ADULT NEUROPSYCHOLOGY SERVICES
Institutional Mission
Clinical training occurs within the Augusta University Health System, which has three
primary missions— patient care, education and research. The Neuropsychology Service
is located on Augusta University’s Health Sciences Campus, which is composed of the
Colleges of Allied Health, Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Nursing, and the Medical
College of Georgia, which is the nation's 13th oldest and sixth largest medical school.
Augusta University Health is a not-for-profit corporation that manages the clinical
operations associated with Augusta University. In addition to clinical training in
the hospitals and clinics, didactic training is also available through the basic science
departments of the Medical College of Georgia, College of Allied Health Sciences,
and College of Graduate Studies and is tailored to the individual resident's training
needs.
Program Mission & Goals
The neuropsychology fellowship program's mission is to provide the necessary education
and training required to produce an advanced level of competence in neuropsychology
so that residents may enter the specialized practice of clinical neuropsychology at
the independent practitioner level. The program will enable the resident to acquire
advanced skills in neuropsychological assessment, treatment, and consultation, as
well as an advanced understanding of brain-behavior relationships. The training site
routinely provides access to patients referred primarily from neurology and neurosurgery,
but also from the general medicine, psychiatry, and other services.
Program Administrative Structure
The adult clinical neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship program is conducted under
the auspices of the Neuropsychology Service within the Department of Neurology in
the Augusta University Medical College of Georgia under the direction of one on-site
clinical neuropsychologist, with consultation from one off-site board certified (ABPP-CN)
clinical neuropsychology. Experience and training in pediatric neuropsychology is
not available at this time.
Clinical Training Facilities
Clinical training takes place through the Augusta University Health System, which
is composed of the Augusta University Medical Center (483-bed adult hospital), Augusta
University Ambulatory Care Center (more than 80 outpatient clinics), Augusta University
Specialized Care Center (a 13-county Level I regional trauma center), and the 149-bed
Augusta University Children's Medical Center.
Neuropsychology Clinic
The Adult Neuropsychology Service's clinic is physically located in the adjunct Neurology
Building, which is across the street from the AU MCG Medical Center (which houses
the Neurology and Neurosurgery faculty offices, the Neurology Library and conference
rooms and auditorium, the neurology resident offices and, and the Neurology/Neurosurgery
inpatient beds). Our clinic shares this adjunct building, which affords comfortable
and quiet testing areas and ample patient parking, with the Multiple Sclerosis Service.
The Adult Neuropsychology Service occupies 5-6 offices and testing rooms, as well
as a file and test storage room. The service is staffed by an office specialist, a
registration specialist, and a full-time psychometrist. Resident office space is equipped
with a computer and also serves as a testing room. Most AU library resources may be
accessed online via computer and the Neuropsychology Service has an ever-growing library
of tests and other applicable resources. Residents also enjoy full access and have
borrowing privileges at the Neurology Departmental Library and the Augusta University
campus library, located a short walking distance behind the hospitals.
Client Population Served
Neuropsychological evaluations will routinely be performed on adult outpatients from
the neurological, surgical, general medical, and psychiatry services. Residents will
be exposed to patients with neurodegenerative conditions/dementing illnesses, cerebrovascular
disorders, movement disorders, epilepsy, traumatic brain injuries and head injuries,
brain neoplasms, psychiatric disturbances, developmental disorders, chemotherapy/radiation
treatment effects, infectious diseases, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic medical
conditions. Additional training opportunities (as available) include pre- and post-surgical
neuropsychological evaluation within the Epilepsy Surgery Program, involvement in
intracarotid amobarbital (Wada) procedures, and pre-surgical evaluation of DBS candidates.
Evaluation Procedures
Neuropsychology residents are evaluated by their primary supervisor once every six
months to monitor progress of the resident's education and training goals. Resident
evaluations are reviewed during a face-to-face meeting with the resident and educational
development plans are monitored and revised as necessary. The postdoctoral fellowship
program in clinical neuropsychology and the resident's primary supervision are evaluated
by the resident once yearly. The fellowship program conducts competency based examination
in order to provide useful feedback about the resident's relative strengths and weaknesses
across the major content areas important for neuropsychologists.
Grievance Procedures
The resident's faculty advisor and the Department of Neurology's Residency Program
Director are available to advise/assist the resident with any grievance they may have.
The Department of Neurology follows institutional policies, which require multilevel
hearings, due process, timely notice and accurate records if disciplinary action is
required. Residents may appeal any decision through the Residency Program Director.
The response will be promptly discussed with the resident.
