The Clinical Experience

The Clinical Experience

Clinical experience covers a broad range of medical, neurological, neurosurgical, and psychiatric disease in both inpatient and outpatient settings including head injury, epilepsy, degenerative dementias (Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal Dementias, Lewy Body Dementia, Vascular Dementia), brain tumors, Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, ADHD, substance abuse, toxic exposure, thought disorders, depression,. The primary experience is outpatient. Residents generally see three cases a week throughout the 2-year residency. In addition, during the 1st year residents spend a day in the multi-disciplinary Brain Tumor Clinic. During the 2nd year, residents do occasional inpatient bedside consultations at Ruby Memorial Hospital in addition to the three outpatient evaluations per week. Residents will see a very limited number of psychotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation patients. 

Outpatient Services

Outpatient referrals are received from physicians in the University system (Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Trauma Surgery, Medicine, Transplant Service) as well as from physicians and other providers in other parts of the state and surrounding states. Pre- and post-surgical epilepsy evaluations and Wada evaluations are standard responsibilities of the resident. Pre- and post-surgical evaluations for Deep Brain Stimulation and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HiFU) are also standard. Other referral sources include psychologists, lawyers, school personnel, and Worker’s Compensation. Outpatient multi-disciplinary specialty clinics include the Brain Tumor Clinic, a Memory Health Clinic for elderly patients with suspected dementia, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Clinic.

Inpatient Evaluations

The Neuropsychology Service receives consult requests from the Inpatient Services at Chestnut Ridge Center as well as from Ruby Memorial Hospital.

Chestnut Ridge Center is a 75-bed psychiatric facility with units devoted to General Adult, Psychiatric Intensive Care, Dual Diagnosis Unit, and Adolescent services, including a residential unit. Reasons for referral include differential diagnosis, the determination of a baseline prior to treatment, documentation of a change following treatment, post-discharge placement disposition, and treatment planning. Throughout the year, the post-doctoral resident will also have primary involvement in an inpatient orientation and communication skills group, which is run weekly for patients on the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit at Chestnut Ridge Center.

Ruby Memorial Hospital is a tertiary care teaching hospital. Referrals from Ruby Memorial come from the Trauma Service, Neurosurgery Service, Neurology Service, Medicine Service, Adolescent Service, or Pediatrics. The most frequent referral reason for patients from Ruby Memorial Hospital is to assist with differential diagnosis and discharge planning.