The Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Program in Health Service Psychology is based in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pediatrics, and the Division of Neurosciences & Rehabilitation Medicine (Division of Neuropsychology and Behavioral Health). The program has been in existence since 1979. The program is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). The two-year, neuropsychology positions in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Neuropsychology Division of Neurosciences have been reviewed and approved for affiliation with APPCN. In addition, the American Board of Forensic Psychology offers a waiver of the five-year requirement for applicants who successfully complete our approved formal postdoctoral residency training program in forensic psychology; our forensic psychology positions have been determined to meet the criteria for the experience waiver.
The program leadership includes a Director of the Postdoctoral Residency Program (Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP) and three Associate Directors (Dorian A. Lamis, PhD, ABPP – Associate Director for Grady Health System and Emory Healthcare - Brain Health Center; Erica D. Marshall-Lee, PhD, ABPP – Associate Director for Social Impact; David J. Marcus, PhD, ABPP – Associate Director for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Neuropsychology Training). There is also a Postdoctoral Residency Steering Committee, which includes the program’s leadership team along with faculty supervisors associated with each of the positions and postdoctoral residents associated with each of the health systems.
The Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Program in Health Service Psychology offers an unparalleled training experience grounded in one of the nation’s most dynamic and resource-rich academic ecosystems. Trainees are immersed in the full intellectual vitality of the Emory University community, where the breadth and depth of scholarship foster innovation, collaboration and transformative learning.
Situated within the renowned Woodruff Health Sciences Center, the program provides expansive interdisciplinary opportunities that encourage residents to engage across fields, broadening their clinical, research and leadership perspectives. Residents also benefit from the world-class clinical, research and educational resources of the Emory School of Medicine—an environment dedicated to advancing excellence in patient care, discovery and education. Complementing these exceptional resources is the Office of Postdoctoral Education, one of the largest and most comprehensive postdoctoral training programs in the nation. Through structured professional development, robust mentorship and dedicated career support, this office empowers postdoctoral scholars to thrive, equipping them with the skills, confidence and vision to become leaders in health service psychology. Together, these elements create a truly distinctive training experience—one that prepares residents not only to succeed, but to shape the future of the field.
The residency program prepares trainees for Health Service Psychology – Clinical at an advanced level of competence. The competencies that are focal to the residency include (1) professionalism (professional values, attitudes and behaviors), (2) communication and interpersonal skills, (3) individual and cultural diversity, (4) ethical and legal standards, (5) integration of science and practice, (6) assessment, (7) intervention, (8) consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills, (9) research, (10) supervision and (11) advocacy.
The residency program includes positions at a university affiliated public health system in downtown Atlanta (Grady Health System); through a children’s hospital system (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta); and through an academic health sciences center (Emory Healthcare – Emory Brain Health). All psychologists are faculty members in the medical school and are detailed in the attached compendium. In addition, various physicians contribute to the residency as conference leaders, presenters and supervisors, and appear in the attached compendium. The experiences of the postdoctoral residency training are determined largely by the setting(s) in which the resident is involved. The strength of this academic health sciences center postdoctoral residency lies in the diversity of opportunities available, the priority placed on teaching and training, and the rich clinical-research environment.
The residency program strives to provide exemplary postdoctoral training consistent with a scientist-practitioner-educator-advocate model. The training is developmental and contextual in nature and centered on the individual needs and goals of each postdoctoral resident. There is a shared value on inclusive excellence and community engagement among the faculty and the residents. While our expertise is in developing health service psychologists for leadership roles that combine clinical service, research, education and advocacy our ultimate commitment is to help our residents define, articulate and progress towards their own chosen career path.
The faculty associated with the residency program, as well as the administration of the relevant departments and programs, highly value postdoctoral education and training. The program is consistent with the Emory University School of Medicine’s emphasis on training leaders who demonstrate outstanding ability in service including community involvement and advocacy, scholarship, and education/training.
The residency program is typically a one-year full-time experience, with exceptions made for personal reasons (e.g., birth of a child, family leave). However, while the initial appointment for each of the research-intensive experiences is for one year, many research-intensive postdoctoral residents complete two-year full-time experiences if their progress is satisfactory. In addition, both the Adult Neuropsychology residency position in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Pediatric Neuropsychology position at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are two-year full-time experiences, consistent with the guidelines set forth by the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN). On average, most residents work 45-50 hours/week. By the completion of the residency, all residents have the requisite 2000 hours, minimum of three hours per week of face-to-face supervision (at least two of which are individual supervision), and direct service experiences needed for licensure in the State of Georgia, as well as all other jurisdictions that fall within the rubric of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.