Division of Developmental Medicine
The DMC dedicates one-half day a week for education and professional development of staff and fellows, including a monthly interdisciplinary meeting and forum for special presentations; morbidity & mortality conference; case conference; and journal club. There also are weekly seminars for psychology fellows focused on neurodevelopmental, medical, and psychiatric disorders; feeding, sleep, and toileting disorders; psychological assessment of complex cases; evidence based interventions; educational methodology for teaching; advocacy; and professional development. There are several opportunities a year to visit community agencies, specialized schools, or other clinical programs at BCH.
Supervision is provided by the staff in the DMC Psychology Program and involves in-vivo observations as well as one-to-one meetings. Each fellow receives a minimum of three hours of supervision per week. There is a supervisor assigned for each clinical rotation and fellows have the opportunity to work with several different supervisors over the course of their training. Additionally, each fellow is assigned a primary supervisor whose role is to serve as mentor/advisor throughout the year. Group supervision experiences are provided to address clinical analysis skills, professional development, and preparation for licensure and board certification. At the beginning of the training year and, on a regular basis thereafter, the fellows training needs are reviewed and discussed. Participation in other clinical in the hospital to obtain specialized training can be arranged on an individual basis. Progress, competencies, and training goals are evaluated on a regular basis.
There are opportunities for fellows to become active participants in the Division’s robust Quality and Performance Program (QPP), which oversees all quality improvement activities. Fellows can attend team leadership meetings and quality improvement seminars, develop quality metrics for clinical outcomes and processes, review data for ongoing projects, and propose, implement, and present their own mentored QI project. Emphasis is on developing solid working knowledge of quality improvement principles and strategies for rigorous and effective implementation.
Finally, within the Division of Developmental Medicine and in the broader Boston Children’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School community, there are a plethora of educational opportunities, including seminars, lectures, and trainings, that the fellows are required or encouraged to attend.
