Our fellowship provides extensive supervised clinical experience with pediatric, adolescent, and young adult hematology, oncology, and BMT patients and their families, including: psychological assessment and psychotherapy, pre-BMT readiness evaluations, neurocognitive assessment for late effects of cancer treatment and to screen for neurocognitive functioning in the sickle cell population, and consultation/liaison with staff, schools, and community agencies. The fellow provides continuity of care to patients across inpatient and outpatient settings and collaborates closely within the broader multidisciplinary and psychosocial team.
The fellow participates in the following multidisciplinary clinics:
Comprehensive Leukemia Clinic: This monthly clinic allows children diagnosed with leukemia to be evaluated by specialists at key points in their treatment. Common issues addressed include parenting practices post-diagnosis, healthy sleep, and normative emotional reactions to cancer treatment.
Bridge to Next Steps: This 2-visit clinic with a medical provider and psychology occurs around the time of transition off active therapy with a goal to increase patient and family understanding of the plan of care as they enter survivorship. Psychological assessment focuses on socioemotional and academic/vocational functioning in survivorship, providing anticipatory guidance and recommendations for positive adjustment.
Next Steps Survivorship Clinic: This biweekly clinic offers specialized care to monitor and manage possible late effects of treatment for survivors who are at least two years from pediatric cancer treatment or BMT. The role of psychology is to assess for and provide education around neurocognitive functioning and social and emotional health.
Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Clinic: This clinic provides annual assessment of psychosocial functioning in patients with sickle cell disease in conjunction with hematologists and several other disciplines. Common issues addressed include pain management, medication adherence, and school performance. In addition, developmental and neurocognitive screeners are provided to assess for disease-related deficits in neurodevelopment.
Comprehensive Hemophilia Clinic: This clinic follows pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. The role of psychology is to broadly assess issues surrounding medication adherence, activity restrictions, social-emotional well-being, and transition of care. Collaborations include medical providers, social work, physical therapy, and genetic counseling.
Cancer Predisposition Clinic: This weekly clinic offers specialized training in the management of cancer predisposition diagnoses in patients both with a personal history of cancer as well as those who are generally healthy. Patients generally undergo genetic testing and screening to monitor for an increased risk of developing cancer. The team consists of an attending physician, physician assistant, two genetic counselors, and a nurse coordinator. The role of psychology is to assess social and emotional health needs, readiness to undergo genetic testing, anticipatory guidance related to medical screening, and emotional support for patients and families, many of whom have had a personal or family history of cancer and loss.
