Adult Neuropsychology Fellowship

We offer a program of residency training in neuropsychology that meets the standards set by the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) and follows the American Psychological Association Division 40 Guidelines for postdoctoral training in Neuropsychology.

Fellows are trained in assessment, intervention, consultation, research, and teaching/supervision. Training in assessment emphasizes both neurobehavioral examinations and neuropsychological evaluations. Emphasis is placed on effective determination of history, selection of tests, administration and scoring of tests, interpretation of results and communication of findings in oral and written formats. Fellows examine persons with acute neurologic disorders in inpatient settings, as well as persons presenting with chronic residuals of neurologic disorders in outpatient settings. Assessments vary from neurobehavioral examinations to comprehensive flexible battery examinations depending upon fellows’ individual training needs. Supervision emphasizes integrated conceptualization of neuropsychological instruments and data. Each fellow receives assessment supervision from several neuropsychologists during the fellowship year. Typical patient populations include stroke, TBI, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies, neoplasm, HIV. Assessment is approximately 75% outpatient and 25% inpatient.  

Each fellow establishes specific intervention plans based on neuropsychological and psychological data obtained via assessment and/or interview. Fellows implement and monitor the outcome of intervention plans. Interventions include behavioral health and cognitive remedial interventions for patients with neurological impairment, as well as more traditional psychotherapeutic interventions with persons adjusting to catastprohic illness or injury.. Each fellow is expected to become competent in all aspects of intervention planning and execution.

Fellows are trained in consultation to medical staff members, health care teams, families, administrative systems, and persons with neurologic disorders. Consultation emphasizes communication and education. Fellows can be involved in clinical consultation to physicians and health care teams in formal settings such as medical rounds and team conferences. Fellows regularly provide consultative education to patients and families as well as case managers and health care administrators.

Fellows provide education to medical teams, families, and health care systems on a regular basis during the fellowship. Fellows supervise graduate students completing clinical practicum rotations under the direction of program faculty. All fellows have the opportunity to formally teach in seminars and case conferences as part of ongoing fellowship didactics.

Fellows have ongoing responsibility for research projects throughout the fellowship. Fellows receive supervision in research design, execution, monitoring, evaluation, and grant writing. Fellows are expected to complete a minimum of one research project acceptable for submission to a peer-reviewed neuropsychological journal and/or one grant application.

Fellows maintain a clinical load consistent with Houston Conference Guidelines and State of Georgia requirements for postdoctoral training necessary for licensure and board certification. Fellows maintain a minimum of 50- 60% clinical activity that includes assessment, intervention and consultation duties.

Each fellow's training is individually designed to meet his or her specific interests and professional goals. All fellows gain experience providing services in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Fellows conduct a minimum of two full neuropsychological assessments per week. The fellow will utilize both hands-on neuropsychological testing and the use of a technician or practicum student/intern for neuropsychological testing. While on inpatient rotations, fellows also participate in family education, medical team rounds and conferences. Collectively, fellows will have a balance of assessment, intervention and consultation which reflects prototypic contemporary neuropsychological practice in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Fellows complete 6-month major rotations over each year of the fellowship. One rotation is in adult outpatient neuropsychology, where the fellow will be responsible for two outpatient assessment cases per week. Opportunities for supervision of graduate practicum students are available. The other rotation is having a neuro-rehabilitation focus consisting of one outpatient assessment case per week and one inpatient assessment and intervention day. This inpatient day may either consist of an inpatient neuropsychological assessment, or cognitive screening of inpatients, (or some combination thereof). Minor rotations are also available in intervention/psychotherapy with inpatients on the rehabilitation floors, outpatient psychotherapy in various medical population, and/or with the Emory Veterans program working with Veterans with comorbid mTBI and psychiatric disorders.

Approximately 40% of the fellowship is devoted to academic research. Fellows are familiarized with ongoing funded and unfunded faculty research and are encouraged to develop a mentor relationship with one or more faculty. Each fellow is assigned specific research duties and will attend faculty research meetings depending on interest and need. Fellows are expected to develop an idea for an independent research project during the first year and to complete the project during the second year of the fellowship. Fellows interested in pursuing an academic career may work with a faculty mentor to gain experience in grant writing.

Training expands the fellow's existing knowledge base in neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and the neurosciences and fosters the fellow's development as a neuropsychology scientist-practitioner. Through didactic and experiential training, the fellow develops a strong understanding of brain-behavior relationships and furthers his or her knowledge in basic psychological principles, research methodology, psychometric issues, and general clinical psychology, as well as practice and professional issues. A variety of didactic training opportunities are available to the fellow. Mandatory attendance is required at a weekly Emory Medical School Clinical Psychology Fellowship Seminar that includes fellows in other areas of psychology, and a weekly Neuropsychology Case Seminar during which fellows regularly present cases and discuss relevant neuropsychological literature. Approximately monthly, faculty or guest speakers present on a neuropsychology clinical or research topic. We also regularly conduct mock group fact finding examinations as part of case seminar. In addition, once a year, a fellow is selected to participate alone in mock neuropsychology board fact finding, ethics, and or work sample defense examinations during Case Seminar, an experience that most closely approximates the neuropsychology board certification oral exam. Fellows also may attend weekly Neurology and Neuroradiology Grand Rounds, as well as monthly Rehabilitation Medicine, and Psychiatry Grand Rounds.

In addition to the extensive training opportunities available within our program, fellows are funded to attend one national professional or scientific meeting in Neuropsychology per year.

Each week, the fellow will receive at least 2 hours of individual supervision in addition to approximately 2 hours of group supervision obtained through clinical and didactic activities. Additional informal supervision regularly occurs as the fellow manages the demands of clinical services. The fellow receives supervision on case presentations, performance in team meetings and seminars, consultative/supervisory work and overall professional conduct.

Fellows receive feedback on performance during weekly supervision sessions. At six-month intervals, fellows meet with faculty to discuss progress and to receive written feedback on their performance. If problems are noted, the faculty and the fellow jointly develop a plan for remedying deficiencies and achieving resolution. Due process in resolving any grievance is guaranteed and Emory University has policies and procedures in place to protect the rights of fellows in the event of a misunderstanding between a fellow and a supervisor.

It is expected that the training program will be completed in two years. Successful completion of the training program is indicated by the following accomplishments:

• The fellow can provide neuropsychological services to patients on an independent basis.
• The fellow demonstrates research competence by submission of a study or literature review for publication or presentation or by submission of a grant proposal.
• The fellow is eligible for licensure in the state/province in which he or she intends to practice.
• The fellow meets criteria for certification in Clinical Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

All complete applications received by December 1, 2023, are reviewed and interviews are conducted in January. All interviews will be held over teleconference/Zoom. . Applicant rankings are forwarded to National Matching Services, Inc. by their established deadline. This residency program agrees to abide by the APPCN policy that no person associated with our program will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any residency applicant. All applicants must register with National Matching Services to be ranked for the fellowship. Our APPCN Matching Program Code is 9021. Please retain this code as you will need it when submitting your resident site rankings. Applicants unfamiliar with National Matching Services are directed to their website.

Core Faculty

• Suzanne Penna, PhD, ABPP/CN
• Sabrina Na Hickle, PhD
• Michelle Haddad, PhD

Affiliate Faculty

• Anthony Y. Stringer, PhD, ABPP/ABCN, CPCRT
• Anastacia Nichols, PsyD
• Stella Nelms, PhD

• Dr. Marnie Nadolne (1997-1998 Fellowship)
• Dr. Jennifer Gess (2002-2004 Fellowship)
• Dr. Jason King (2004-2006 Fellowship)
• Dr. Alyssa Braaten (2007-2009 Fellowship)
• Dr. Benjamin Hampstead (2007-2009 Fellowship)
• Dr. Rebecca McCartney (2009-2011 Fellowship)
• Dr. Ioan Stroescu (2009-2011 Fellowship)
• Dr. Kate Finley (2010-2012 Fellowship)
• Dr. Nicole Styperek (2010-2012 Fellowship)
• Dr. Meredith Gillis (2012-2014 Fellowship)
• Dr. Jean Ikanga (2015-2017 Fellowship)
• Dr. Kristen Moffett (2015-2017 Fellowship)
• Dr. Michelle Haddad (2017-2019)
• Dr. Anastacia Nichols (2017-2019)
• Dr. Molly McLaren (2019-2021)
• Dr. Sabrina Na Hickle (2019-2021)
• Dr. Saranya Sundaram (2022-2023)

PLEASE NOTE: We are recruiting up to two fellows for the 2024-2026 academic years.

Emory University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We especially encourage applications from members of minority and other groups that are under-represented in professional neuropsychology.

Send all application materials to:

Suzanne Penna, PhD, ABPP
Neuropsychology Training Director
Emory University
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
1441 Clifton Road Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30322

If you would like to email your application, please send it here. All signed letters of recommendation should be emailed separately by the letter writers on institutional letterhead.

Fellows begin training September 1 of each year. All applications and supporting materials are due by December 1, 2023. Qualified applicants will be contacted to interview as soon as the full application is reviewed by the faculty committee. Interviews are by invitation and are conducted via Zoom. Persons wishing to apply for admission to the fellowship must submit:

A letter of interest that briefly tells us about you and explains why you are interested in this fellowship.

A Curriculum Vitae

A graduate transcript (this does not have to be an official transcript. However, if you are selected for fellowship, you must supply an official transcript prior to beginning fellowship).

Evidence of completion (or pending completion) of a doctoral degree in psychology from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association. Normally, your transcript will note whether the doctoral degree has been awarded. You may apply to the fellowship prior to completing your dissertation but must complete all requirements for your dissertation by the start of your fellowship. No applicant will be permitted to start the fellowship if his or her dissertation is not completed. We are unable to make exceptions.

Evidence of completion (or pending completion) of an internship approved by the American Psychological Association. A copy of the certificate or letter of completion from your internship will normally fulfill this requirement. If you are pending completion, a letter from your internship director that attests to your ongoing good progress will suffice until you receive a certificate of completion.

Three letters of recommendation from professionals familiar with your academic or clinical work. It is an advantage to have one or more of your letters come from a neuropsychologist. Not every letter has to cover all of your accomplishments, but together the letters should comment on your clinical and academic skills, particularly as they may relate to a career in neuropsychology.

Applicants may send reprints of articles authored or co-authored, although this is not required. Please do not send sample clinical reports as they will not be read and will not be a factor in our ranking decision. We give strong weight to letters of recommendation, research involvement, depth and breadth of clinical neuropsychological experience, and your capacity to make a creative contribution as a clinician or researcher to the field of neuropsychology. The best way to impress us is to know what your future contribution to the field is going to be, and to know how our program will help you achieve this goal.

Finally, be sure to register for the APPCN Neuropsychology Fellowship match (see information below).

We are happy to speak with you about the fellowship. You may contact Dr. Penna at 404.712.5667 or via email. To check on the status of your application, please contact Stevie Fowler via email.