function independently as a child and adolescent psychologist by the completion of the training year.

Didactics and Supervision

The clinical child psychology fellow is a member of the interdisciplinary child and adolescent treatment team, which includes a child and adolescent psychologist, a pediatric neuropsychologist, a child psychology intern, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and a child psychiatrist. Supervision is provided by the psychology faculty. The fellow will also have the opportunity to provide supervision to interns and graduate students and receive guidance in developing clinical supervision skills. The fellow participates in several seminars:

Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Grand Rounds

This biweekly seminar offers a variety of local and national speakers offering expertise on a range of mental health, medication and medical topics.

Child Psychology Seminar

This biweekly seminar involves discussion and presentations by faculty and trainees on topics related to child and adolescent mental health.

Journal Club

This monthly meeting includes an article presentation by psychiatry residents with opportunities for trainees to collaborate and share their research expertise. It is attended by psychology trainees, medical students, psychiatry residents and faculty members.

Psychiatry Case Conference

Psychiatry residents present unique cases for discussion during this monthly meeting attended by residents, medical students, psychology trainees and faculty members.

Additional didactic experiences include conferences and local workshops on relevant topics.

Research

The fellow will select a scholarly project in consultation with the supervising psychologist. This project may take a variety of forms depending on fellow interests. Examples of potential scholarly activity may include: 

• Involvement in ongoing research projects in the department
• Developing a plan to implement an evidence-based assessment or treatment protocol in the clinic
• Quality improvement project in the clinic

In addition to the scholarly activity, the fellow will be encouraged to prepare their dissertation or other graduate work for publication.

Fellowship Stipend and Benefits

The stipend for the KU School of Medicine-Wichita child psychology fellow is projected to be $47,500. Individual health insurance is provided with a waiting period of 30 days accruing from the beginning of the first full month after hire. FICA and income tax will be withheld; sick leave and administrative leave are provided. The fellow is provided with an individual desk, telephone and computer. Standard MS Office and PASW (formerly SPSS) are available to fellows. Administrative support staff manages all billing, insurance and scheduling.

Address inquiries to:

Nicole Klaus, Ph.D., ABPP
Assistant professor
KU School of Medicine-Wichita
1010 N. Kansas
Wichita, KS 67214
316-293-2647
nklaus@kumc.edu