MEL 8628: Seminar in Neuropsychology

Drs. Mike Schoenberg, Michelle Mattingly, and Francisco Fernandez

This elective is designed to provide interested senior medical students with an overview of neuropsychology, clinical neuropsychiatry, and behavioral neurology. Advanced training and exposure to neuropsychology will be offered. Students will have the opportunity to be involved in individual and team evaluations of patients with cognitive and behavioral disorders due to known or suspected neurological disease. The student will be an integral part of the evaluation team obtaining exposure on how to identify neuropsychological issues and problems, conducting bedside neuropsychological evaluations, obtaining collateral information from patients and families related to neuropsychological dysfunction, and exposure to the principals and practice of evidenced based neuropsychology practice. Interface with psychiatry, neurology, and neurological surgery will be common. The student may choose to complete the elective primarily at the USF South Campus Center or at the University Psychiatry Center. Students with an interest in research may participate in ongoing laboratory research with epilepsy or traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer’s disease/Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Opportunities to publish in peer-reviewed journals can be made available.

Objectives

1. Become more skilled in the evaluation of patients with neuropsychological dysfunction due to known or suspected disease
2. Increased understanding of neuropsychology and the science of brain-behavior relationships by systematic clinical training and didactic education
3. Become familiar with bedside neuropsychological assessment
4. Become familiar with evidenced based neuropsychology practice and identify when more thorough neuropsychological evaluation is necessary to improve patient care
5. Become involved in and gain an understanding of collaborative, interdisciplinary research, understand the basis for research methods and statistics, and develop experience in data analysis. This involvement (both basic and clinical) will, in turn, serve as a model for professional careers
6. Motivated students may prepare a publication for peer-reviewed journal based on the experience

Learning Outcomes

The trainee will see patients at the USF South Tampa Center Neuropsychology Clinic and/or Neuropsychology Clinic at the USF main campus. Trainees will be provided with a training packet prior to the start of the elective pertaining to neuropsychology. Upon completion of this elective, trainees should understand the principles of neuropsychology as a science and a discipline, how to complete a basic bedside neuropsychological evaluation, and how to provide appropriate multidisciplinary referrals for further evaluation and treatment.

Evaluation

The trainee will work closely with Neuropsychology Attendings who will provide the assessment.